With all the horrifying car accidents we've been reporting, motorists are now convinced that a good dashboard camera is a must. We've already reviewed several of these, but readers still ask us to recommend new ones.
Well, here it is: Polaroid's new line of dash cameras. Yep, the same camera brand that previously became popular for its instant photos, is now into dashboard cameras for cars. And these are now available in the Philippines.
One of these is the C270 (pictured above), which looks like a portable handheld gaming console. Here's how it looks from the viewpoint of the driver and his passengers...
With its looks and such features as full-HD 1,080p resolution, 2.7-inch LCD screen, 130-degree recording, parking mode, auto-protect file system during collision, seamless looping recording, motion detection, auto start/stop, built-in speaker and microphone, and voltage protection, it's easy to assume this costs a fortune. On the contrary, it's quite affordable at P6,499, and comes with a one-year warranty.
In fact, this model isn't even the most expensive one in the lineup. That honor belongs to this, the DS301...
This thing is priced at a rather intimidating P14,999, but the features seem to justify the hefty price tag: full-HD 1,080p resolution, 2CH 1,920 x 1,080p (Polaroid Optics), dual-camera setup (front and back), 3.0-inch LCD screen, super-wide 155-degree recording, up to 32GB MicroSD memory card support, parking mode, auto-protect file system during collision, seamless looping recording, motion detection, auto start/stop, built-in speaker and microphone, and voltage protection.
To us, the winning feature here is the dual-camera setup. You never know when the accident might hit you from behind. The DS301 also comes with a one-year warranty.
A more affordable Polaroid dashcam is the C201, which sells for P5,999.
Polaroid describes this as "a small, compact and easily concealed dashcam with a good-quality display." The camera firm adds that this thing can be discreetly hidden in the rear-view mirror area. Its features include full-HD 1,080p, 2.0-inch LCD screen, 130-degree recording, seamless looping recording, motion detection, built-in speaker and microphone, auto-protect file system during collision, and voltage protection. Like the others, the C201 has a one-year warranty.
Now, if the three above-mentioned Polaroid dashcams are too expensive for your budget, you might want to consider this, the B202. This is the cheapest model in the range, priced at just P4,999.
Don't let the relatively cheap pricing make you think that this dashcam is thin on features. Consider: HD 720p resolution, 2.0-inch LCD screen, 90-degree recording, seamless looping recording, motion detection, auto-protect file system during collision, built-in speaker and microphone, and voltage protection. A one-year warranty is also standard.
All Polaroid dashcam models are available at Blade Auto Center and Ace Hardware nationwide. You might want to include these on your dashcam shortlist. Have fun shopping!
