Dash cams

[John and Debbie]

Hi all, we leave in about a month for a month long tour in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.  Does anyone here use a dash cam and if so, which one do you use?  Ideally I want one that doesn't need to be plugged into a cigarette lighter as I use that plug for the Oliver back up camera that is on while driving.  Looking forward to getting out and seeing more of the country.  First stop is Grand Junction, Colorado for the five leaf springs.

[rich.dev]

I have the FITCAMX, it’s nicely integrated into my Silverado’s rear view mirror housing, and plug and play installation with the power wire hidden and connected to the rear view mirror wiring, and hidden inside the mirror housing.

 

[Patriot]

I have been running this D/C since 2022 and am really pleased how it works and how small and compact the camera is. Clear crisp photos or video. https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-140-degree-Monitor-Connected-Features/dp/B0931YZ82P/ref=sr

Memory card -https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B09X7CRKRZ/ref=sr

I also recommend this polarized lens cover- https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Polarized-Lens-Cover-010-12530-18/dp/B07LDCK7ZR/ref=sr_

Here is the Ford specific plug and play dongar.tech short connector which plugs into my review mirror and powers the camera. Install is a breeze. You can barely see the Garmin Mini 2 while in the cabin as it mounts up hidden discreetly forward of the review mirror. Note: you must have the auto dimming rear view mirror with the 16 pin connector for this plug’n play to work. 💯 happy with this dash cam set up and would buy again. You may want to call Dongar tech to determine which connector will work for your Expedition trim level.

https://dongar.tech/products/16pin-ford-f150?srsltid=AfmBOookPpMlEZvtWy9Hi5SQfoIIYMJNOU0HJqtJewLLbWFu9zZgQjjS

 

Edited April 25 by Patriot

[topgun2]

I too have been using a dashcam for a number of years now - so many years that (as far as I know) they didn't produce a camera that used anything but the cig lighter for power unless you wired it to a hot and negative yourself.  However, there are a couple of things to be on the lookout for.  

I got both the dash and rearview cameras and with this there is almost a 360 degree of the vehicle.

Make sure that you get a fairly big memory card for your dashcam.

Having a "parking mode" (this is when you are parked the camera still records) is very helpful for things like someone trying to break into the vehicle when you are not there or if you are hit in a parking lot.

GPS integrated into the dashcam can be a blessing and/or a curse - it will show speed and location.  Certainly this is helpful IF you are doing the speed limit at the time a problem is recorded.  

My camera does not have an interior view but I've read that this view can be helpful in the event you are the victim and have to go to court.

Good luck choosing in that there are a ton of these cameras on the market.

Bill

p.s.  mine is branded as Apeman for what its worth.

[John Dorrer]

We have the ROVE Dashcam, front and back. I can connect to my phone Wi-Fi and there are very clear front and rear pictures. Extra safety, including preventing scams.

Edited April 25 by John Dorrer
Typo

[Rivernerd]

We have a CHORTAU dash cam purchased from Amazon in 2022.  It can only be plugged into the truck cigarette lighter, but I believe CHORTAU makes a newer version that has a USB-C power connector.  Our CHORTAU dash cam continues to work well, turning on each time we drive our 2019 Tundra.  Fortunately, we have not yet needed to access video footage for evidence of an accident or vandalism, but we like having the dash cam installed for that purpose.

[Zodd]

Plus one for the power adapter. It works great with rearview mirrors that have power. I have that in my truck and makes power and setup easy. I have a Rove as well. Hides behind the rearview. 

[Mike and Carol]

On 4/25/2025 at 3:09 PM, rich.dev said:

I have the FITCAMX, it’s nicely integrated into my Silverado’s rear view mirror housing, and plug and play installation with the power wire hidden and connected to the rear view mirror wiring, and hidden inside the mirror housing.

I’m looking at ordering a FITCAMX. I like the way it looks OEM, no wires, made model specific. My old dash cam is clunky, old and difficult to use. 

[Rolind]

I have been very happy with my garmin mini 3.  It is very basic and very small but does what I need.  I also use the Dongar power adapter to connect it to the rear view mirrors power source.

[Ronbrink]

I need to check out the dash cam feature on my Garmin GPS RV785. Anybody have experience with their’s to share?

[Boudicca908]

14 hours ago, Rolind said:

It is very basic and very small but does what I need.

It's so small! The body is 2" x 2.5" -- the antenna makes it just under 4" tall. 

This is the Garmin InReach Mini2 - a Compact Satellite Communicator with GPS, and should really be on this OTHER thread HERE: 

 

Edited April 30 by Boudicca908

[topgun2]

And - 

It weighs next to nothing!

Bill

[topgun2]

1 hour ago, Ronbrink said:

I need to check out the dash cam feature on my Garmin GPS RV785. Anybody have experience with their’s to share?

I've got the Garmin 890 and tried the Garmin camera with it.  

After installing the camera on the back of the Oliver, I ran the transmitter as far forward (with an extension cable) as I could get it - to the cubbie above the microwave.  I did this because Garmin states that the distance from the rear of the Oliver to the front of the cab of my F-150 is too far for the transmitter.

While the camera did work - it tended to cut in and out while on the road.  In turn, this causes the screen on the 890 to change from the road map to the rear camera view whenever it senses that the camera turns on/off (i.e. cuts in or out).  To be fair here - note that these cameras operate on very low voltage.  My use of an extension cable could have caused enough voltage drop such that this is what caused the "cutting in/out".

Therefore, I dismantled the entire arrangement and now have a camera just sitting down in the workshop waiting for my next idea.

Bill

[Ronbrink]

35 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

While the camera did work - it tended to cut in and out while on the road.  In turn, this causes the screen on the 890 to change from the road map to the rear camera view whenever it senses that the camera turns on/off (i.e. cuts in or out).

Okay thanks!  I’m only concerned with the forward-facing dash cam capability and not trying to incorporate a rear camera. Was the “cut in and out” with the dash cam, rear camera or both?

[topgun2]

2 hours ago, Ronbrink said:

Was the “cut in and out” with the dash cam, rear camera or both?

Sorry - this was not a dash camera.

Basically it is just a add on camera mainly used (I think) for rear facing cameras.  I just tried to extend its range (too far) and reduce the number of screens I had in the cockpit via having the signal feed into the Garmin.

Patriot is the only person I know that has the Garmin dashcam.

Bill

[William SJT]

Beware ordering from https://fitcamx.com/collections/integrated-dash-cams . This is a Chinese company shipping their product from China. With the trade and tariff disputes, my shipment is stuck in customs in the US. Fitcam said that is my problem and refused to issue credit even though they cannot tell me when or if I will get the camera. I resolved the problem through my credit card company. 

[rich.dev]

7 minutes ago, William SJT said:

 

Beware ordering from https://fitcamx.com/collections/integrated-dash-cams . This is a Chinese company shipping their product from China. With the trade and tariff disputes, my shipment is stuck in customs in the US. Fitcam said that is my problem and refused to issue credit even though they cannot tell me when or if I will get the camera. I resolved the problem through my credit card company. 

 

Sounds like the issue is with customs in the US, did you reach out to them? 

[William SJT]

22 minutes ago, rich.dev said:

Sounds like the issue is with customs in the US, did you reach out to them? 

I would not know where to begin to contact US Customs. But, I do not believe it is my problem. Instead it is Fitcam’s problem. Fitcam should contact US Customs and pay any tariff or duty above the price they agreed to sell me the camera. Granted, the vendor and I found ourselves in the middle of an unusual situation. Caveat venditor.