Dash cams are small devices that are mounted to the windshield of your car or from the dash of your vehicle. They have the ability to capture both photographs and video footage while you drive. Dash cams can be used for various purposes, such as providing evidence in case of an accident or simply recording your journey on long drives.
A dash cam provides a unique perspective as you're driving because it captures video footage from every angle within its field of view. They typically come equipped with a wide-angle lens, so you can see what's directly in front of you and what's happening all around your car.
To help you find the best dash cam for your needs, we've examined options from brands like Garmin, BlackVue, Lanmodo and more. We compared each product based on its key features, customer ratings and reviews.
We picked the Garmin Dash Cam 56 as the best overall dash cam you can get right now in Australia. On Amazon, it has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
The Dash Cam 56 is a compact and discreet camera offering a 140-degree field of view. It captures 1,440p footage, providing crisp detail in low-light situations. It also automatically records and saves video of incidents and alerts drivers about forward collisions and lane departures.
A voice-control function is also available in English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Swedish. This lets you easily control the dash cam while on the road. Apart from an auto-synch feature, the dash cam lets you playback captured video using the brand's Drive app. This model requires an 8GB microSD, which you need to buy separately.
In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.
For dash cams, Garmin was ranked 3rd for value for money, 2nd for performance, 2nd for ease of use, 1st for features and design and 1st for image quality.
11 brands were rated across these decision criteria.
If you're looking for a front and rear option, we recommend the Rove R3 Dash Cam, which has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 500 Amazon reviews.
The R3 features a 3" IPS touch screen, 3-channel recording for the front, cabin and rear and a built-in GPS for live speed, compass and location stamps. It also offers a 24-hour parking monitor function, built-in image stabilisation and Wi-Fi connectivity to let you quickly transfer your videos on the brand's smartphone app.
Customers were impressed by the dash cam's compact and sturdy design, helpful features and Wi-Fi connectivity. It is powered by a Super Capacitator for longer battery life while also preventing internal damage. Users added that its video quality is pretty good, providing intense clarity even in the smallest of details. However, its app isn't the most user-friendly according to some.
When it comes to the best budget dash cam, our team has chosen the Uniden iGo Cam 30. This model has a rating of 5 out of 5 stars on eBay and JB Hi-Fi.
Recording in 1,080p Full HD, the iGo Cam 30 features a 120-degree field of view and a 2-inch colour LCD screen. It also offers a Parking Mode feature that detects sudden vibration when your car is parked and starts recording – very handy for those bumps and scrapes that always seem to occur in shopping centre car parks.
With an affordable price tag and tons of helpful features, this dash cam is one of the best options you can buy if you want to test the water. It's easy to use and has a decent LCD screen and a 120-degree field of view. It also features a sleek, compact design to boot.
Our pick for the best wide-angle model is the BlackVue DR900S-1CH. This model offers 4K ultra-HD video recording and a night-vision mode for stable video recording in low-light and dark conditions.
There is also an 8MP Sony CMOS sensor for superb clarity and an ultra-wide 162-degree viewing angle. The DR900S-1CH features a sturdy yet compact build, making it a discreet option for daily use. Additionally, it has built Wi-Fi and built-in GPS, so you can easily transfer your videos to your smartphone or computer.
While it's not the easiest dash cam to set up, customers said it's well worth it. It has superb battery life and offers loop recording and a handy intelligent parking mode to help you when parking. It also has event file protection for added peace of mind.
With a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon, we recommend the Viofo MT1 Motorcycle Dash Cam as the best option for motorcycles.
The MT1 provides a 170-field of view for wide-angle dual recording, thanks to its Sony STARVIS sensor and dual cameras. It offers 1,080p at 30 frames per second for clear and crisp videos even in low-light conditions. The cam is also IP66 water and dust resistant to ensure durability under extreme environmental conditions.
Apart from built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, you can connect the cam to the brand's app to view your recordings in real time, check routes and change settings. There is also a handy remote control that can start manual emergency recording. Other notable features include a built-in microphone, ACC detection function and loop recording.
We picked the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 as the best mini dash cam you can get right now in Australia. It has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars from more than 600 Amazon reviews.
Described as "car key-sized" this mini dash cam packs a big punch. It offers a 140-degree field of view and 1,080p video recording. This also automatically records and saves footage in the brand's cloud Video Vault once it's plugged in. And because it's pretty small, this can be mounted out of sight behind your rear-view mirror.
Additionally, it offers both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity so you can upload footage to your smartphone using the Garmin Drive app. The Parking Guard feature also lets you monitor activity around your parked car and automatically alerts you with a recorded clip if an incident is detected.
How do Australians rate Garmin's dash cams?
90% of surveyed Australians recommend Garmin
4.2
Value for money
4.4
Overall
4.5
Performance
4.2
Ease of use
4.3
Features and design
4.4
Image quality
How Garmin compares
In the 2023 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 34,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 170 product categories and over 1,200 total brands.
For dash cams, Garmin was ranked 3rd for value for money, 2nd for performance, 2nd for ease of use, 1st for features and design and 1st for image quality.
11 brands were rated across these decision criteria.
For the best 4K model, we recommend the Vantrue X4S Duo 4K, which has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
This 4K dash cam provides ultra HD videos up to 4k at up to 60 frames per second. It produces clear and crisp images while offering a 131-degree wide-angle field of view to reduce blind spots and capture more scenes on the road. There is also a built-in Wi-Fi function so you can easily connect the dash cam to the brand's mobile app, allowing you to playback and download your recordings.
The model offers 3 parking modes, motion and collision detection and seamless loop recording. Powered by a super capacitator, it also has superb battery life for long-lasting use. But do note that it doesn't have a built-in GPS, which may be a deal-breaker.
When it comes to the best low-light night-vision dash cam, our team has chosen the Lanmodo Vast Pro. This model is specifically designed for drivers with failing eyesight or who do a lot of driving at night. Especially driving at night in rural or outback Australia where the population of street lights vs kangaroos very much favours the latter.
This dash cam offers impressive visibility in low light and near darkness. It extends up to 300m, too. And with a 1,080p display, park mode, collision detection and ease of installation, this is a great option if you have the budget and inclination.
There is also a 128GB microSD card and a USB microSD card reader supplied with the Lanmodo Vast Pro. You can get up to 28 hours of recording from the card, too. Moreover, the cam will keep recording after the car is off. This option also works at temperatures up to 70 degrees, which lets you record regardless of the hot summer sun.
Amazon prices last updated on 10 December, 2023 at 05:00 ameBay prices last updated on 9 December, 2023 at 01:06 pm
Methodology
20+ Brands considered
100+ Products compared
8 Best dash cams chosen
Why you can trust our picks
We started our hunt for Australia's best dash cams by searching for the highest-rated products from retailers like Amazon, eBay, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Supercheap Auto. Once we'd narrowed down to the best-rated products, we compared them with similar dash cams to find our top picks. We considered factors like video quality, field of view, ease of use, price and more.
We also considered that Garmin was chosen by Australian customers as the top brand for dash cams in the 2019–20 Finder Retail Awards. In the cheap dash cam category, we considered products available for less than $100.
When putting together this guide, we considered dash cams from the following brands:
BlackVue
EOSS
Garmin
Gator
Kaiser Baas
Kapture
Kenwood
Nanocam Plus
Navig8r
Navman
Nextbase
Pioneer
SCA
Thinkware
Uniden
Viofo
XCD
Rove
Vantrue
We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. However, Finder may receive compensation when you click some links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners and why you can trust our guides.
Best Rated Dashcam Brand: BlackVue
BlackVue is the leading dash-cam brand, with Australians giving the brand top scores across the board for video quality, features, battery life and value for money.
Dash cams can help you prove fault in the event of an accident and avoid paying an excess and increased insurance premiums.
Budget models can cost as little as $40, while top-of-the-line models can be over $600.
Dash cams need to be attached securely and shouldn't be used on private property.
What is a dash cam?
Dash cams – or dashboard cameras – record video while you drive and sometimes while your car is parked. They work similarly to regular video cameras, but they are designed to be mounted inside your car. The footage captured is typically saved to a memory card or uploaded directly to cloud storage so you can access it easily.
You can use a dash cam to do the following:
Prove fault in an accident. Having a dash cam can help ensure you'll be let off the hook if an accident isn't your fault and save you from having to pay big excesses and raised premiums on your car insurance.
Provide legal evidence. Many people have used dashboard camera videos to demonstrate their innocence in the face of police inquiries.
Identify fleeing drivers. If you're involved in a hit-and-run, a dash cam could capture the other driver's number plate and vehicle information.
Protect your business. If you own a business that involves drivers or couriers, a camera can record your employee's speed and GPS location so you can make sure appropriate procedures are being followed.
Record a road trip. You can use your dash cam to capture road trips or once-in-a-lifetime events that happen too fast for you to stop the car and get out your digital camera.
Keep in mind, dash cams are limited and can only record within their field of view, so if the camera isn't pointed in the direction of the accident, it won't help.
Are dash cams legal?
Yes, as long as the camera is mounted correctly and you record in public areas, it's legal to own and operate a dash cam.
However, if you drive onto someone's private property and they ask you to turn it off then you must oblige. There may also be privacy issues when uploading videos to public spaces such as YouTube without the approval of anyone featured in the video.
What types are available?
There are 2 main types of dash cams: single-lens and multi-lens cameras.
Single-lens or single-channel. Single-lens models record in one direction, typically facing through the front windshield of the car. They are generally cheaper and easier to install than multi-lens models. However, single-lens cameras only capture footage in one direction, so if it's sitting in your front windshield and you get rear-ended – one of the most common accidents in Australia – then you won't get any footage of the accident.
Multi-lens or dual-channel. A multi-lens camera allows you to record both the front and back of your car at the same time. Some also offer side views and internal views of the car so you can record the passengers. Multi-lens cams are more expensive and more complicated to install than single-lens models as they have multiple units.
How to compare dash cams
Choose a dash cam that you can depend on. When comparing, look for the following features:
Price
You can get a budget dash cam for under $100 or spend $600 on a high-end model with extra features.
Automatic recording
Look for a dash cam that turns on and starts recording automatically when you start the car. If not, you'll have to remember to turn it on every time you get in the car.
Parking mode
Some models can be hooked up to the car's internal battery so that they keep running even while the car is parked. This helps you capture footage in case another car hits your parked car.
Memory card and data storage
Depending on storage space and video quality, your camera can only store a certain number of hours at a time. 32GB of storage typically holds several hours of high-resolution footage. A removable memory card allows you to add more storage space and transfer footage from your camera to your computer. Some dash cams use Wi-Fi to store video using cloud storage so you won't run out of memory space.
Impact detection
An important and increasingly common feature, impact detection ensures that the camera automatically stores important video and doesn't overwrite it. If your car is bumped, moved or hit, the device will detect it and make sure that a video of the event is available. Most dash cams can timestamp the relevant video, and more advanced models can also record the force and direction of the impact.
Battery life and power supply
If you want a dash cam that runs continuously, you'll need to hook it up to a power source. Some dash cams will come with a cable to hook up to your car's 12V socket, while others can be hardwired into the car's battery.
Some dash cams come with an internal battery that allows them to run without a power connection. However, the battery will need to be charged or replaced regularly.
Looped recording
Dash cams need to be recording constantly while you drive, and sometimes when your car is parked too. Looped video recording ensures that the dash cam can still record new footage when its memory is full by overwriting the oldest footage with newer video when needed.
Built-in display
While not an essential feature, an inbuilt display screen lets you more accurately align the camera so you know exactly what it's recording. It can also be useful if you ever have to pick the camera up and actually point it out a side window to record something.
Video quality
High-quality video can help you capture more details in the event of an accident. Most dash cams have at least 1080p high-definition resolution, but some models record 4K ultra-high-definition footage. Some dash cams also offer a night-vision mode to help capture clearer video in the dark.
How to install a dash cam
Dash cams are designed to be installed relatively easily with instructions in the box. If you have trouble installing the camera or connecting it to a power source, take your car to an auto shop for assistance. If you install the camera yourself, make sure to secure any extra cords to the roof lining so that nothing is left dangling to distract you while you drive.
You can attach your dash cam with a suction cup or an adhesive. A suction cup attachment is useful if you plan on moving it to a different car or if you'll be using it in rental vehicles. Adhesive fasteners offer a more secure and permanent fixture while still letting you remove the camera if you need to.
We picked the Garmin Dash Cam 56 as the best dash cam you can buy online.
At the 2020/2021 Finder Retail Awards, BlackVue was named the best dash-cam brand in Australia. It earned the top marks for video quality, features, battery life and value for money.
Best-rated dash-cam award breakdown
Brand
Battery Life
Features
Value for Money
Video quality
Overall rating
Recommended
Total Score
Blackvue
4.3
4.23
4.2
4.53
4.5
93%
8.15
Garmin
4.24
4.22
4.02
4.12
4.34
82%
7.79
Navman
4.1
4.08
4.08
4.27
4.14
96%
7.7
Kogan
3.82
3.92
3.95
3.97
4.15
90%
7.51
Uniden
3.94
4
4.17
3.89
4.11
78%
7.42
Jaycar
3.9
4.14
4.19
4.19
4
76%
7.37
Gator
3.88
4.16
4
4.08
3.92
80%
7.27
Dashmate
3.86
3.79
4
3.93
3.93
86%
7.25
SCA
3.9
3.8
3.7
4.1
3.9
80%
7.15
Kapture
3.8
3.73
3.6
3.87
3.87
80%
7.03
Navig8r
3.6
4
3.67
3.13
3.67
73%
6.68
Data: Finder Retail Brand Survey, 2020, Kantar. Metric out of 5 stars unless indicated. Methodology and more info.
Ericka Pingol is a writer for Finder specialising in best guides. Using tested methodology, Ericka has been helping Australians choose the right product across hundreds of categories since 2020. Ericka has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of the East, Manila. As well as being passionate about helping people save money when shopping for their latest purchases, Ericka has a background in writing about property investment, personal finance and health. When not writing best guides, you can find her lost in the pages of a good book or experimenting with watercolour painting.
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