Dash cam

[metal mickey]

Can anyone recommend a good one with decent image quality and easy to use for a tin top.

Thanks.

[Geoff Brown]

Nextbase. Market leader with many different models. 

Halfords retail them so using your Halfords L7C voucher you get 10% off the unit & fitting.

[ChrisC]

I think Nextbase is the market leader because they are available from Halfords.    I prefer my dash cams to be a inconspicuous device, one you can fit and forget its there.   I have been using BlackVue for a few years and its been perfect in the regard, with a few tweaks in the settings using the app my dash cam makes no sound and only has one power light.   

The biggest trick is making sure the sd card is the correct specification.  You need a card that's fast enough, and robust enough for the number of times its overwritten.  Basically some cards are overwritten every 4 hours of driving in a dash cam, if you compare that to digital camera use, where it might take months before the card is full you can see why a cheap card is not going to cut the mustard.  Look for a class 10 MLC SD card (not TLC) and you should be fine.

[A7 OOH]

I agree, next base is the way to go I have them in my tin tops for a couple of years. Have Halfords hard wire the units in it makes such a tidy job of it rather than plugging into a cigar lightener.

[Bricol]

Although if you leave it on the lighter plug, you can move it around cars.

And remember to format the car every week or so as per instructions.  

My Nextbase one has been rather more easier and reliable to use than the GoPro I used to use.

[Sooty]

I use a transcend 200 in my tin top. Really clear pictures through top quality lens structure. Date and time stamp on recording and programmable for recording duration. Uprade to 220 would give gps speed recording which may or may not be desirable if the film is ever used evidentially.

[Guy Lowe]

Whatever you use make sure it is insurance approved, which in most case means it must save files in a format that cannot be edited. AFAIK MP4/AVI type files are no longer accepted as evidence in court.

[BigCol]

Nextbase score well in Autocar tests and I have just had an email from Halfords saying they’re currently -25%... (and then -10% Club discount)

[Stridey]

I like the ‘techmoan’ reviews on YouTube. Good content with a load of dashcams in his content: https://www.youtube.com/user/Techmoan

[L777JDP]

I've gone round in circles on this trying to decide what the best approach might be. I kind of like the idea of something that is integrated, like the small cylindrical front and rear cameras used on motorbikes, but never pulled the trigger. Based on what my mobile does when used as a sat nav I figured vibration would be an issue, so the smaller and lighter the product the better, but that translates into cheap, with rubbish mounting.

Another thought I had was mounting it off a bracket on the roll bar. GoPro do a suitable mount, but I'm really after both front and rear. Yet another idea was a bracket that fixed to the top of the windscreen, but I've not come across anything suitable. So, still mulling this over but I will look into the suggestions above.

[Terence]

If you use your phone as a sat nav you might consider the sat nav/dash cam combo from Garmin instead:-

https://www.halfords.com/technology/sat-nav/car-sat-nav/garmin-driveassist-51lmt-d-with-full-europe-maps-5-sat-nav

This has the normal suction cap attachment for mounting on the screen. I use it in my tin top but only as a sat nav on my aeroscreen.

[Stridey]

I’ve been very happy with a bike orientated system for my 7. Cant see why it wouldn't suit a tin top too. I wrote about it here: https://www.lotus7.club/forum/techtalk/i-fitted-dashcam-front-and-back

[CtrMint]

I'm using the one of the Garmins with an integrated cam, and I have to say its brilliant.  Requires near zero maintenance and always records great images.  I would highly recommend