How to: Dash camera

As is the world today, it is overwhelming to start looking at a product that you want to purchase. I experienced this when I began researching dash cameras for my truck, there are so many options that I felt paralyzed with indecision. Even on Amazon alone, there are so many pages of different dash cams that any sane individual would never get through all of them. That isn’t accounting for variability in the type of dash cam, the way you want to get it wired (USB outlet in the cab or direct under your hood), or the way you want to organize the cables to maintain cleanliness in your car.

Here’s my take:

It’s all a whole lot simpler than you think. Something that really simplified the process for me was learning about rearview mirror power adaptors. They essentially allow you to draw power from the cable on your rearview mirror to power your dash camera. You can read more about the adaptors and learn how to find one that fits your car here!

Once the power dilemma was solved, everything became significantly easier to decide. Despite the massive spread of dash cams available, there are surprisingly not too many important differences between them. Most already have 4k recording capabilities, have the option to record while parked, have a model that records multiple angles at once (front, rear, interior, etc), and come with an app too. Many also have night vision capabilities.

The primary difference in the cameras doesn’t actually lie in the features or the quality of the video, but rather it lies in the mode options, build quality, and app support. Companies like Cobra or Garmin will likely have better build quality as well as more domestic support compared to companies like Azdome or Thinkware.

What it boils down to is what modes they have available. For example, it would be more practical for someone to invest in a camera that has an “always on” parking monitor feature if they street park their car often. One non-negotiable for me is video quality – if I ever need to use the footage I certainly don’t want to miss out because the video quality isn’t good enough to see details or license plates. Because of that, my dash camera records in 4k and has integrated night vision. Figure out your needs, adjust them to fit the four or five different modes that vary from camera to camera, and you will find that your pool of options effortlessly narrows down.

Ultimately, I decided to go with the AZDOME M550. It’s usually $169.99, but it’s on sale right now for $99.99. Fortunately, I got the camera as a review unit, so I didn’t actually pay for it. If I had $170 to put toward a dash camera, I would probably go for something like the Cobra SC 200 simply because it has better domestic support and a more developed app.

Once you decide on the camera that you want, the wiring can either be a hassle or you can look into options like the adaptors I mentioned above, which will make the whole process unbelievably easy.

Let me know what camera you decide on, and why, below!