A dash Camera performs just like any other camera but its application is different. Commonly, a hidden dash cam is placed right behind a rearview mirror where it is not easily detectable. Initially, a law enforcement vehicle used to have a hidden car surveillance camera, but now, not only the agencies but also the public have wide access to technology. This is the reason we see an array of small hidden cameras for cars in the market. Dash Camera has gone through significant advancements and changes. In its infancy, a hidden car camera used to be much larger with no Wi-Fi or HD recording capability. But today, we have cameras that are much more compact packing a range of features such as motion detection, Wi-Fi and SD Card support, allowing you to hide them covertly inside your vehicle. That is the main objective; to have a camera hidden, so it doesn’t hamper your vision while driving. Currently, there are literally hundreds of top dash cam to choose from and this can be overwhelming if you don’t know what to look for. So, which is the best cam for your car? Which one has the best features? Which is the best of all? That’s where we come to your rescue. Below we provide you with a list of premium hidden dash cam for the car. Keep in mind your priorities and look through the list to make the best choice. However, before we delve into the matters, let’s first find out why you should have a hidden dash camera in your vehicle and what the most desirable features are.
Outstanding Hidden Dash Car Cam List
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Editor’s Pick
We pick the Aukey 4k dash-cam simply because it allows a high definition video recording at an unbelievable price. Only a few cameras in our Top-Rated hidden dash cam list comes close to this. We are entirely positive, you will find the product to be of huge help in recording your daily drives during the day or at night thanks to the excellent night vision. Aukey also gives you an unprecedented warranty of 2 years and a money-back guarantee of 45 days. This shows the manufacturer’s confidence on its performance.
Runner Up
Coming at a close second in our list is the Vantrue N2 Pro and for obvious reasons. The N2 only lags behind because it does not have 4k recording option but it makes up for the loss with a 310-degree vision allowing outside and inside view of the vehicle. The other features like the G-sensor and HD recording are standard in almost all dash cams on our list. Another drawback is the suction cup installation. Suction cups can wear down after some time due to exposure from the sun’s heat and have to be replaced.
The Competition
For this category, we would go for the Vava hidden dash cam, hands down. The major factor making this cam eminent is the 360-degree vision. You can move the camera in any direction and record, so it opens up new avenues and angles for you to explore while making a recording of your drive.
After extensive tests and research, we have compiled a list of 8 Cool hidden dash cameras.
Brand: i-Tentek Brand: Street Guardian Brand: Roadrover Brand: Pruveeo Brand: Aukey Brand: Vantrue Brand: Vava Brand: Rexing
Dimension: 3 x 2 x 2 inches
Weight:1 ounces
Warranty: Manufacturers
Dimension: 8 x 2 x 1.7 inches
Weight: 8 ounces
Warranty: Manufacturers
Dimensions: 36 x 3.54 x 2.17 inches
Weight:06 pounds
Warranty: No
Pruveeo F5
Dimensions: 7 x 3.9 x 1.5 inches
Weight: 04 ounces
Warranty: Manufacturers
Aukey 4K
Dimensions: 01 x 3.03 x 1.46 inches
Weight: 4 ounces
Warranty: 24 months
Dimensions:5 x 3.8 x 1.5 inches
Weight:52 ounces
Warranty: Manufacturers
Dimensions: 3 x 3.7 x 3.4 inches
Weight: 08 pounds
Warranty: Manufacturers
Rexing V1
Dimensions:01 x 0.98 x 4.02 inches
Weight: 2 ounces
Warranty: Manufacturers
Why Use A Invisible Dashboard Cam?
Dash cams provide a great opportunity for car drivers to keep track of their driving. Not only that, recorded footage can be helpful in case you want to justify your insurance claim after an accident or you have to show it to the police in case you or someone hits your vehicle. There are even hidden dash cams that work while your vehicle is switched off and parked, so you are partially safe from theft or any robbery attempt. Although a covert dash cam is mostly used to avoid any untoward incident, it can be utilized for fun activities such as to record a road trip through beautiful terrains and valleys. The possibilities are endless as long as you keep experimenting and find new and interesting ways to use the technology.
Buying Guide
Deciding on a hidden dash camera can prove to be an arduous task. The good news for you is that we have broken down the basics of a hidden dash cam and stated its core features.
Benefits of A Secretly Recording Dash Camera
Having a compact hidden dash cam can prove to be a blessing since it hides well from plain eyesight, which is really important for a driver who must not be distracted during the drive. A large camera can take up undue space and even destroy the look and symmetry of your vehicle’s cabin. If you opt for a hidden car camera you will get the best of both worlds; recorded footage and a visually appealing interior. A hidden dash cam works like a security camera with a slight difference. A security camera is in plain sight of everybody. The good thing with a hidden dash cam is that only you have knowledge that it is placed in the vehicle and only you have access to the recorded footage. Therefore, it can be used to capture footage when you aren’t present in the car, allowing you to report vandals trying to desecrate your vehicle. The hidden dash cam can also capture sound in the footage which acts like a black box found in a plane. You can have a record of the conversation that took place in your vehicle. This is especially relevant if you drive a car under Uber or Lyft, where you encounter all kinds of people. It is always safer to have some recording of your rides. You can be a victim of road rage, or corrupt cop trying to extort money. In any case, you are protected via the hidden dash cam recording, which you can show to the relevant authorities and clear yourself of any wrong charges.
How Does it Work?
For a hidden dash camera to be effective, not only the camera but the wiring has to be concealed to accomplish stealth. This is why the best place to install a hidden car camera is behind the rear-view mirror, where even part of the wiring is masked away from vision. The rest of the wiring is tucked away behind the ceiling cover or along the windshield and taken straight to the fuse box where the camera gets life. Attaching the hidden car camera directly to a power source removes any need of a battery and any worries that may come from a battery malfunction. Hidden cameras for cars are made in such a way that they are discreet and complement a vehicle’s design, fitting easily with any component, unlike, earlier dash-cams, that used to be big and bulky and were attached to the windscreen via a suction cup that often failed due to hot temperatures.
Features of A Covered Dash-Cam
Hidden dash cameras come with a range of features and below are a few that are the most integral in making your decision.
- HD Recording If you are making a recording, wouldn’t it be better to have it in HD (High Definition)? HD footage is necessarily important if you are using the camera for your road trip. You will be able to get crystal clear video, which you can later compile into a beautiful cinematic presentation.
- SD Card HD footage will require lots of space, so you need to have a hidden dash cam that supports a large SD card of more than 32 GB just to be on the safe side. And even if your camera is not built for High Definition, you will save time by not replacing a card frequently.
- GPS Capability Most vehicles nowadays have GPS built-in, however, if you have a vehicle without GPS, you can opt for a dash cam with GPS capability.
- Night Vision Let’s be honest, you won’t be driving the car only during the day. In fact, most of our daily drives are at night going out for a dinner or to a club. That’s when excellent night vision becomes a requirement.
- Wi-Fi SD Card technology is going to be obsolete soon, thanks to the cloud technology and Wi-Fi. A hidden Wi-Fi dash cam will be able to transfer footage without you extracting it every other day and would allow you to view the recording on your smartphone.
- Field of View There are hidden dash cams available in the market with 360 degrees capability. That might be just too much vision for many, so there are many cameras offering a 120 to 180-degree view. Depending on your preference, you can get one that is just right for you.
- Battery or Cord A hidden dash cam will come to life once you plug it into your car’s power box but most cams will have a lithium-ion battery for backup and to use the parking surveillance feature. However, batteries can suffer overheating and explosion, so avoid parking your car directly under the sun.
- Parking Surveillance This is an added safety feature that allows your hidden dash cam to record video even when your vehicle is not switched on and you are absent. If somebody attempts to vandalize your vehicle, you will be able to catch them. However, the sensors in these cameras are not very advanced right now, so you should not depend on them.
- Dual Facing Cams There are dash cams that have two faces like Provision-ISR Dual Dash Cam, meaning they can record outside and inside the vehicle, or outside and the rear of the vehicle.
Hidden Car Cameras Types
- Basic Dash Cam These are hidden cameras for cars that have no flashy features. They are just made to record footage and this is the reason they are very cheap compared to other car cameras in the market.
- Dash-Cam with Advanced Features Other than performing the basic job of video recording, an advanced hidden dash cam will have Wi-Fi, GPS, speed sensors, and audio recording among other features.
- Dual Camera Dash Cams These are great for Uber or Lyft drivers who can record the cabin of the vehicle, or for parents who want to keep track of their young child’s driving. Such cameras can also be used to make cool videos with your friends.
How We Picked and Tested?
We gathered information on around 200 best-hidden dash cam available in the market and asked many sellers about their best-selling items. Subsequently, we made a list of all the important features a camera should possess and compared different dash cams with each other. Although the price was one of our major concerns, we decided to not consider very cheap models just because you get a consistent quality cam recommendation. Customer service is important as well, so we excluded any real hidden cam which could not be traced back to a good company or one that had no online presence so that you are not left hanging when and if a problem arises with your hidden dash cam. Finally, customer reviews from leading e-commerce websites such as Amazon were accounted for and the final list of products was made.
Conclusion
Hidden dash cams are a necessity nowadays since the traffic on the roads has multiplied, resulting in an increased number of accidents. If you have a hidden dash cam, you can prove the mishap to your insurance agency via a recorded video and speed up your insurance claim. Otherwise, it may take you days to get the claim, as the insurance company will have to investigate the case themselves in detail. A hidden camera for car is also widely used by YouTubers who make interesting videos for their channels using an in-cabin dash-cam. Although, a hidden security camera for your car is important, it can cost you money. We have tried to limit the price range under $200 for the products on our list, so that you can consider good options in a decent price range. We recommend, as soon as you read about our 10 best hidden dash cams, you buy one for your vehicle and save yourself from the unnecessary troubles.
FAQ
There are multiple hidden cameras for cars on our list that can record both in and out of a vehicle.
Hidden dash cams are mostly available in HD and 4k resolutions for a sharp video.
Not all but most high-end dash cams have GPS function to guide you on the road.
Dash cams are made specifically for this purpose. However, if you intend to record your passenger’s movements, check relevant laws of your country to avoid any complications.
Since most hidden dash cams save videos in HD resolution, you should have at least a 32 GB SD card just to be on the safe side.
Dash cams can be fitted through various methods, however, it largely depends on what the manufacturer has provided. Large sized cameras usually have a suction cup that sticks to the windshield, whereas small and discreet in car hidden cameras can be clipped on to the back of the rear-view mirror, stuck to the windshield via an adhesive (provided with the product), or hooked on using magnet clip.
Car cameras come in many shapes and sizes, therefore, it depends how big a camera you buy. Most large ones have to be stuck to the windscreen, so they are right in front and everybody can see them. That basically destroys the purpose of a hidden dash cam and that is precisely why there are compact cameras that can hide behind the rear-view mirror and away from everyone’s sight.