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.

Key Technical Terms You Need to Understand to Find the Best Reversing Camera

Today, there's a wide range of camera systems you can purchase if you are inclined to add a safety feature to your car. But with so many options to choose from, how do you know which reversing camera is the best? If this is your first time buying a rear view camera for your car, here are technical terms you should understand and be aware of to help you find the camera system that's right for you.

CCD

CCD stands for charge-coupled device. It is one of the two types of image sensors present in all types of cameras. One of the notable qualities of cameras with CCD image sensors is that they are more capable of producing better images. They are also more sensitive to light, which is a huge help when driving at night.

CMOS

CMOS is the other type of image sensor present in reversing camera kits. It basically stands for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor. Its light sensitivity tends to be lower than the light sensitivity of a CCD camera. In addition, it is more susceptible to noise. But on the brighter side, a CMOS camera generally has longer battery life as it consumes less power as compared to a CCD camera.

RCA

Sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, an RCA connector is what the camera system uses to transfer the audio and video signals being captured by the reversing camera to the monitor. It is basically composed of a plug and a jack designed for use with coaxial cable.

4PIN

Like the RCA connector, the 4PIN cable allows the monitor to render the images being captured by the reversing cameras for cars. But the difference between the two is that the 4PIN cable is more durable and can be exposed to the elements. What's more, it allows the monitor to power up the camera on its own so you don't have to connect the latter to a power source.

AV Input

AV input is basically the camera system's capability to receive AV (audio-video) signals from a device. The more the AV inputs the system has, the more cameras you can connect to the monitor.

12v/24v

This signifies the camera's operating voltage.

IR Night Vision

As the name implies, IR (infrared) night vision if a key feature that allows the reverse camera to capture and render images even during low light conditions. This is a huge help if you need to drive at night.

Male/Female Connector

A male connector has one or more exposed, unshielded electrical terminal or pins. It is constructed in a way that it can be inserted snugly into a jack or receptacle. A female connector, on the other hand, has recessed holes with its electrical terminals inside. It is built in a way that allows a plug with exposed pins or conductors to be inserted securely.

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