17 March 2017

REVIEW: RAC 205 Dash Cam

Pint-sized protection.

The thing about your car's windscreen is that it is see-through. So, y'know, you can see through it and drive your car without smashing into anything or anyone. So the last thing you need is for that precious windscreen to be choked up with gadgets blocking your view. Regular visitors will know that we're big fans of dash cams here, so we're looking for a small and tidy cam to keep that all important dash as clear as possible. We just might have found it in the RAC 205.



Here are your headlines for this plucky little chap: the RAC 205, manufactured by ProofCam, is a small, compact cam that captures footage in 1080p Full HD. It features a 2.3 inch screen for checking angle of the lens and also for reviewing clips, loop recording as standard, and an included 16GB SD card. It is powered by the included power lead, but also uses an internal battery for whenever you need to remove for the suction cup mount to use a stills camera – which it does using a 2MP sensor.


And that's basically it; no speed cam warnings, no lane departure warnings, and no GPS tracking data. This is, therefore, just a simple point and shoot camera for constant recording of the road ahead. The lack of features is represented in the price, as the RAC 205 dash cam could be yours for less than £100, which is pretty good considering the brand.

However, most of the other dash cams we've reviewed in the past did have those kinds of features, with many of the cams weighing at not all that much more than £100, so why have ProofCam brought this model out? Well, the size is a real issue here, as the reduction in capabilities has resulted in a far smaller product. The 205 genuinely is the kind of dash cam you can mount behind your rear view mirror and have it fit snugly. That will help to keep your windscreen clear and also provide a better, higher view of the road ahead.


The quality of the image is very good, which we would have expected from a ProofCam-made cam anyway. The angle of view is 140 degrees, so you get a great wide shot captured by it with very little image wrap distortion at the edge of the footage. Number plates are discernible from a pretty big distance, and we're guessing the smoothness is down to a frame rate of at least 25fps, although we couldn't find anywhere that confirmed that.

As a bit of extra value, ProofCam throw in a couple of useful accessories. First up, you get a pouch, which is always a very handy thing to have with a dash cam. Although it is designed to stay in your windscreen whenever possible, there be times when you want to remove it from sight and stash in the glove box. Putting the cam in a proper pouch will help to keep it scratch free when its in there, along with all the accumulated crap your glove box tends to attract, and it is generally good for long term storage when not in use. Plus, we just really like bundled carry cases for everything.


Secondly, you get an RAC branded torch, and if you don't already have one in your car, SERIOUSLY, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? It is a good one, too, with side-mounted LEDs and an easy grip, perfect for sticking in the glove and forgetting about until you need it for break downs, or for hunting for your wallet under your seat.

So a good bundle set with an excellent and easy to use cam. You are missing out on several features that have become standard on most other dash cams, but the small size and pleasing price will no doubt snag lots of interest.

£64.95

Available from www.amazon.co.uk




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