Safe Cams R2 dashcam review: A digital eye on roads for your car
In a country where roads in most urban areas are highly congested and traffic conditions are dense, a dashcam is exactly what you need. The dashcam acts as an extra eye for digital surveillance on today's mean streets. Think of a situation, when you have parked your vehicle and found that there has been damage to it. However, you don't know who did it and how it was done. This is where a dashcam can be useful.
There are tons of different dashcam models available in the market, at different price ranges. Besides having the camera to capture the video during the drive, these dashcams come equipped with a wide range of functionalities including some ADAS features as well.
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We got our hands on the Safe Cams R2 dashcam and here is our review of it.
Safe Cams R2 dashcam: Design and build
The Safe Cams R2 dashcam comes with a metal body and a nice capsule-like design, which looks compact. It comes with a rounded finish on every side and the silver garnish adds a premium metallic feel to the device. On one side you get the USB port where the charging cable needs to be connected, while on the other end, there is a push button to start the device.
The device comes equipped with a 64GB SD card for data storage, which the company provides along with the dashcam. The R2 dashcam is available in two variants, one with GPS and another without GPS. We got our hands on the non-GPS one. However, visibly and design-wise both the variants are the same.
Installation of the device is easy and can be done by the owner himself or herself. It comes as a plug-and-play device. All you need to do is to take the cover off the gumming pad and stick it to the right location. Connect the device with the long power cable that comes with the device and adjust the camera lens. There is a trim tool provided with the dashcam, which helps you to install the device and the 3.4 metre-long cable. You can avail the installation service from the company as well, which will cost you ₹700.
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Safe Cams R2 dashcam: App interface and usability
The Safe Cams R2 dashcam comes paired with an application, which is available on Android and iOS platforms. Christened Viidure, the mobile application needs to be paired with the dashcam after the installation of the device. The application shows the live feed being recorded by the camera, which can be stored in clips with a duration ranging between one minute and five minutes. Also, one can capture photos using the app, which acts like the remote for the dashcam.
Pairing the application with the dashcam is easy but one needs a bit of time to get used to the functionalities of the app. The application stores the recorded video clips in its own server and not on the local device (In this case, the mobile phone of the user). If the user needs to keep certain clips on his mobile phone, he or she needs to download the video from the app's server and this can be performed only if the dashcam remains on and connected to the app.
Safe Cams R2 dashcam: Performance
When it comes to performance, the Safe Cams R2 dashcam performed pretty well. At 1080p full HD, the video quality of the clips captured appears pretty good, showing the detailed surroundings of the vehicle. The image too comes with high quality. Also, the constant recording ensures the surrounding surveillance remains continuous while the device is on. Another plus point for this dashcam is that it captures the sound as well along with the video, which makes it more effective.
We have not tested the parking mode of the dashcam. However, Safe Cams claims the R2 dashcam can capture video of the surroundings when the vehicle is parked, which enhances its safety further. Also, the manufacturer claims that in case the vehicle meets an accident, the video locks itself to capture the moment, which eventually helps the owner of the driver with proof of the mishap.
However, there is a thumbs-down point as well. While the surround sound and 1,080p full HD resolution video are fine, if you need to fetch a number plate detail of a quickly passing vehicle from the video captured, it is really difficult. I tried to capture the details of the number plates of some passing vehicles, but unless the vehicle is really close like only a few feet away, it is impossible. Also, a moving vehicle makes this task even more impossible. This is certainly a thumbs-down point for a dashcam that costs above ₹6,000.
Safe Cams R2 dashcam: Verdict
Priced at ₹6,300 on the official website of the manufacturer, the Safe Cams R2 non-GPS dashcam comes as a handy device for vehicle owners who seek a dashcam to enhance the safety of the vehicle. The price seems competitive against the peers in the market, while the performance of the camera is good too. However, the application interface could be a bit more linear. A local device storage functionality for the clips could make the device more user-friendly.
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