We can’t go anywhere these days without being captured on some kind of security camera; cameras are recording in our homes, outside our homes, in shops, in the streets, on public transport and even in our vehicles. And then there are the millions of people with a smartphone camera in their pocket that are all just ready, willing and able to whip it out and start recording at the sign of anything happening. In our modern age, unfortunately cameras and DVRs are a necessity, so smile, you’re on camera. If you’re a motorist, a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) in your car isn’t just a luxury; it’s an essential piece of technology that serves multiple purposes, from security to legal protection. I have been trying out the Navitel R285 2K Front Dash Cam, an in-car DVR.
The Navitel R285 2K Front Dash Cam is a small dash cam for your car that can enhance driving safety with high-quality video recording and capture recordings in the event of an accident, which are perfect for insurance and legal matters.
In the box:
- Navitel R285 2K Front Dash Cam
- Windscreen Holder
- Car Charger 12/24v
- Electrostatic Film
- User Manual
- Warranty Card
- 12 Months Navitel Navigator Maps License Gift Voucher
Please note: you will need to purchase a microSD card (supports 8GB to 256GB cards) to store recordings – one is not supplied with it.
With so many cameras around capturing our movements throughout the day, is it worthwhile adding a dash cam into your vehicle? The answer is yes. Why? If you are involved in an accident or even witness an accident in front of you while driving, a dash cam is your best independent witness to what happened, how it happened and even who was at fault. No forgotten or hazy memories to rely on. This footage can be crucial in insurance claims and legal disputes, helping to protect your no-claim discounts and proving your innocence if you’re not at fault. Having one in your car might even help to lower your insurance premiums (check your insurance policy).
The Navitel R285 2K Front Dash Cam is a 2k camera which supports a high resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. It features a wide 140° viewing angle to take in more of the road and reduce blind spots and works just as well at night as it features night vision.
They say that good things come in small packages, and while the Navitel R285 2K Front Dash Cam is a small dash cam, don’t let its size fool you – its small footprint is equipped with a 2” screen that captures excellent quality HD images in any lighting conditions, day or night. It features a six-layer lens that records in a wide view; it has a 140° field of vision so it captures the road in front of you, cars parked on the sides of the road, as well as pedestrians on the pavements. Capturing recordings on a removeable microSD card (not supplied) in 2K (2560x1440p) for high quality detailed recordings.
As well as capturing any accidents, having a dash cam can also act as a deterrent to bad driving. Knowing that actions are being recorded, both you and other drivers on the road are more likely to adhere to safer driving practices. This heightened awareness can lead to a reduction in rash driving and potentially dangerous behaviour.
And even when you are not driving, the Navitel R285 2K Front Dash Cam is still providing protection. It is capable of recording impacts against your car even when it’s parked and unattended, offering a level of surveillance that can deter vandalism or hit-and-run incidents.
Before you can start using the Navitel R285 2K Front Dash Cam, the first thing to do is to install a microSD card so that it can store any captured recordings. One is not supplied, so you may need to purchase one. It can support up to 256GB. With the card installed into the dash cam, enter the settings using the buttons on the dash cam (press the MENU button and use the up/down arrows to get to the right place) and format the card for use.
With a memory card installed, the camera is ready to use and just needs placing inside your vehicle. Installing the camera is simple. It is supplied with a suction mount to attach it to the windscreen but this doesn’t just stick to the windscreen. To give it better adhesion and security you first attach the supplied electrostatic film to the windscreen and then attach the suction cup to the film. This helps reduce the possibility of the camera falling or moving while driving. The film also helps to protect the windscreen from scratches or damage which may be caused by attaching the suction cup directly.
With the camera firmly attached to the windscreen, plug it into the cigarette lighter (a cable is supplied) and the camera will start charging the internal battery as well as being powered while driving.
On any journey, just switch on the camera and it will record your journey, capturing video recordings to the microSD card on a loop. As recordings are on a cyclic loop, old recordings are overwritten when storage space in full to make way for new recordings. This doesn’t mean that if you have been involved in an accident that the video will be overwritten and lost as this dash cam has a built-in adjustable shock sensor that protects clips made in emergency situations. In the event of sudden manoeuvres or impact, the G-sensor will trigger and save the current file into a secure folder that cannot be overwritten.
While you can have peace of mind that the camera is very effectively capturing your journey and any potential incidents, it also offers protection when parked or even away from your car. The camera has a parking mode – it can detect knocks and vibrations to your car which will then trigger the camera to start recording. A very useful function if your car is hit when parked and you are not there to witness it.
The Navitel R285 camera is also dual record ready – this means that you can also add a rear facing camera if you wanted and record images from both cameras.
Overall, I think that the Navitel R285 is a excellent little dash cam. The image quality is fantastic, with its 2k quality recording a wide viewing angle. It really does take in everything happening in front of you – that could be a car in front or people stepping off the pavements etc. And that’s just the daylight views! The camera also has night vision which gives just as clear detailed recordings.
Now In the event that you need a recording, whether for insurance reasons, as a witness for police investigations or you just want to show part or all of your journey to someone, retrieving and editing the recordings is very easy. You can download the free Navitel DVD Player software (for Windows-based PCs) from their website. Once installed, you can view your full journey and trim the video for just the section that you require. Users can also view the protected events and parking mode events. You can also save the video you need as a .MOV file to your computer in the event that you want to send it to your insurance company or the police for example, or maybe you just want footage to add to your social media channels. The software is easy to use and self-explanatory.
And if that isn’t enough, the Navitel R285 dash cam also comes with a gift voucher for a 12 months license for Navitel Navigator. What’s Navitel Navigator? I’m glad you asked. Navitel Navigator gives you access to maps of more than 45 countries (requires an Android smartphone or tablet) so you can plan your journeys – it isn’t a GPS mapping system on the camera.
This is a very user friendly and simple to use dash cam, as is the software to view, trim and save captured recordings or even take screenshots. The quality of the recordings is highly detailed, allowing you to capture all those all-important critical details; not just road traffic but clearly being able to read number plates, road markings and street signs. As for its sensors, they work extremely well, recording any knocks or vibrations straightaway and storing the captured video recording in a different folder to the main journey images for easy retrieval and playback.
For that added extra protection when driving (or parked up or away from your car) to give evidence of any accidents or knocks to your vehicle, the Navitel R285 Dash Cam is an excellent camera. It’s a compact camera that doesn’t take up lots of room or obstruct your view when driving and the captured recordings are crystal clear. It is so simple to use, the sensors work well and the software to convert the recordings to different formats for viewing by someone else as a .MOV file, on social media or websites is very easy, you don’t need any technical skills.
This is a reliable dash cam to capture and record any journey in your car and storing any evidence of any accidents, whether it’s something that you are involved in or not. And its ease of use makes it simple to upload footage for police or insurance investigations.
A perfect independent, quiet and unassuming witness to any accidents your car may be involved in. The camera doesn’t lie, or forget!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £69.99
Available to buy from B&Q or Amazon.