The 70mai dash cam is an excellent option for those on a budget. It offers advanced features that are usually found in more expensive models.
One of the standout features of the 70mai dash cam is its 1080p resolution, which provides clear and crisp video footage. This is especially useful for capturing license plate numbers and other important details in the event of an accident.
With its compact design, the 70mai dash cam is easy to install and doesn't take up much space on your windshield. This makes it a great choice for drivers who value convenience and ease of use.
The 70mai dash cam also features Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to easily transfer footage to your smartphone or computer.
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Verdict and Review
The 70mai dash cam is a solid all-round solution when purchased as a set with front and rear cameras included. It delivers impressive results thanks to the Sony Starvis sensor tech.
If you're looking for a twin-camera bundle, the 70mai Dash Cam A510 is a great option, offering lots of performance from both lenses. It's competitively priced and comes with a good supporting app.
You can capture 2.7K 1944p footage with the front camera, thanks to a Sony Starvis 2 sensor, and shoot widely via a 140-degree field of view. The rear camera can capture 1080p video and features a 130-degree field of view.
The 70mai Dash Cam A510 is available in several bundle variants, with pricing starting from $109.99 in the North American market. In Europe, the A510-1 costs €149.99, while in the UK, pricing starts from £130.
This dash cam is easy to install and set up, and the box contains everything you need to get started, including a 64GB microSD memory card.
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Design and Performance
The 70mai dash cam has a solid build quality, with a 2-inch LCD display and four pressable buttons for easy navigation. It's also easy to get started, with a manual that helps with the initial setup.
The camera comes with a 12V plug and a spare USB port, making it possible to charge other devices on the go. The cables are also of a generous length, suitable for most vehicles.
The 70mai dash cam features a 360-degree lens on the rear camera, allowing for flexible positioning and surveillance duties. The front lens rotates enough to adjust to the angle of the windshield.
Design
The 70mai Dash Cam A510 has a thoughtful design that makes it easy to set up and use. The bundle comes with all the necessary components to get started, which is a bonus for those who value convenience.
The main camera features a 2-inch LCD display, which is a great size for viewing footage on the go. Four pressable buttons beneath the screen make it easy to navigate through the features and functions.
A chunky manual is included to help with the initial setup, and there's a smaller manual that covers the rear-facing camera. This attention to detail shows that 70mai is committed to making the user experience as smooth as possible.
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The build quality of the main camera feels sturdy and reliable, which is essential for a device that's meant to capture important footage. It's easy to plumb everything in and get it up and running, making it a great option for those who want a hassle-free experience.
The 12V plug has a spare USB port next to the power cable inlet, allowing you to charge other devices on the go. This is a thoughtful touch that adds to the overall convenience of the design.
The cables that come with the bundle are of a generous length, making it easy to install the cameras in most vehicles. This is especially useful for those who have multiple vehicles or need to adjust the camera placement frequently.
The rear camera has a 360-degree lens, which can be turned to point into the cockpit of the car for surveillance duties when needed. This level of flexibility is a great feature for those who want to capture footage from multiple angles.
Performance
The 70mai Dash Cam A510 is a solid performer, capturing vital details in case of an incident. It clearly displays license plates and road signs, making it a valuable tool for any driver.
The camera features a 1.2-inch screen, which is decent enough for reviewing footage, but not ideal for picking out details. Reviewing recorded content is best done on your phone or laptop, using the 70mai app.
The 70mai Dash Cam A510 has a good level of data included on all the footage, with date, time, speed, and coordinates displayed along the foot of the video content. This makes it easy to identify specific moments in recorded footage.
The camera struggles a little with sudden changes in lighting conditions, but the lens soon gets back up to speed. This isn't a major issue, and the camera provides consistent results otherwise.
The 70mai Dash Cam A510 copes admirably with low-light and after-dark conditions, thanks to its Night Owl Vision algorithm. It handles streetlights well, which can be a problem for some dashcams.
The camera captures footage at 1080p HDR, with a 60 frames per second frame rate. This results in clear footage in diverse lighting conditions.
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Features and Setup
The 70mai dash cam comes with a range of features that make it a great option for drivers. You can control the camera using voice commands, which is super convenient while driving.
The app is required to set up the device and control the camera, and it's also where you can access your footage. You get 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB of storage depending on the model you choose.
The app is well-designed, with clear instructions for getting started, including how to fix the dash cam to your car. I did get a little confused here, so it's worth following the instructions carefully.
The lens provides a 140-degree field of view, and the camera can rotate within 340 degrees on request, either via the app or voice control.
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HDR Dual-Channel Recording
The A810 dash cam offers a feature called HDR dual-channel recording, which provides broader camera coverage and added vehicle security. This is achieved through an additional accessory port that functions with a rear or interior camera.
The A810 is the industry's first 4K dash cam compatible with 1080P HDR rear camera, so you'll have reliable footage of what happens behind you. This is especially useful in situations like rear-end collisions or capturing viral moments.
With HDR dual-channel recording, you can record events from both the front and rear cameras simultaneously, giving you a more complete picture of what happened. The 1080P HDR rear camera provides high-quality video even in low-light conditions.
Features
The 70mai A810 dash cam is equipped with 70mai Night Owl Vision, which uses an F1.8 aperture to capture more light and provide well-illuminated recordings in dark settings.
You'll be able to see clear footage even in pitch black conditions, making it perfect for night driving. The camera's ability to handle low light is impressive, and it's a feature that you'll appreciate when driving at night.
Sample videos showcase the camera's capabilities, and one of them features a clip taken on a cloudy day. The registration numbers are easily identifiable in the footage, even when parked or moving.
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The camera also has the option to display handy stats at the bottom, detailing your speed, location, and more. This feature is convenient and adds an extra layer of functionality to the dash cam.
Footage taken on a very sunny day is equally impressive, with a bright and colorful picture. However, there are more reflections on the windscreen due to the increased light.
Special Features
The 70mai Omni dash cam offers a 140-degree field of view, but its camera can rotate within 340 degrees on request, either via the app or voice control.
This feature has worked perfectly every time the author tried it, as long as they say the commands quite loudly. Perhaps this device is calibrated to the stereotypically louder voices of North Americans.
You can control the camera with voice commands like 'shoot left', 'shoot right', 'shoot inside', and 'take photo'. The 'take a selfie' command is also available, which might be useful for influencers.
The 'shoot vlog' command makes the tripod head slowly rotate and record a 10-second video. This feature is sure to be a hit with vloggers.
If you're willing to hardwire the device into your car, a whole host of extra AI-powered features open up, including smart parking mode, collision detection, motion detection, lane departure alerts, and route tracking.
However, hardwiring the device may drain your car's battery while it's parked, so it's not a good option if you don't drive your car regularly.
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App Setup
To set up the 70mai Omni, you'll need to download the complementary app, which is required to control the dashcam and access your footage. The app is available for your smartphone, and it's the only way to access your recordings since the dashcam doesn't have a microSD card slot.
You'll need to choose from 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB of internal storage, depending on your budget. The app will guide you through the setup process, including instructions on how to fix the dashcam to your car.
The app has a list of instructions for getting started, which are reasonably well-explained, but you may still get a little confused, like I did.
How to Set Up
To set up your 70mai Omni dash cam, start by positioning the camera either on the front of the passenger seat or in line with the rear-view mirror. Be sure to peel the plastic off the electrostatic disc, apply it to the windscreen, remove the air bubbles, and then attach the dash cam carefully to avoid any difficulties.
The installation process can be a bit tricky, so take your time and pay attention to the details. If you're planning to remove the dash cam at the end of each journey, this might not be the best choice for you, as it's designed to stay up permanently.
You'll need to connect your phone to the 70mai Omni via its own WiFi, which may take a while to set up, especially if you're parked outside your house and your phone is auto-connecting to your home WiFi. This can cause some initial confusion, but it's a necessary step to get everything working smoothly.
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The included mount securely attaches to the windshield, and the adhesive ensures a firm hold. The adjustable mount allows you to find the perfect angle for your shot once installed. The provided pry tool facilitates the hassle-free and tidy installation of wires, contributing to a neat and organized interior.
The app guides you through the setup process, which is pretty straightforward, and the instructions are available in multiple languages. The app is also where you'll access recorded footage, live view, and device settings, making it an essential part of the setup process.
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Testing and Comparison
I spent time with the 70mai Dash Cam A510 installed in an SUV, which meant I had plenty of screen space to get it installed. The design is also sufficiently compact enough to work in vehicles with less glass area to play with.
I tried the dashcam bundle over a period of time, across a range of driving scenarios, and in all sorts of weather conditions. Once installed, I found it to be very low-maintenance and enjoyed having the benefit of a chime on startup, just to know that it was functioning as expected.
The 70mai Dash Cam A510's performance was tested in identical locations and lighting, just like the other dash cams, to ensure fair comparison. It's worth noting that many dash cams have similar specs and resolution, but they perform differently in the real world.
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How We Tested
To ensure we're comparing apples to apples, we took a rigorous approach to testing the dash cams. We mounted each camera in one vehicle to record in identical locations and lighting conditions.
We didn't just rely on specs, though – we went beyond what the manufacturers claimed. We tested each camera's actual video to see how it performed in real-world conditions.
Night vision, for instance, is often a marketing term. We put the cameras to the test at night to ensure they could record legible license plates in the dark.
We also evaluated the user experience by checking each camera's app. We looked at how easy it was to connect, download recorded footage, adjust settings, and more.
Here's a rundown of our testing criteria:
- Identical recording conditions
- Real-world performance testing
- Night vision testing
- App integration evaluation
A510 Testing
The 70mai Dash Cam A510 was tested in a real-world setting, installed in the author's own car, an SUV. This allowed for a thorough evaluation of the device's performance in various driving scenarios.
The test involved using the dash cam for several journeys, both during the day and at night. This comprehensive testing helped assess the device's capabilities in different lighting conditions.
The author connected the dash cam to their phone and downloaded recordings for appraisal. This allowed for a detailed examination of the footage captured by the device.
The testing period spanned various weather conditions, ensuring the dash cam's performance was evaluated in different environmental settings. The device was found to be low-maintenance, with a convenient startup chime that provided peace of mind.
Specifications and Details
The 70mai dash cam's specifications are quite impressive. It has a resolution of 1080p, which is more than enough for capturing clear video of the road.
The image sensor used is the OS02K10, a high-quality sensor that helps ensure great image quality. This sensor is paired with a 2G4P+IR lens, which has an aperture of F1.5.
You can expect a smooth and stable video with a frame rate of 30-60fps. This is perfect for capturing fast-paced action on the road.
The field of view is a wide 140 degrees, allowing you to capture more of the surroundings. This is especially useful for navigating tight spaces or intersections.
The display is a small but clear 1.2-inch IPS screen, perfect for reviewing footage on the go. It's powered by a 300mAh battery, which should last a decent amount of time.
One of the best features of the 70mai dash cam is its voice control, which makes it easy to start and stop recording without having to physically interact with the device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 70mai record when the car is off?
Yes, 70mai records incidents when the car is off, thanks to its built-in G-sensor that detects sudden shakes or collisions. You'll receive a voice alert when the car powers back on, with the recorded video available for review.
Is 70mai owned by Xiaomi?
No, 70mai is not a direct subsidiary of Xiaomi, but rather a separate company owned by Xiaomi's parent company. 70mai is a brand that offers a range of dash cams and other products.
How do I connect my 70mai dash cam to my phone?
To connect your 70mai dash cam to your phone, download the 70mai app and follow the in-app instructions to pair your device. This will allow you to view live footage, access recorded videos, and adjust camera settings remotely.
Is the 70mai dash cam plug and play?
No, the 70mai Dash Cam Omni is not plug-and-play due to its need for constant power for GPS and 4G functionality. Hard-wiring is required for a proper installation.
Sources
- https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/dash-cams/70mai-dash-cam-a510-review
- https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/70mai-dash-cam-omni-review-low-cost-dashcam-with-some-fun-bells-and-whistles
- https://www.pocket-lint.com/70mai-upgraded-flagship-dash-cam-a810/
- https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-dash-cam/
- https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/70mai-dash-cam-omni-review-360-degree-secure-driving-experience/
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