Dashboard cameras - you may have heard of them.
What used to sound like a fad has been gaining popularity of late and itís not really hard to see why.
For those unfamiliar with the device, a dashboard camera (or dashcam) serves as dedicated vehicle camera that records everything during your drive (collisions, road rage, falling asteroids), acting somewhat like an automobile black box.
This could prove extremely useful should you need video evidence to back up your innocence.
Dashcams have proven extremely popular in Russia and China, as evidenced by the amount of accident footages uploaded on to YouTube.
This brings us to our test unit, the Polaroid C201.
While the average Joe would remember Polaroid as a legendary maker of instant cameras, not many know that the company also have a range of digital devices as well.
The C201 is a driving recorder capable of recording in full-HD resolution (1080p) at 30fps (frames per second) and records on MicroSD/SDHC memory cards. It features a 2-megapixel CMOS sensor, 120∞ wide-angle lens and a 2-inch LCD display.
The camera itself is rather petite, like a miniature compact camera. You can carry it around and people might think it’s a toy camera.
Attached to the windscreen via a holder and suction cup, the C201 records automatically as long as your engine is running as it takes power from the carís 12V power socket.
Itís a pretty worry-free hands-off experience, unless of course like in my Ford Fiesta where power supply continues for an hour after the ignition is off.
In this case, you can stop the recording with a press of a button.
The dashcam features loop-cycle recording, which means it would record over older clips once memory is full, so there’s no worry of missing out on something eventful.
The Polaroid is able to snap stills too, but honestly with todayís smartphone image quality, I don’t believe many will use this feature.
Video recording quality is top notch, with plenty of detail captured and good contrast adjustment on the fly (ie: going through a tunnel for instance).
The wide-angle lens ensures maximum coverage, with almost your entire windscreen in view.
Night recordings were surprisingly impressive, especially on well-lit highways, with number plates clearly visible.
At RM399, the C201 which is distributed locally by SC Distribution Sdn Bhd (tel: 03- 4296 2628), seems like a worthwhile investment, especially with numerous mishaps on our roads of late (i.e. snatch theft, break-ins, people running amok, vehicle pile-ups, falling concrete beams, etc).
