If you’re considering a dashcam for your vehicle, VIOFO has an attractive option they’d like you to consider. The VIOFO A129 Pro Duo Ultra 4K Dual Channel Wi-Fi Dashcam is a bit of a mouthful, but that’s because it packs a lot of functionality. This is a two channel dash cam with one camera upfront, and one in the back. That front camera captures 4K video with Sony’s premium Exmor R 8MP sensor; the rear is a 2MP Sony Starvis that captures 1080p video. The unit includes built-in GPS, a motion sensor, and dual-band Wi-Fi for connecting to your smartphone. And the main camera has its own 2-inch HD LCD display.
Not bad for $249.99, but how well does it perform?
Setup and Installation
My test vehicle already had a dashcam installed, and the rear camera wasn’t an option. So my testing was limited to front view, and I had a bunch of wires dangling across the dashboard for the duration. That being said, setup was straightforward.
VIOFO includes almost everything needed in the box. My review unit came with cables, adhesive pads, clips and even a handy tool for tucking those cable up under the trim to keep them out of sight. There was also a USB adapter for a Micro SD card — which is needed to capture video — but not the memory card itself. That I had to scrounge up (it will support up to 256GB capacity)
I tested the camera with a USB power adapter before installing, and used that opportunity to flip through a rather extensive menu of customizations and settings. Navigating the menu can be a bit painful — buttons are obviously limited, and it’s easy to get ahead of the system if you go too fast — but features can also be accessed through the mobile app.
Physically positioning the front camera on the windshield was made easy with the camera’s integrated display. I plugged it in and powered it up first so I could ensure it was level horizontally. From there the camera tilt can be adjusted up or down as needed. The included 3M adhesive patches do a solid job of holding the camera in place — I installed it in below freezing temperatures and there were no issues.
Once installed, you can slip the camera out of the mounting base if needed.
Installing the back camera would be a similar process, except you would need to turn on screen mirroring on the front camera to get the view from the rear camera while positioning it.
In Action, Daylight
Video captured by the 4K camera in daylight was crisp, but in my setup it was blue-tinted. That was not the camera’s fault. The limitations of my setup meant the camera was placed on a wide tinted strip on the windshield to protect from sun. This was also tested in Canadian winter, which means grime and road salt everywhere (including windshields), and dimmer daylight sun. I brought the camera back inside and tested taking some shots under normal conditions and the results were both crisp and color-correct. It’s worth noting that in addition to options like resolution, you can adjust exposure levels for both front and back.
I have included front camera video captures below, one taken directly from the VIOFO mobile app (after connecting my iPhone to the camera’s Wi-Fi network); the second is grabbed directly from the memory card using my computer.
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Finally, here’s a shot taken indoors in daylight showing that without the windshield tint, color accuracy is good.
Footage capture by the camera is stamped with data including driving speed, GPS coordinates and date/time.
In Action, Night
One of the key advantages of that Sony Exmor R camera upfront is its performance at night. As you can see from the photo below, the camera did very well in night driving.
Optional Extras
The $249.99 VIOFO A129 Pro Duo kit contains everything you need for basic dashcam functionality. The company does sell extras if you want to expand on that. The upgrade most people might be interested in is a hardwire kit that enables Parking Mode. This gets you 24-hour surveillance of your vehicle when parked, capturing video of impacts and nearby moving objects.
A Bluetooth remote control is a big button you can mount on the dashboard. This connects wirelessly to the camera and makes it easy to manually record an event, without having to look up and fiddle with the camera itself.
The company also sells polarized light filters to help reduce flare from bright sunlight.
Recommendation
If all you need is a standard, front-facing dashcam, there are plenty of options that are less expensive. However for the combination of a high quality 4K camera with a Sony Exmor R 8MP sensor, along with an included 1080p rear camera, and the option of Wi-Fi connectivity, the VIOFO A129 Pro Duo Ultra 4K Dual Channel Wi-Fi Dashcam is an attractive solution.
Disclosure: VIOFO provided a dashcam for evaluation but had no input into this review.
