Is the cheapest dashcam we've ever reviewed the worst one?
The idea to test a CD-R King dash camera has been in the Top Gear pipeline for quite a while now. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, this review's been plotted in our calendar for about half a year already. Thing is, whenever we would pop by a store to actually buy the thing, it was always out of stock.
Fast forward to mid-2018 and we've finally managed to nab a unit of the CD-R King CAM-RE007-WON. It costs P880--by far the cheapest dashcam model out there--but things were already looking bleak before we'd even reached the counter. Two of the staff's personnel had warned us that the camera can't take night footage. Naturally, we had to see for ourselves. But we'll get to that later.
First off, let's take a look at what P880 gets you upfront. The unit's box is nothing special, featuring a photo of the dashcam and some basic information: 2.4-inch LCD screen, 100-degree viewing angle (not a good look), and a 640x480 video resolution at 30fps.
Found inside are the camera, a mount, a near-useless manual, and a power cable. We pick up the unit, which is made from a ton of cheap plastic and not much else, and it's way too light for comfort. We shake it a bit, and can hear something inside--the build quality is immediately suspect.
Setting the dashcam up is as simple as screwing the unit itself onto the mount and applying the suction cup to the windshield. Its hold is surprisingly grippy. Frankly, we are expecting this thing to keep falling off over the slightest bumps, but it never does. The LCD screen leaves much to be desired as the colors aren't that accurate, and a small screen combined with a relatively smaller viewing angle isn't exactly ideal. But what matters is the footage inside, right?
Now before we go any further, remember that this model costs a fraction of most other ones available in the market.
So, on to the footage. Daytime quality isn't as bad as we expected it to be, and you will be able to read plate numbers directly in front of you. A meter or two further, though, and you're out of luck. Unfortunately, the viewing angle is very constricting, leaving you at a disadvantage if a motorcycle or car sideswipes your front fender. One plus is that there's audio recording, so at least it has that.
Night quality, as you will see in the photos below, is downright laughable. It's a joke--except it's not that funny, and you shelled out P880 for it. Turn your headlights off in a reasonably lit parking garage and you're met by nothing but an empty blackness. Turn them on, and plate numbers flare up while the entire environment looks like a garbled Zack Snyder film--if Snyder decided to shoot an indie using a cheap camera with beer goggles on. It's that bad.
But again, it's P880. We've yet to discover how long the CAM-RE007-WON's dubious build quality will last, or when its chips or sensors might give in. But, if your only worry is someone backing into you or a down-on-his-luck pedestrian throwing himself into your path for insurance money, this model will work. Just pray none of that happens past 6pm.
Blaupunkt's BP 2.0 dashcam is an affordable, minimalist package
No, you didn't read that wrong. Blaupunkt, the German brand known for its in-car sound systems, actually makes dashcams as well. Pictured above is one of its entry-level offerings, the BP 2.0.
It doesn't boast a whole lot of features on the box. Just a G-Sensor, loop recording, microSD support, and a 120-degree wide angle lens. Inside, you get the camera, a suction-style mount, a USB cable, and a lighter port charging cable. The camera itself only has a 2.0-inch screen and weighs just 50g. Setting it up is a simple matter of slotting in a microSD card, plugging in the charging cable, and mounting the camera. Once it's set up, it starts recording at a default 1080p setting.
A big plus with this camera is its unobtrusive size. It easily fits behind most side mirrors, but even if you mount it elsewhere, it doesn't obstruct your view. The LCD screen switches off after a few seconds, making it even less of a distraction. The wide-angle lens works as promised, capturing the entirety of your windshield and a good chunk of your peripherals as well. On top of all that, installation is a simple matter of plug and play.
As far as the footage goes, it's not the most impressive we've seen out of the dashcams we've tested. At night, the video is noticeably grainy and bright lights further distort the image. It's a lot better in daylight, though you'll have a hard time deciphering street signs and plate numbers from a distance. Still, for just P3,450, you get a practical and no-frills package that will suit most needs.
If you want more features from the same brand, you can opt for other models like the BP 3.0 (P6,700) which has a bigger display and GPS tracking. There's also the BP 8.0 (P11,600) that comes with a wider lens and a 2MP camera to monitor your rear.
2016 was a pretty good year for dashcams
Fast forward to mid-2018 and we've finally managed to nab a unit of the CD-R King CAM-RE007-WON. It costs P880--by far the cheapest dashcam model out there--but things were already looking bleak before we'd even reached the counter. Two of the staff's personnel had warned us that the camera can't take night footage. Naturally, we had to see for ourselves. But we'll get to that later.
First off, let's take a look at what P880 gets you upfront. The unit's box is nothing special, featuring a photo of the dashcam and some basic information: 2.4-inch LCD screen, 100-degree viewing angle (not a good look), and a 640x480 video resolution at 30fps.
Found inside are the camera, a mount, a near-useless manual, and a power cable. We pick up the unit, which is made from a ton of cheap plastic and not much else, and it's way too light for comfort. We shake it a bit, and can hear something inside--the build quality is immediately suspect.
Setting the dashcam up is as simple as screwing the unit itself onto the mount and applying the suction cup to the windshield. Its hold is surprisingly grippy. Frankly, we are expecting this thing to keep falling off over the slightest bumps, but it never does. The LCD screen leaves much to be desired as the colors aren't that accurate, and a small screen combined with a relatively smaller viewing angle isn't exactly ideal. But what matters is the footage inside, right?
Now before we go any further, remember that this model costs a fraction of most other ones available in the market.
So, on to the footage. Daytime quality isn't as bad as we expected it to be, and you will be able to read plate numbers directly in front of you. A meter or two further, though, and you're out of luck. Unfortunately, the viewing angle is very constricting, leaving you at a disadvantage if a motorcycle or car sideswipes your front fender. One plus is that there's audio recording, so at least it has that.
Night quality, as you will see in the photos below, is downright laughable. It's a joke--except it's not that funny, and you shelled out P880 for it. Turn your headlights off in a reasonably lit parking garage and you're met by nothing but an empty blackness. Turn them on, and plate numbers flare up while the entire environment looks like a garbled Zack Snyder film--if Snyder decided to shoot an indie using a cheap camera with beer goggles on. It's that bad.
But again, it's P880. We've yet to discover how long the CAM-RE007-WON's dubious build quality will last, or when its chips or sensors might give in. But, if your only worry is someone backing into you or a down-on-his-luck pedestrian throwing himself into your path for insurance money, this model will work. Just pray none of that happens past 6pm.
Blaupunkt's BP 2.0 dashcam is an affordable, minimalist package
No, you didn't read that wrong. Blaupunkt, the German brand known for its in-car sound systems, actually makes dashcams as well. Pictured above is one of its entry-level offerings, the BP 2.0.
It doesn't boast a whole lot of features on the box. Just a G-Sensor, loop recording, microSD support, and a 120-degree wide angle lens. Inside, you get the camera, a suction-style mount, a USB cable, and a lighter port charging cable. The camera itself only has a 2.0-inch screen and weighs just 50g. Setting it up is a simple matter of slotting in a microSD card, plugging in the charging cable, and mounting the camera. Once it's set up, it starts recording at a default 1080p setting.
A big plus with this camera is its unobtrusive size. It easily fits behind most side mirrors, but even if you mount it elsewhere, it doesn't obstruct your view. The LCD screen switches off after a few seconds, making it even less of a distraction. The wide-angle lens works as promised, capturing the entirety of your windshield and a good chunk of your peripherals as well. On top of all that, installation is a simple matter of plug and play.
As far as the footage goes, it's not the most impressive we've seen out of the dashcams we've tested. At night, the video is noticeably grainy and bright lights further distort the image. It's a lot better in daylight, though you'll have a hard time deciphering street signs and plate numbers from a distance. Still, for just P3,450, you get a practical and no-frills package that will suit most needs.
If you want more features from the same brand, you can opt for other models like the BP 3.0 (P6,700) which has a bigger display and GPS tracking. There's also the BP 8.0 (P11,600) that comes with a wider lens and a 2MP camera to monitor your rear.
2016 was a pretty good year for dashcams
Dashcams have become somewhat of a necessary car accessory recently. You'll never know when something unexpected—whether it’s a reckless motorcycle or a hot-headed motorist—will come running your way. But when it does, you'll be glad to have this nifty little recording device to keep the situation in check.
We've featured many dash cameras on our website, each with varying levels of performance and different price ranges. We know a ton of you are looking into purchasing one to start the new year, so we compiled all of our dashcam stories from 2016 to help you choose. All that's left to do is to make your pick
Polaroid C270, Polaroid DS301 and Polaroid C201
"Well, here it is: Polaroid's new line of dash cameras. Yep, the same camera brand that previously became popular for its instant photos, is now into dashboard cameras for cars. And these are now available in the Philippines."
Polaroid E280GW
"Overall, the Polaroid E280GW is a decent purchase if you want good quality photos and videos from your dashboard. The working features like the speed limit alert, driver fatigue warning, and built-in GPS are great, especially for long drives. The inconsistent functions are bit of a let-down, and the camera is a bit pricey at P9,999.75. But if it's quality you're after, it's worth the price of admission."
Waylens Horizon
"The whole package comes with the camera, mount, chargers, cables, remote, OBD-II transmitter, and mobile app. We'd love to get our hands on one of these to see how it performs for ourselves. We reckon night-time HD time-lapse recordings during rush hour traffic would look pretty neat."
Xiaomi Yi
"So we try out the Yi for a few days, and the gadget stuns us with its video quality. The lens has an aperture of F1.8, and this lets a lot of light in even during night-time. It is easy to see what’s happening on the road in the evening. Reviewing the daytime clips, it almost looks like an HD GoPro camera is being used. The plate numbers of the other cars on the road are clearly seen, and we can still read the street signs."
Zumi Ultra Solo A12
"At the highest settings, the videos and photos are crisp and detailed. The lens is wide enough to capture up to the sides of your car's chassis so you won't miss a thing. Admittedly, the video was a bit laggy when we used it at the highest setting, so perhaps using a lower setting is a better option. The video quality was consistent when we tested it at night, too."
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