In a world where car insurance can often cost more than the vehicle itself and crash-for-cash scams are a regular feature in the news, drivers looking to safeguard themselves are increasingly relying on dash cams. These devices provide vital evidence in case of any road incidents.
I recently experienced a hit-and-run incident with my own car while it was parked outside a friend’s house. Without any number plate details or footage of the event, I was left to cover the excess and saw a dent in my treasured no-claims bonus as there was no identifiable third party involved.
So, when I was given the opportunity to review a dash cam that promised crystal-clear 4K ultra-HD recording quality, I was eager to try it out. The Miofive Dash Cam S1 Ultra, currently discounted by 40% from £199 to £119.99 on Amazon, boasts a 4K sensor, front and rear dual recording function, and ultra-high definition 4K+30FPS resolution. It even comes with a free 64GB SD Card, which is not a standard offering with all dash cams these days, reports the Mirror.
The Miofive S1 Ultra is currently 40% off on Amazon, down to £119.99. It boasts ultra-high definition 4K+30FPS resolution, WiFi and Bluetooth app control, night vision, wide viewing angles, GPS and a 24-hour parking mode.
£119.99
Amazon
Pros
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Easy to set up
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Memory card included
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High-quality recording with night vision for the price point
Cons
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Hardwire kit required to power the 24-hour parking mode feature not included
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Connectivity can conflict with other Bluetooth/WiFi devices in the car
Looks-wise, the S1 Ultra is sleek and compact, which doesn’t take up too much space on your windscreen and tucks neatly behind the rear view mirror. It looks like a traditional camera, with an onboard screen which starts up when you start the car, and goes to sleep after a minute or two of driving.
The rear cam is also tiny, ideal for placing at the top of the rear window (just be sure to avoid the heating elements). Both come equipped with generously long cables, which should be suitable for most car sizes.
According to Miofive, the front camera is equipped with an F1.8 large aperture and 140-degree wide-angle seven-glass lens. Meanwhile, the rear camera has an F2.0 large aperture and 112-degree wide-angle lens, designed to capture clear footage even in low light or nighttime conditions.
The setup was really straightforward, attaching via a mount with an included 3M sticky pad (and a couple of spares, should you need to move it around or switch to another vehicle). The wires tuck neatly into the roof head liner and down behind the A-pillar trim. I then ran the remainder along the underside of the glove compartment before plugging it into the supplied USB adapter to plug into the cigarette lighter outlet of my long-suffering 2010 Seat Ibiza.
The S1 Ultra can connect via Bluetooth or WiFi to your phone, and the Miofive app allows you to view footage whilst in the vehicle and connected to the camera, or you can download the footage to your phone for viewing away from your car.
The slight difficulty I ran into with connectivity was that my phone automatically connects to an aftermarket Android infotainment screen via WiFi and Bluetooth when I start the car. To connect to the dash cam, I need to disconnect the system in order to connect to the dash cam, and reconnect to the screen again before setting off on a journey.
While I found this a little inconvenient, I only need to connect to the app in the event that I want to view or download footage which, fingers-crossed, shouldn’t be too often.
Reviewing the footage collected after a couple of weeks’ use, the app organisies it into convenient minute-long clips, making it easy to find the footage you’re searching for. The footage is good quality and came out clear, even on dim, rainy days. The night vision mode also works exceptionally well for the price point.
I was disappointed by the inability to test out the 24-hour parking mode—a major selling point of the device. This mode activates the front and rear cameras in the event of a collision while the car is parked. It records a 60-second video, securely stores it in an event folder, and gives a voice alert the next time you start the car to notify you about the incident.
In order to use this impressive headline feature, shoppers need to purchase and install separate hardwire kit, allowing the dash cam to source power directly from the battery, rather than the cigarette lighter, which is only powered when the car is running.
That said, given the current £119 price point of the device, the £29.99 hardwire kit brings the total cost in below £150, which still offers great value for money, given the range of features on offer.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for recommendations on the budget end of the scale, the Orskey 1080p dash cam almost topped Motoring Editor Gareth Butterfield’s list of Best dash cams for 2024, currently retailing at £32.29 on Amazon.
He also highly rated the Garmin Mini 3, currently £149.99 at Currys, writing: “Garmin really does know a thing or two about in-car tech. Video quality is a little bit compromised on this model, with just 1080p, but it has great build quality, and it’s one of the most compact dash cams on the market. You also get a parking guard system and voice control.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/tested-miofive-dash-cam-promises-31101525
