What is it?
In-vehicle dashboard camera.
How will it change my life?
If the plethora of Russian dashboard camera footage doing the rounds on YouTube has taught us anything, it's that extraordinary things can happen to ordinary people: be it spectacular meteors crashing to earth, death defying acts of bravery or distracted drivers causing seven-Lada pile-ups.
These days having a camera on board for incident capture and insurance reporting seems like only half the story as more of us try to document growing parts of our life and the antics we see on a daily basis. The Garmin Dash Cam 30 is perfectly suited for this multi-purpose world.
Good points?
The Dash Cam 30 is typical of Garmin products in that it's well-constructed, durable and functions with ease without causing any major frustration.
The camera's 1.4-inch LCD display is crystal clear despite its compact size. Capturing video in 1080p HD ensures there is no ambiguity in playback should you require its services in a legal dispute.
You need not worry about blocky or fuzzy images either as Garmin has perfected action orientated optics through their Virb series of cameras.
The G-sensor from the impressive Dash Cam 20 that I reviewed in June has been included which automatically detects a collision and saves the footage with a date/time stamp.
Bad points?
Garmin has reverted their mounting system from a pressure sucker and lever to a sticky pad which although effective means you have to keep it in place permanently. This could alert thieves to its presence in the car and result in you having to cart it about with you.
Best for ...
Those who want to protect themselves from unscrupulous, blame-game fellow motorists who wreak misery among the insurance claims process.
Avoid if ...
You are seeking a more comprehensive set of tools to aid your daily journeys as the 20 and 35 Dash Cams offer greater functionality with GPS geo-caching as well as driver alerts for speed cameras and red lights. The 35 model also provides forward collision warnings if you get too close to the vehicle in front and is only a mere £30 more expensive.
Score: 8/10. High quality video but lacking some features.
Garmin Dash Cam 30, £129.99 (garmin.com)
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