Thank you! I've been agonizing over choosing a cam, and had narrowed it to these three. The side by side by side comparison and showing all three views like you did made the choice much easier. Before you summarized, I had picked the Viofo based on quality and price, and was pleasantly surprised to hear you felt the same.
You are the VERY BEST at what you do! I have been waiting for you to do this for some time! You always show the capture of the license plates in real life driving, and youre vertical "side-by-side" comparisons are Sooooo Very Helpful! Every other reviewer needs to learn from you, though you will always be the first and you will always be the best!!!
Nice comparison, thank you. For the A119V3, there will be new firmware to support real HDR, make a big difference for night performance. For the A129 PRO 4K version, we are testing a new sensor version, maybe video quality can be improved with new hardware.
Don’t know if you ever tried this but the thinkware can be changed from 4K to 2k. At 4K it’s 30 FPS. At 2k it’s at 60 FPS. The detail with motion would be enhanced.
Very helpful and confirm my purchase of the Viofo to supplement my DR900s for the front view. The Thinkware is just too expensive for a slight difference in quality. Overall, you’re right about the Blackvue, video quality lags for the price you’re paying for it. It might have better parking mode surveillance, but it’s definitely a trade off.
Great vid. The blackvue seems to have night exposure done correctly, the other two are difficult to watch with all the over-exposure. During daylight though, it seems easily the worst. If they could make the Viofo night mode more like the blackvue at night it would be the clear winner for just image quality. EDIT if you run the A129 Pro at EV -1 or -2 I think it might fix most of the over exposure issues based on a few other videos I watched. Which setting did you record on? Maybe the U1000 also has a similar exposure reduction setting. This all seems personal preference though.
Outstanding 4k dashcam video review! Those extra miles editing and focusing on plates clarity is super helpful. Thank you for pointing out the bitrates differences. Amazing video. Big pp Vortex. Floor gang out aoohh aooohhhh
Wow, you really outdid yourself with the editing on this video. This is a really good picture quality review. Yes, the Viofo A129 Pro Duo does have good picture quality, and that’s what this video is all about. It also has 3 software issues, and 2 hardware issues that I discovered during my short time with it. I owned a Viofo A129 Pro Duo in Feb/Mar 2020 (firmware V1.1) for 21 days before it died. I have a full review on my channel, and 21 separate video clips showing all three resolutions (1080P@60fps, 2K@60 fps , 4K@30fps ), CPL Filter on/off, WDR on/off, day/night. (2K@60fps, WDR off, CPL Filter off) was my favorite recording configuration. The CPL Filter minimally reduced glare during day time, and made night time footage dark, and yellow. I would not use one in the future. WDR was ineffective. Software Issues: 1.) Incorrect Date Format On Text Overlay 2.) Incorrect Character Size On Text Overlay (1080P is the correct size, 2K shrinks text to ½ size, 4K shrinks it to ¼ size, illegible for my old eyes). Blackvue does not have this issue. 3.) Parking Mode & Buffered Recording issues, (goes into parking mode while driving, fails to go into parking mode when engine is off). Hardware Issues: 1.) Unit Lock Up & Freeze when disconnecting, and reattaching to different GPS mount in a my second car. 2.) The internal speaker exploded, and lost all audio alerts, and button confirmation sounds. I can only assume these issues are from a hurried R&D period, and less than stellar quality control in a rush to get this device on the market. I also say that because the rear camera is a 2 year old carry over from the standard A129. If Viofo can fix these issues, and give it a proper rear camera (2K@60fps) it will be a solid choice. And I will definitely buy one. I don’t have Blackvue & Thinkware money. -Chuck
@@BattleWizard_1 Yo Joel, TH-cam never sent me a notification for this comment. So this is the first time I'm seeing it. Did you ever buy a Dash Cam? -Chuck
I am in the market for a dash cam. The Blackvue and Thinkware according to my research is made in South Korea. I cannot find any information revealing what country the Viofo is made but after reading your comment, it wouldn't surprise me if it had "Made in China" on the box. A few minutes ago I asked Vortex Radar to disclose the country these are made in but I am leaning toward the Thinkware. I'll do without before I buy one made in China.
This was an excellent review. A dash cam review must have lots of license plate comparisons and this is something that is missing in most dash cam reviews. Your review is the best I've seen so far -well done! I have been looking at the three you shortlisted and I was really having trouble trying to decide based on quality and cost. The Viofo 4K is what I will finally settle with. Thank you so much for helping me to decide! I know this video was published in 2020 and two years on it's still valid 🙂
Very impressive work, thank you for taking the time to make the most helpful dash cam review video for me period. So many videos discuss features and numbers, none of that matters when the video output is terrible. I bought an expensive camera which was rated highly and the video output was sad at best.
Damn. Thank you! By far the best dash cam review on You Tube. Truly appreciate your time and effort putting this together. These cameras are a big $$ purchase for me.
Thinkware U1000 is my top choice, parking mode on the thinkware is leaps and bounds better than viofo and I personally believe parking mode is a must. Great comparison, love how you showed so many license plate comparisons.
Awesome review! Helped me make my final cam choice. It really shows how much effort you put into this production, is by far the best edited dashcam review I have seen :)
Yes, very very helpful video, Thank you. My verdict is the same. I noticed also with Thinkware is, its nice but look overly sharpened using some type of sharpening filter while Viofo is clear as well and naturally clear in general.
Glad I went with the Viofo A129 Pro Duo, I think it’s the best just because it’s half the price compared to the other 2 and arguably just as good of a performer.
Great review! I was just wondering, would it be better to record on 60fps at 2K since it records more frame. Especially when you’re driving and recording in motion. Just in case you need to get a license plate and zoom in frame by frame
I just got the Viofo shown here for a couple of reasons. 1. I didn't want anything on the body or bright ring around the lens drawing people's attention to it. 2. Price. We'll see how long it lasts in the Chicago winters and summers.
So my conclusion to this is: Good luck with the Blackvue, Viofo is best for capturing motion, and Thinkware is best for capturing images farther away, but only by a small margin compared to Viofo
After owning a blackvue dr900s-2 channel for 2 years, some times I do regret buying this top of the line dashcam because I don't utilize all of the capabilities. My advice is really focus on the features that you want besides video quality because the value for the money is where it counts.
Thank you for all your hard work on this video! I have the DR900s and at the time back in early 2019 it was the best dash cam on the market. Unfortunately for Blackvue the new tech in some of the newer dashcams makes a huge difference. Thanks for the video.
I thought within the first minute or two that I had narrowed down my choice. Then, you posted those videos and, Oh God, I kept switching between the Viofo and the Thinkware over and over. But, this is what I wanted - a side by side comparison. I've been beating my brains out reading the specs and reading the Amazon reviews but this video comparison is what I want a dashcam for. I've got to see if anyone has reviewed the RedTiger as that was what I was almost ready to buy. Thanks for all your work and help.
The very first dashcam I purchased was a Blackvue (dr650s-2ch if I'm not mistaken). I don't know if they sent me a faulty unit to begin with but I never really checked it to begin with, so I guess I'll never really know for sure. All I know is, I installed it in my car and it ended up killing my battery at least 3 times; despite having installed the "Power Magic Pro" -- which to my understanding -- was supposed to prevent the dashcam from sucking all the juice out of my battery in the first place. I don't know if it has anything to do with my infotainment system in my car, but it practically vampired the juice out of my battery more times than I should of put up with to begin with. Just recently, a couple of days ago actually, the front camera died all together; the image went pink first and then the feed died completely after. So I chucked it completely. As much as I hated the dashcam's unreliability, it was the phone "app" itself that left much to be desired. Couldn't use the darn thing without a bluetooth connection, and more than three quarters of my attempts to "log in" ended up timing out. To make matters worse, it had overheating issues during 80 degree weather and my SD cards kept corrupting. After a little bit of research, I decided to go with a VaVa dashcam. It's currently in transit so I'll have to wait and see what I get this time. Hopefully, I have a better run of things this time around.
your head exploding is where I'm at now and, I've discovered additional issues to consider like: Heat impact: Do cams with direct adhesion and large surface areas (e.g. Thinkware U1000) absorb more heat (increased risk of failure), than a insulating suction cup mounted cam with an air gap between the window and camera (e.g. Vantrue N4). And, what impact, if any, does the form factor have on heat absorption: Wedge, rectangle, tube, whether close mounted or gapped? Window sun screens: If I go thru the extra expense of hard wiring with an aux battery to have parking mode, is the front camera going to be blocked if I use a sun shade? I could imagine a sun screen would block low hanging units like the Vantrue X4, but what about the VIOFO A139? IR window tint: there is a polarization effect with IR ceramic window films. How does this impact dashcam performance? If I have IR film on my windows, do I need a filter on the camera? What is the effect on the image using a glare reducing filter thru IR coated windows? Stealth or obvious: Should I go hidden or make it obvious that "you're on Candid Camera"? Should I care? Resolution vs Scene: It seems to me that the cams with better resolution, have narrower fields of vision. Am I OK with not capturing the wider perspective for the sake of (how much) better clarity of what is recorded? OEM sensors and the affect they might have on the camera's operation and more importantly, vice versa? ... and much more. Ugh!
Couples things that wasn't mentioned in your video. The Viofo A129 pro is only 130 degree wide angle whereas Thinkware is 150 degrees. You notice the edges of Thinkware and Black Vue shows more than the Viofo. The Back camera in the Viofo is only 1080p whereas Thinkware is 2K hence why you notice the quality is much clearer than Viofo. Of course there's a huge price difference between the two but if we're comparing viewing angle and quality it is quite noticeable
I'm here because I am torn between the DR900X (not S), the U1000, and the A129 Pro... I was about to purchase the A129 Pro before watching this video.. it's sitting in my cart on Amazon.. but I wanted to check one last thing.. I removed it from my cart, not because of this video, but because I read on the Viofo forums that they are removing the buffered parking mode!... why?! Ugh.. that's a huge + for me, and it's being taken away? Have you heard of this?
I did notice the Viofo A129 had a bit of trouble with glare at night, they do offer a clip on polarized filter for the both cameras. I might have to give that a go.
Yeah, but then that reduces low light sensitivity. It’s like wearing sunglasses at night. Polarizers can be helpful for glare reduction, but there are some trade-offs to be aware of.
That was an awesome video and I totally agree. I own a thinkware and very familiar with it. I was very impressed with this Viofo rear camera. The image is very crisp, still love my thinkware But definitely will be looking in to more of that Viofo A129 pro
Worst situation for getting a tag - Headlights on a tag at night. They just turn into high glare blobs. A manufacturer that gets software to correct for this will quickly move to the market lead. Or enables smart tag that will identify and enhance vehicle tags (either on the fly or with rendering software native to phone/computer).
Please look and compare the size & nature of the imaging chips (usuallly 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch, 1.25 inch) & the aperature of the lenses (f number). It is also worth comparing the recording format as some compression formats introduce more noise.
That’s too far down the rabbit hole of technical detail for most people, plus it’d be tough to find a way to keep all the other variables fixed while only varying one of those aspects.
I actually started testing with polarizers on all the dashcams, but noticed lower than expected video quality. The results were also variable depending on polarizer quality so some dashcams looked better or worse because of the polarizer. So to keep things simpler, I removed all the polarizers and only did comparisons without them.
iTouchAppReviewers I’m looking to buy the A129 Pro (not sure about the duo yet) and was wondering how you liked the polarizer? How’s video quality with it?
@@jordanbanko5347 I have the a129 pro with a polarizer and the video quality is great, less glare and reflections from light in the image but it makes the image overall slightly gloomy, doesn't bother me though. Only need the polarizer if you live somewhere where its sunny year round.
Blackvue now has a DR900X, but the video quality is the same as the DR900S. The other manufacturers haven’t come out with newer cameras so this is all still current.
I got the viofo a129 a few weeks ago without the rear camera. I like the somewhat stealth wedge shape. I put my older a119 on the back window. When I have downloaded video about 5 times via wifi to my phone, it has worked fine with no issues. The few still pictures I have taken with thw a129 leave a little to be desired.
@@jordanbanko5347 they aren't connected at all. I am not placing that much importance on having synced rear video at this time . At some point I might spend the extra $60 or so and get the viofo rear camera that plugs into the a129.
captainkrunch Oh okay. I didn’t think they were connected, but maybe thought you used the audio to sync the two videos together in editing software. I guess it doesn’t matter too much though.
Looked at a bunch of best of cam videos The Viofo A129 Pro (&Duo) seems to have some healthy respect with viewer comments and price range. This video proves it. Viofo has an all round better balance for day/night contrasts.
Something to consider: The Blackview 900S has been with Vortex for a while now. I noticed that the video is not near as clear as when it was new, compared to the other two newer dash cams. I believe the 900S has degrade in video quality
Best video quality is one thing, reliability is another one... unfortunately there is a lot of reviews for these cams on amazon, that it stops working in 3-6 months, which is sad, considering how expensive are these.
That was a great comparison video. Deciding between the Thinkware and the Viofo is not easy. Some clips from the Viofo, from a photographers perspective were better. You can see it in tree foliage. The higher bit rate makes the difference , yet in many cases, the license plate numbers show clearer on the Thinkware. But, my concern is in the mounting of the cams with the stick on feature. I’m a stickler when it comes to lining up a camera to show the horizon perfectly lining up. With sticking the camera on the windshield, if it’s slightly off, then you have a job removing it and trying again. Do you have any advice in getting the cam mounted perfectly the first time so the horizon is correct? Thanks.
I worry about the stick on mount, too. I don't know for sure but it seems as though the sticky pad for these cameras are almost a permanent mounting as you seem to feel. What if you went over to a Home Depot and bought some two-sided tape or two-sided pads that weren't so aggressively strong. That way, you could just tear it off and remount it with a new pad if you wanted and it would still be strong enough to securely hold the camera during normal driving. Do we really need a camera mount so strong that we have to smash the windshield in order to remove the mount?
Can you disable the screen on the Viofo while recording? I would think having the video on while recording and while you're driving might be distracting....like watching TV while driving. Your thoughts?
It's hard to think that simply looking at video samples from these 4k camera is sufficient information to make a purchase. Although video quality is important, there are other factors you need to consider. I have had a dash cam in my vehicles for over 10 years, and consider video quality, oddly perhaps to some, one of the least important considerations. For example: 1. Purchaser reviews for instance from Amazon. In your examples, for example, only 33% of owners gave the Blackvue DR900S-1CH a 5 star rating 2. Support. By and large perhaps THE most important element to weigh. All of these cameras are built in Asia, some with very questionable QA. They break, overheat or some feature stops working. In your example, which of these cameras are REALLY any good over the long haul? 3. Ease of use. Again as with #2 above, the instructions and setup guides are likely written by someone whose first language is not English. Some instructions likely will be counter intuitive, missing or in error. This list is only partial list, there are others. One might instead visit an retailer/installer and ask their opinion on your purchase decision, they may give you a much different top three list of cameras to consider.
You’re totally right that much more is needed before making a buying decision. This video is strictly about video quality, similar to seeing a bunch of cars on a drag strip. :) That’s fun, but there’s way more to a car purchase decision, hehe.
Thanks for the video. Well done... Just a quick question for clarification. The video footage was when you had 5 cameras in place but you just showed the best 3. The order positioning of the 5 cameras on on the front were as shown at 0.37 min in. Were the rear cameras in the same order? Thanks... I run the A119 v1 and the dod ls430w on another. Have them about 3 years now.
Thank you so much for the info. I’m looking for a 4K dash cam to install on the windshield of my RV. Mainly to capture driving footage, but security it’s a great plus. I don’t need rear view cam. What should I get? Thank you for your help
The Viofo is definitely my favourite. It's on par with the bests here, but the price is unbeatable. The Blackvue is a huge letdown. From the short clip at the start with the 5 cams compared, it wouldn't have been in my top 3 at all.
Best review I found on TH-cam! compare exactly what I needed to see and know for choosing the dashcam. for me the Thinkware is the winner, licence plates are very important day or night (I didn't like the night view of the viofo) But, compared to price Viofo definitely the best choice, Thinkware not with almost twice as much. and I don't even want to talk about the Blackvue
Does the U1000 rear camera independently detect motion and start recording during motion detect parking mode? Your info is much appreciated. Trying to figure out if I need 2 front cameras or just a 2Ch unit.
It does, yeah. There's an optional radar module you can get that applies to the front only, but the rear also works just fine for motion and impact detection.
@@VortexRadar I been reading, and thought the rear will only start recording if an impact was detected and not motion. The message is very unclear. Do you still have the unit to do some testing?
My moms here watching the super bowl with us so I just did a quick test. :) With the radar module, motion detection is only activated with the front cam (which makes sense). I haven’t tested normal usage without the radar module but I would assume that triggers for both front and rear.
Thinkware U1000 is using some kind of artificial sharpening, but the Viofo is usually the winner here, on top of that it has the best lighting. Blackvue crushed both of them at night though, reduced glare and zero noise, impressed! I assume there is no perfect dashcam.
That is important, sure. There’s a ton of other important differences in terms of features, price, and on and on. This video is literally just about video quality, nothing more. You’re right that there’s a bunch of other important differences too though. :)
Thank you, this is the best comparison video on TH-cam! The Viofo front angel is so narrow comparing to the others! It’s not wide at all. I was gonna buy it but seeing these comparisons I’ll havta spend about $200 more for the U1000. I think it’s worth it, what do u say?
In theory you could connect over WiFi, launch the app, start live streaming, switch to the rear cam, and look at the phone while backing up, but it's not designed for that or convenient.
a IR camera built in dashcam has very limited lightning distance and space due to different functionality comparing with security cameras, and that's why we only utilise IR camera for cabin recording.
I just bought a new in box dr900s for much cheaper than you can get these other two. It might not be the best and a bit older. but it is (in my opinion) not ugly up on the windshield 😅
@@dashcamjourney4599 I bought it on eBay. From a guy selling new old stock. I don't remember the seller off the top of my head but I'm super glad I picked it up!. I think I paid 250$, I'm sure if you like around eBay you could find some still New
Thanks for another excellent quality review. I agree that the Viofo edges out the Thinkware in most situations for resolution. I did find the Thinkware image more pleasing to watch subjectively, but that is not the purpose of a dash cam. Viofo wins. Blackvue is past its prime and needs to update their hardware.
If you would think about longevity, reliability, resistance against heat and cold... would either the U1000 or A129 stand out or are they pretty comparable?
ThinkWare does best at night; BlackVue also does really well at night... were you using the CPL filter with the ThinkWare? Viofo I find had the better camera quality, likely due to 2x the bitrate over the others but is last at night. Depends what you are seeking.
I wish someone would do a review of how well the various mounting systems hold up in crash tests. I realize a moderate to severe impact would be hard to replicate without being employed by the NTSB. Probably why there are no such videos. I assume the solid self adhesive mounts would fare better than a suction with swivel ball mount. But how many times have you watched those dash cam compilation crash videos where the camera is pointing up at the sky after even a minor impact? There must be a way.........
Well I know someone who was recently in an accident and was running multiple dashcams. The ball mounts all snapped while the adhesive mounts stayed put and kept recording for the additional collisions after the initial one.
Pausing this video at many points along the way, I have to disagree that the thinkware does a better job in low light recording. Looking at the long distance and side views of the landscape features, I believe the Viofo was quite a bit better overall compared to Thinkware. Blackvue wasn't even close! As an example, stop the video @ 9:41 and observe....Pole on the left and grassy area, Clearer with Viofo. Wall on the right, clearer, White center line, clearer for more distance. Way down on left where scrub and what appears to be a building visible. To the right almost all the way to the oncoming vehicle, clearer and greener grass showing as well as more detail on the right beyond the oncoming vehicle. During the licence plate test, I also believe the viofo was the overall winner. This is not to say that I am going to by either one. It's my detailed observation!!!
30fps is generally not enough to capture details from objects in motion...such as passing vehicles. You would have gotten better results with the next lower resolution... with 60fps. Would love to see another video using 60fps with the lower resolution.
I agree. In my opinion, I think a good 2k 60fps dash cam is better than an average 4k 30fps camera. I am going to buy the VIOFO A129 PLUS 2k dash cam instead of the Viofo 4k. In addition, 4k dash cams often have overheating and shutdown problems, especially in the summer
Asking if we find this helpful? Seriously???
EXTREMELY dude! Thanks for this excellent review!
That was super helpful! Many dashcam reviews are lacking, but the intense effort in editing and highlighting the plate captures was excellent!
I was thinking the same thing when watching the review.
Can you please tell us how did you make the zoom on the plate like that ??
Thank you! I've been agonizing over choosing a cam, and had narrowed it to these three. The side by side by side comparison and showing all three views like you did made the choice much easier. Before you summarized, I had picked the Viofo based on quality and price, and was pleasantly surprised to hear you felt the same.
That's some legendary editing! Thank you for taking the time to do this
I'm only a few minutes in, but this video is incredible -- love the license plate pop ups!
I bet you dident watch it
Thanks Vortex! I know the editing must have taken quite some time. This is the best way to compare dashcams! My A119 pro duo has been great !
Viofo a119 v3 do record good video at night and at the morning.is not 4k not even 8mp?
You are the VERY BEST at what you do! I have been waiting for you to do this for some time! You always show the capture of the license plates in real life driving, and youre vertical "side-by-side" comparisons are Sooooo Very Helpful! Every other reviewer needs to learn from you, though you will always be the first and you will always be the best!!!
Nice comparison, thank you. For the A119V3, there will be new firmware to support real HDR, make a big difference for night performance. For the A129 PRO 4K version, we are testing a new sensor version, maybe video quality can be improved with new hardware.
Ah very cool on both accounts. Thanks for making such great dashcams!
Don’t know if you ever tried this but the thinkware can be changed from 4K to 2k. At 4K it’s 30 FPS. At 2k it’s at 60 FPS. The detail with motion would be enhanced.
2K @ 60 would be a better setting 👍
You are the best reviewer of dashcams by far. This helped me make my decision to go with the Viofo A129 Pro Duo and I like it. Thanks.
Very helpful and confirm my purchase of the Viofo to supplement my DR900s for the front view. The Thinkware is just too expensive for a slight difference in quality. Overall, you’re right about the Blackvue, video quality lags for the price you’re paying for it. It might have better parking mode surveillance, but it’s definitely a trade off.
Great vid. The blackvue seems to have night exposure done correctly, the other two are difficult to watch with all the over-exposure. During daylight though, it seems easily the worst. If they could make the Viofo night mode more like the blackvue at night it would be the clear winner for just image quality. EDIT if you run the A129 Pro at EV -1 or -2 I think it might fix most of the over exposure issues based on a few other videos I watched. Which setting did you record on? Maybe the U1000 also has a similar exposure reduction setting. This all seems personal preference though.
One of the best dash cam comparison videos I've seen. You've really put a lot of effort into making this video. Good on you !
Outstanding 4k dashcam video review! Those extra miles editing and focusing on plates clarity is super helpful. Thank you for pointing out the bitrates differences. Amazing video. Big pp Vortex. Floor gang out aoohh aooohhhh
Wow, you really outdid yourself with the editing on this video. This is a really good picture quality review. Yes, the Viofo A129 Pro Duo does have good picture quality, and that’s what this video is all about.
It also has 3 software issues, and 2 hardware issues that I discovered during my short time with it.
I owned a Viofo A129 Pro Duo in Feb/Mar 2020 (firmware V1.1) for 21 days before it died. I have a full review on my channel, and 21 separate video clips showing all three resolutions (1080P@60fps, 2K@60 fps , 4K@30fps ), CPL Filter on/off, WDR on/off, day/night.
(2K@60fps, WDR off, CPL Filter off) was my favorite recording configuration.
The CPL Filter minimally reduced glare during day time, and made night time footage dark, and yellow.
I would not use one in the future. WDR was ineffective.
Software Issues:
1.) Incorrect Date Format On Text Overlay
2.) Incorrect Character Size On Text Overlay (1080P is the correct size, 2K shrinks text to ½ size, 4K shrinks it to ¼ size, illegible for my old eyes). Blackvue does not have this issue.
3.) Parking Mode & Buffered Recording issues, (goes into parking mode while driving, fails to go into parking mode when engine is off).
Hardware Issues:
1.) Unit Lock Up & Freeze when disconnecting, and reattaching to different GPS mount in a my second car.
2.) The internal speaker exploded, and lost all audio alerts, and button confirmation sounds.
I can only assume these issues are from a hurried R&D period, and less than stellar quality control in a rush to get this device on the market. I also say that because the rear camera is a 2 year old carry over from the standard A129.
If Viofo can fix these issues, and give it a proper rear camera (2K@60fps) it will be a solid choice.
And I will definitely buy one. I don’t have Blackvue & Thinkware money.
-Chuck
any update on your thoughts about the Viofo A129 Duo Pro? I think Im planning to buy this DashCam.
@@BattleWizard_1
Yo Joel,
TH-cam never sent me a notification for this comment.
So this is the first time I'm seeing it.
Did you ever buy a Dash Cam?
-Chuck
I am in the market for a dash cam. The Blackvue and Thinkware according to my research is made in South Korea. I cannot find any information revealing what country the Viofo is made but after reading your comment, it wouldn't surprise me if it had "Made in China" on the box. A few minutes ago I asked Vortex Radar to disclose the country these are made in but I am leaning toward the Thinkware. I'll do without before I buy one made in China.
Great video. The Blackvue costs plenty for cloud storage from memory. I eventually went with the Viofo. Great unit at a very good price.
This was an excellent review. A dash cam review must have lots of license plate comparisons and this is something that is missing in most dash cam reviews. Your review is the best I've seen so far -well done! I have been looking at the three you shortlisted and I was really having trouble trying to decide based on quality and cost. The Viofo 4K is what I will finally settle with. Thank you so much for helping me to decide! I know this video was published in 2020 and two years on it's still valid 🙂
Very impressive work, thank you for taking the time to make the most helpful dash cam review video for me period. So many videos discuss features and numbers, none of that matters when the video output is terrible. I bought an expensive camera which was rated highly and the video output was sad at best.
Damn. Thank you! By far the best dash cam review on You Tube. Truly appreciate your time and effort putting this together. These cameras are a big $$ purchase for me.
Dude, you are a real contribution to human society. Love all your videos. Keep up the great work! Cheers from Germany
Thinkware U1000 is my top choice, parking mode on the thinkware is leaps and bounds better than viofo and I personally believe parking mode is a must. Great comparison, love how you showed so many license plate comparisons.
Lol ok lil buddy keep tellin yourself that lmao
@@NoName-fo7mz Did you take to offense to my opinion?
@@integralcam lolllll broooo
@@NoName-fo7mz ya bro?
😱The license plate freezes were SUPERB......super helpful part of this video!
haha thanks! That's incredibly time-consuming, but hopefully helpful. :)
Awesome review! Helped me make my final cam choice. It really shows how much effort you put into this production, is by far the best edited dashcam review I have seen :)
I have the Viofo A129 Pro Duo and love it so far. I was also looking at the U1000. It is a little more bulky...and of course twice the price.
A.R. Walker Still have the Viofo? How has it held up for you so far? I’m also debating between that and the U1000
The U1000 is $499 and the Viofo A129 Pro Duo is $249. I don't need cloud support since I watch all my videos on my PC. Good choice.
This is great info thank you. I went back over this after hearing your opinion at the end...It’s a real tough call between thinkware and viofo haha 👍🏾
Yes, very very helpful video, Thank you. My verdict is the same. I noticed also with Thinkware is, its nice but look overly sharpened using some type of sharpening filter while Viofo is clear as well and naturally clear in general.
Glad I went with the Viofo A129 Pro Duo, I think it’s the best just because it’s half the price compared to the other 2 and arguably just as good of a performer.
00:00:13 Hey doc! 😎
lol 😄 If only we had enough road ahead to get to 88 mph... 😁
Great review! I was just wondering, would it be better to record on 60fps at 2K since it records more frame. Especially when you’re driving and recording in motion. Just in case you need to get a license plate and zoom in frame by frame
I just got the Viofo shown here for a couple of reasons. 1. I didn't want anything on the body or bright ring around the lens drawing people's attention to it. 2. Price. We'll see how long it lasts in the Chicago winters and summers.
Is it still working?
@@Alvin-1138 Still working as the day it was installed. Also, the dashcam in on 24/7.
@@JT-lq4yd Excellent, and Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for doing this as I’m looking to replace an older camera system. Keep up the great work!!
This is what you want when you look for reviews
So my conclusion to this is: Good luck with the Blackvue, Viofo is best for capturing motion, and Thinkware is best for capturing images farther away, but only by a small margin compared to Viofo
Awesome review, awesome production quality. Best dashcam review on youtube by far. Amazing. Thank you
After owning a blackvue dr900s-2 channel for 2 years, some times I do regret buying this top of the line dashcam because I don't utilize all of the capabilities. My advice is really focus on the features that you want besides video quality because the value for the money is where it counts.
thx, I just bought a Viofo a129 pro
How is the Viofo going? Happy with it?
Thank you for all your hard work on this video! I have the DR900s and at the time back in early 2019 it was the best dash cam on the market. Unfortunately for Blackvue the new tech in some of the newer dashcams makes a huge difference. Thanks for the video.
Do you like BlackVue? Thinking of getting one
I thought within the first minute or two that I had narrowed down my choice. Then, you posted those videos and, Oh God, I kept switching between the Viofo and the Thinkware over and over. But, this is what I wanted - a side by side comparison. I've been beating my brains out reading the specs and reading the Amazon reviews but this video comparison is what I want a dashcam for. I've got to see if anyone has reviewed the RedTiger as that was what I was almost ready to buy. Thanks for all your work and help.
I want the viafo a129 because it checks off all the boxes, but the internet is plagued with comments of people having issues with it. Such a bummer.
The very first dashcam I purchased was a Blackvue (dr650s-2ch if I'm not mistaken). I don't know if they sent me a faulty unit to begin with but I never really checked it to begin with, so I guess I'll never really know for sure. All I know is, I installed it in my car and it ended up killing my battery at least 3 times; despite having installed the "Power Magic Pro" -- which to my understanding -- was supposed to prevent the dashcam from sucking all the juice out of my battery in the first place. I don't know if it has anything to do with my infotainment system in my car, but it practically vampired the juice out of my battery more times than I should of put up with to begin with. Just recently, a couple of days ago actually, the front camera died all together; the image went pink first and then the feed died completely after. So I chucked it completely. As much as I hated the dashcam's unreliability, it was the phone "app" itself that left much to be desired. Couldn't use the darn thing without a bluetooth connection, and more than three quarters of my attempts to "log in" ended up timing out. To make matters worse, it had overheating issues during 80 degree weather and my SD cards kept corrupting. After a little bit of research, I decided to go with a VaVa dashcam. It's currently in transit so I'll have to wait and see what I get this time. Hopefully, I have a better run of things this time around.
I am curious why I can see the plate clear in Viofo normal video, but not the zoomed-in picture?
your head exploding is where I'm at now and, I've discovered additional issues to consider like:
Heat impact:
Do cams with direct adhesion and large surface areas (e.g. Thinkware U1000) absorb more heat (increased risk of failure), than a insulating suction cup mounted cam with an air gap between the window and camera (e.g. Vantrue N4).
And, what impact, if any, does the form factor have on heat absorption: Wedge, rectangle, tube, whether close mounted or gapped?
Window sun screens:
If I go thru the extra expense of hard wiring with an aux battery to have parking mode, is the front camera going to be blocked if I use a sun shade? I could imagine a sun screen would block low hanging units like the Vantrue X4, but what about the VIOFO A139?
IR window tint:
there is a polarization effect with IR ceramic window films. How does this impact dashcam performance? If I have IR film on my windows, do I need a filter on the camera? What is the effect on the image using a glare reducing filter thru IR coated windows?
Stealth or obvious:
Should I go hidden or make it obvious that "you're on Candid Camera"? Should I care?
Resolution vs Scene:
It seems to me that the cams with better resolution, have narrower fields of vision. Am I OK with not capturing the wider perspective for the sake of (how much) better clarity of what is recorded?
OEM sensors and the affect they might have on the camera's operation and more importantly, vice versa?
... and much more. Ugh!
Fantastic way you presented the comparison. I couldn’t imagine a better way. Well thought out my friend.
Couples things that wasn't mentioned in your video. The Viofo A129 pro is only 130 degree wide angle whereas Thinkware is 150 degrees. You notice the edges of Thinkware and Black Vue shows more than the Viofo.
The Back camera in the Viofo is only 1080p whereas Thinkware is 2K hence why you notice the quality is much clearer than Viofo. Of course there's a huge price difference between the two but if we're comparing viewing angle and quality it is quite noticeable
I'm here because I am torn between the DR900X (not S), the U1000, and the A129 Pro... I was about to purchase the A129 Pro before watching this video.. it's sitting in my cart on Amazon.. but I wanted to check one last thing.. I removed it from my cart, not because of this video, but because I read on the Viofo forums that they are removing the buffered parking mode!... why?! Ugh.. that's a huge + for me, and it's being taken away? Have you heard of this?
They removed it from the A129 Plus, not the regular A129 or A129 Pro.
I did notice the Viofo A129 had a bit of trouble with glare at night, they do offer a clip on polarized filter for the both cameras.
I might have to give that a go.
Yeah, but then that reduces low light sensitivity. It’s like wearing sunglasses at night. Polarizers can be helpful for glare reduction, but there are some trade-offs to be aware of.
That was an awesome video and I totally agree. I own a thinkware and very familiar with it. I was very impressed with this Viofo rear camera. The image is very crisp, still love my thinkware But definitely will be looking in to more of that Viofo A129 pro
Worst situation for getting a tag - Headlights on a tag at night. They just turn into high glare blobs.
A manufacturer that gets software to correct for this will quickly move to the market lead. Or enables smart tag that will identify and enhance vehicle tags (either on the fly or with rendering software native to phone/computer).
But what about parking performance? Most cars are hit n run when the car is parked!
The real question relates to quality control of the Viofo or the Thinkware. Did you get 'special' cameras from the makers?
Not to my knowledge. The video quality I’ve seen is also comparable to other videos and samples I’ve seen online.
Please look and compare the size & nature of the imaging chips (usuallly 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch, 1.25 inch) & the aperature of the lenses (f number). It is also worth comparing the recording format as some compression formats introduce more noise.
That’s too far down the rabbit hole of technical detail for most people, plus it’d be tough to find a way to keep all the other variables fixed while only varying one of those aspects.
I have the Viofo A129 Pro Duo 4K and it's great. I also have the polarizer for it. Were you running it with the polarizer on?
I actually started testing with polarizers on all the dashcams, but noticed lower than expected video quality. The results were also variable depending on polarizer quality so some dashcams looked better or worse because of the polarizer. So to keep things simpler, I removed all the polarizers and only did comparisons without them.
Vortex Radar awesome, thank you!
iTouchAppReviewers I’m looking to buy the A129 Pro (not sure about the duo yet) and was wondering how you liked the polarizer? How’s video quality with it?
@@jordanbanko5347 I have the a129 pro with a polarizer and the video quality is great, less glare and reflections from light in the image but it makes the image overall slightly gloomy, doesn't bother me though. Only need the polarizer if you live somewhere where its sunny year round.
Great work on making such reviews over dashcam and radar detector. I enjoy to watch your pro reviews. Thank you!
Thank you for the honest and quality review!
Nice comparison, I have 2 Blackvues 900S-2CH and 650GW-2CH. Based on your videos, the Viofo does look pretty good, and it costs much less.
Great video. I bought my lady the thinkware U1000 dual channel. But no one is going to mention that DeLorean in the beginning?
😉😄
I do not know anything about dash cams. This was a great video and you speak really well.
Hello, are any of these three companies coming out with a newer or upgraded product this year compared to what is currently offered right now ??
Blackvue now has a DR900X, but the video quality is the same as the DR900S. The other manufacturers haven’t come out with newer cameras so this is all still current.
@@VortexRadar Okay thank you, by the way excellent job on the comparison videos.
I got the viofo a129 a few weeks ago without the rear camera. I like the somewhat stealth wedge shape. I put my older a119 on the back window.
When I have downloaded video about 5 times via wifi to my phone, it has worked fine with no issues. The few still pictures I have taken with thw a129 leave a little to be desired.
captainkrunch that’s a good use for the old one. Is it hard to sync up the video between the two?
@@jordanbanko5347 they aren't connected at all. I am not placing that much importance on having synced rear video at this time . At some point I might spend the extra $60 or so and get the viofo rear camera that plugs into the a129.
captainkrunch Oh okay. I didn’t think they were connected, but maybe thought you used the audio to sync the two videos together in editing software. I guess it doesn’t matter too much though.
Love the thinkware but the viofo is a serious contender
Looked at a bunch of best of cam videos
The Viofo A129 Pro (&Duo) seems to have some healthy respect with viewer comments and price range. This video proves it.
Viofo has an all round better balance for day/night contrasts.
Could you show me how to read the plates clearly just like you had edited!
TH-cam when I was looking around a year ago for - cams why wouldn't you let this video come up or were you playing games with your commercials
Dang was hard to finally find a *useful* dash cam video. Thank you!
Something to consider: The Blackview 900S has been with Vortex for a while now. I noticed that the video is not near as clear as when it was new, compared to the other two newer dash cams. I believe the 900S has degrade in video quality
It is a possibility, yeah
Best video quality is one thing, reliability is another one... unfortunately there is a lot of reviews for these cams on amazon, that it stops working in 3-6 months, which is sad, considering how expensive are these.
That was a great comparison video. Deciding between the Thinkware and the Viofo is not easy. Some clips from the Viofo, from a photographers perspective were better. You can see it in tree foliage. The higher bit rate makes the difference , yet in many cases, the license plate numbers show clearer on the Thinkware. But, my concern is in the mounting of the cams with the stick on feature. I’m a stickler when it comes to lining up a camera to show the horizon perfectly lining up. With sticking the camera on the windshield, if it’s slightly off, then you have a job removing it and trying again. Do you have any advice in getting the cam mounted perfectly the first time so the horizon is correct? Thanks.
I worry about the stick on mount, too. I don't know for sure but it seems as though the sticky pad for these cameras are almost a permanent mounting as you seem to feel. What if you went over to a Home Depot and bought some two-sided tape or two-sided pads that weren't so aggressively strong. That way, you could just tear it off and remount it with a new pad if you wanted and it would still be strong enough to securely hold the camera during normal driving. Do we really need a camera mount so strong that we have to smash the windshield in order to remove the mount?
Can you disable the screen on the Viofo while recording? I would think having the video on while recording and while you're driving might be distracting....like watching TV while driving. Your thoughts?
Yep, there's a couple options on how long to wait before turning it off. I usually select the quickest option because I like the cabin darker.
@@VortexRadar Oh thanks!! Have you seen the A139 yet? Impressions?
Could you also do an updated latest video on good memory cards for dash cameras?
It's hard to think that simply looking at video samples from these 4k camera is sufficient information to make a purchase. Although video quality is important, there are other factors you need to consider. I have had a dash cam in my vehicles for over 10 years, and consider video quality, oddly perhaps to some, one of the least important considerations. For example:
1. Purchaser reviews for instance from Amazon. In your examples, for example, only 33% of owners gave the Blackvue DR900S-1CH a 5 star rating
2. Support. By and large perhaps THE most important element to weigh. All of these cameras are built in Asia, some with very questionable QA. They break, overheat or some feature stops working. In your example, which of these cameras are REALLY any good over the long haul?
3. Ease of use. Again as with #2 above, the instructions and setup guides are likely written by someone whose first language is not English. Some instructions likely will be counter intuitive, missing or in error.
This list is only partial list, there are others. One might instead visit an retailer/installer and ask their opinion on your purchase decision, they may give you a much different top three list of cameras to consider.
You’re totally right that much more is needed before making a buying decision. This video is strictly about video quality, similar to seeing a bunch of cars on a drag strip. :) That’s fun, but there’s way more to a car purchase decision, hehe.
Thanks for the video. Well done... Just a quick question for clarification. The video footage was when you had 5 cameras in place but you just showed the best 3. The order positioning of the 5 cameras on on the front were as shown at 0.37 min in. Were the rear cameras in the same order? Thanks... I run the A119 v1 and the dod ls430w on another. Have them about 3 years now.
Thank you so much for the info. I’m looking for a 4K dash cam to install on the windshield of my RV. Mainly to capture driving footage, but security it’s a great plus. I don’t need rear view cam.
What should I get?
Thank you for your help
The Viofo is definitely my favourite. It's on par with the bests here, but the price is unbeatable.
The Blackvue is a huge letdown. From the short clip at the start with the 5 cams compared, it wouldn't have been in my top 3 at all.
Great video :) somewhere down the line, I stopped noticing the license plates from blackvue :D LOL
so on picking a 4k dashcam .. what aspects to look at... MegaPixel?
@Vortex, maybe the Fw version is important to be specified in the video description.
Lots of talk about high heat with dashcams but what about extreme cold? it gets colder the 0F here and is 32F or lower for months at a time.
Best review I found on TH-cam! compare exactly what I needed to see and know for choosing the dashcam. for me the Thinkware is the winner, licence plates are very important day or night (I didn't like the night view of the viofo) But, compared to price Viofo definitely the best choice, Thinkware not with almost twice as much. and I don't even want to talk about the Blackvue
This is exactly the information I've been looking for all in one video.
Does the U1000 rear camera independently detect motion and start recording during motion detect parking mode? Your info is much appreciated. Trying to figure out if I need 2 front cameras or just a 2Ch unit.
It does, yeah. There's an optional radar module you can get that applies to the front only, but the rear also works just fine for motion and impact detection.
@@VortexRadar I been reading, and thought the rear will only start recording if an impact was detected and not motion. The message is very unclear. Do you still have the unit to do some testing?
I have it in my mom's car and can test it out later to doublecheck. I have no ETA or timeframe for it though.
@@VortexRadar Thanks for looking into this.
My moms here watching the super bowl with us so I just did a quick test. :) With the radar module, motion detection is only activated with the front cam (which makes sense). I haven’t tested normal usage without the radar module but I would assume that triggers for both front and rear.
Can you compare these to a nextbase 622gw 4K dash cam or tell me what you think about that camera is it any good ?
Any budget dash cams reviewed , or dual in out of cabin ones?
Check out my other video I mentioned.
Thank you, you did save me time to test Thnkware U1000 almost one click way to put my order but after seen your test
Thinkware U1000 is using some kind of artificial sharpening, but the Viofo is usually the winner here, on top of that it has the best lighting. Blackvue crushed both of them at night though, reduced glare and zero noise, impressed! I assume there is no perfect dashcam.
Worth mentioning is the VIOFO cables are quite thick , and may make average DIYers steer clear
That is important, sure. There’s a ton of other important differences in terms of features, price, and on and on. This video is literally just about video quality, nothing more. You’re right that there’s a bunch of other important differences too though. :)
Thank you, this is the best comparison video on TH-cam! The Viofo front angel is so narrow comparing to the others! It’s not wide at all. I was gonna buy it but seeing these comparisons I’ll havta spend about $200 more for the U1000. I think it’s worth it, what do u say?
I wonder how the DDPai X5 Pro would stack up to these units?
Which one has the best parking mode. Im about to buy one
Blackvue or Thinkware
@Vortex Radar, Do any of these cameras have the option of operating as a Backup camera as well?
In theory you could connect over WiFi, launch the app, start live streaming, switch to the rear cam, and look at the phone while backing up, but it's not designed for that or convenient.
Time Delay and you lose objects low to the ground 😲
Thank you!. I need a IR front camera for Surveillance in dark places like a parkings. Thanks!
a IR camera built in dashcam has very limited lightning distance and space due to different functionality comparing with security cameras, and that's why we only utilise IR camera for cabin recording.
I just bought a new in box dr900s for much cheaper than you can get these other two. It might not be the best and a bit older. but it is (in my opinion) not ugly up on the windshield 😅
Where were you able to buy this discontinued model for less than the other two. I could always use a replacement spare. Thanks
@@dashcamjourney4599 I bought it on eBay. From a guy selling new old stock. I don't remember the seller off the top of my head but I'm super glad I picked it up!. I think I paid 250$, I'm sure if you like around eBay you could find some still New
Thanks for taking the time to do these videos.
Thanks for another excellent quality review. I agree that the Viofo edges out the Thinkware in most situations for resolution. I did find the Thinkware image more pleasing to watch subjectively, but that is not the purpose of a dash cam. Viofo wins. Blackvue is past its prime and needs to update their hardware.
If you would think about longevity, reliability, resistance against heat and cold... would either the U1000 or A129 stand out or are they pretty comparable?
ThinkWare does best at night; BlackVue also does really well at night... were you using the CPL filter with the ThinkWare?
Viofo I find had the better camera quality, likely due to 2x the bitrate over the others but is last at night.
Depends what you are seeking.
I wish someone would do a review of how well the various mounting systems hold up in crash tests. I realize a moderate to severe impact would be hard to replicate without being employed by the NTSB. Probably why there are no such videos. I assume the solid self adhesive mounts would fare better than a suction with swivel ball mount. But how many times have you watched those dash cam compilation crash videos where the camera is pointing up at the sky after even a minor impact? There must be a way.........
Well I know someone who was recently in an accident and was running multiple dashcams. The ball mounts all snapped while the adhesive mounts stayed put and kept recording for the additional collisions after the initial one.
Pausing this video at many points along the way, I have to disagree that the thinkware does a better job in low light recording. Looking at the long distance and side views of the landscape features, I believe the Viofo was quite a bit better overall compared to Thinkware. Blackvue wasn't even close! As an example, stop the video @ 9:41 and observe....Pole on the left and grassy area, Clearer with Viofo. Wall on the right, clearer, White center line, clearer for more distance. Way down on left where scrub and what appears to be a building visible. To the right almost all the way to the oncoming vehicle, clearer and greener grass showing as well as more detail on the right beyond the oncoming vehicle. During the licence plate test, I also believe the viofo was the overall winner. This is not to say that I am going to by either one. It's my detailed observation!!!
Perfect video, solved all my questions, I was especialy concerned about the bitrate
30fps is generally not enough to capture details from objects in motion...such as passing vehicles. You would have gotten better results with the next lower resolution... with 60fps. Would love to see another video using 60fps with the lower resolution.
I agree. In my opinion, I think a good 2k 60fps dash cam is better than an average 4k 30fps camera.
I am going to buy the VIOFO A129 PLUS 2k dash cam instead of the Viofo 4k.
In addition, 4k dash cams often have overheating and shutdown problems, especially in the summer
My dr900s just died last week after a year, and a half. Looks like I'm buying a Thinkware tomorrow.