4 Important Things You Wish You Knew about the Reversing Camera

These days, it is quite common for families with kids to have a minivan or an SUV. These vehicles have lots of interior space, which is perfect if you want your children to be more comfortable when travelling. However, such vehicles are also notorious for having blind spots and many of them are also involved in driveway accidents. If you have kids at home and you want to ensure their safety, having a reversing camera in your vehicle will certainly help.

Reversing Camera Facts and Info

As with any other car accessory, you should equip yourself with proper knowledge before buying and installing a camera system in your car. This way, you can be sure that the camera you have purchased will provide you with the driving assistance that you require. Here are some key information you need to know about camera kits.

1. How it works

The best reversing camera kits typically include a camera that you place at the rear of your vehicle and a monitor that you mount on your dashboard. When you put the camera on reverse, the monitor powers up, showing you what's behind your car.

2. Reversing safely

Take note that the reversing camera is not a magic device that will make your car immune to all accidents. Having common sense is still the best and most effective way to prevent an accident. Therefore, make sure that you always drive safely and follow precautionary measures even when there's a reversing camera fitted in your car.

3. What to look for

As with any other car accessory, there are important things you should consider when buying a reversing camera in Australia. Here are some of them:

• Angle – A camera's ability to capture images can be affected by its viewing angle. As such, it would be wise to look for one with a wide viewing angle. While wide angle cameras usually have lower picture quality, they do excel at allowing you to see obstructions behind your car.

• Camera type – To ensure optimum performance, look for a camera that offers flexibility and is easy to install.

•  Monitor – The larger the monitor, the easier it will be to see obstructions behind your car.

• Automatic start – Most camera kits start when you put your car on reverse. To avoid inconvenience, avoid those that don't.

4. Installation

Most camera systems are easy to install. But if you're not comfortable with your DIY skills, it will help to have your reverse camera system installed by a professional. This will ensure that the wires are properly connected and installation is tidy and neat.

Be Sure to Check Out These Features When Shopping for a Reversing Camera

When shopping for reversing camera, there are certain qualities you should look for to ensure that you're buying the camera system that meets your requirements. Aside from the type of camera included in the kit, the size of the monitor, and the type of connection, here are a few things you should take into consideration when choosing a specific camera for your vehicle.

1. Automatically switches on

It can be quite an inconvenience if you are to turn on your camera system every time you are reversing. Therefore, to save time and effort, choose a camera system that automatically switches on when the vehicle is put on reverse. Such camera systems usually has a trigger wire connected to the car's reinforcement light circuit that sends a signal to the camera that the car is reversing, thus, automatically bringing the system into life.

2. Wide field of view or angle perspective

If your vehicle has many blind spots, you should consider a reversing camera with a large picture sensor. Such reversing camera kits have the capacity to show a wide field of view, which allows you to better see the sides of your vehicle. Experts recommend cameras with 90 to 120 degrees field of view. Anything lower or higher than that can be a problem.

3. IR night vision

Another important factor to consider is the camera's capability to be used in low light conditions. To fulfil this key requirement, make sure to choose a reversing camera with an infrared or IR night vision. Otherwise, your camera won't be usable when you drive your car at night.

4. Mirror image capacity

Check the camera's mirror image capacity to ensure that the images being captured by the camera and the one showed on your monitor are reflected properly and not reversed. More often than not, the best reverse camera system has this feature as it enables users to see images on the screen as if they are looking at their car's rear view mirrors. As a result, they are able to respond properly when they are about to hit an object when reversing their cars.

5. Weather resistant factor

Remember, the camera will be placed outside your car. As such, it will be subject to harsh driving conditions and will be exposed to the elements all of its life. Therefore, to make sure that your reversing camera for caravan will last a very long time, see to it that the camera has a sturdy and tightly sealed casing. Also, check its IP rating to gauge its capability to guard against water and dust.