If you are planning to mount a dashcam in your car, it is important that you find the right spot. If installed improperly, your dashcam will not be able to provide quality footage of what is happening on the road.
In this guide, we will discuss where to install the dashcam? What should you keep in mind when mounting the dashboard cam? And some tips at the end of the article.
Where to Mount the Dashcam?
The best place to mount the dashcam is right below the rear-view mirror. This is because of its proximity to your eyes which will make it easier for you to see what’s happening on the road and behind you in case someone tries to sneak up from behind.
If there are no mirrors, then a good place would be just above the dashboard or even better – mount it near the roof.
People nowadays use dashcam with multiple cameras. If you are one of them, you need to keep some key things in mind when mounting cameras. You need to mount the cameras in such a way that they will be pointing at different angles so you won’t miss anything important when recording footage.
The best thing would be if one camera is installed on the top side of your car and another one is mounted below it, facing forward towards the wheels with some distance between them for better clarity.
But this may not always possible due to different designs in car interior. A good way to combat the issue is to make use of a curved mount. This would make the camera more flexible and you will be able to adjust it in any way needed, depending on what is most important for you at that moment – your lane or getting footage from traffic behind you.
Mount it in a place where it won’t obstruct your visibility while driving, and don’t forget to take into account daylight as well; if there is too much light coming through then cover the lens with a waterproof cover. This is will help eliminate some distortion.
If you are driving in the dark then it would be best to mount your dashcam on the side of your car, slightly higher up than center so that you get footage from both sides of the road; this way there is less chance for anything escaping out of sight and also gets better quality because with more visibility comes less distortion.
If you’re wondering where to mount your dashcam on the side of your car, it should be placed about a foot or two away from the driver’s door in order to get footage from both sides of the road without obstructing visibility through the windshield; make sure that if there is too much light coming through then cover up the lens with a waterproof cover.
However, I recommend installing on either the dashboard or windshield, depending on the make of your car and what is most comfortable for you.
The best thing to do when installing a dashboard or windshield camera is to keep it in the center of the “vanity mirror” area so that it does not obstruct visibility while driving which may result in accidents; also, because there are fewer distractions out on the road where you can see everything, it is a good idea to put the dashcam on the side you drive on since this will make your life easier when adjusting.
Things You Should Keep in Mind When Mounting the Dashcam
Two major areas you should take into account when installing a dashcam are the sunshade tint and the windshield wiper area.
If you mount the camera in a position where the lens needs to focus through the sunshade tint, you won’t get quality footage.
Some motorists who install a dashcam on the side of their car with the rear-view mirror, find that when they are driving in rain or snow and want to use their windshield wipers while at the same time aim for something outside, it becomes difficult. This is because there will be interference with your dashboard camera’s viewfinder due to the wiper.
The solution to this is mounting your dashcam on the portion of the windshield where the wiper doesn’t reach.
Apart from these, here are some of the other things you should keep in mind while mounting the dashcam on the car-
- Make sure the lens is not getting obstructed by a sun visor or any other object.
- Make sure the dashcam is not blocking the key portion of your windshield and obstructing visibility.
- If your dashcam doesn’t come with autofocus and auto-exposure adjustment, you should place it in a way so that direct sunrays or headlights of cars coming from opposite directions can’t directly affect the visibility.
- Keep the lens clean and free of any dirt or dust that may obstruct its visibility.
- Use a buffer pad between the mount and car to prevent scratches on both surfaces.
- Place the dashcam so that it doesn’t cover any of these areas by its appearance: high beams, blind spots, and traffic signs.
- Keep in mind that there are some places where you don’t want to install a dashcam like near vents or air conditioning units as they may cause condensation which will obstruct visibility on the camera lens.
Final Words
Wherever you mount the dashcam, it is recommended to use flexible suction cups to keep the dashcam firmly in place. This will allow you to move the dashcam in case it obstructs your view of the road ahead.
And if you are yet to buy one, we recommend going with small body dashcams that don’t interfere with your visibility of the road but provide great quality footage.
