The US Department of Transportation has made backup cameras mandatory for all vehicles. Hence, if you want to avoid the fine which would definitely come with non-compliance, we recommend getting one for your vehicle soon if it didn’t come with one already. You have plenty of options to choose from but here are the best ones you can buy right now.
Top 3 Best Car Backup Cameras
1. eRapta ERT01 2nd Generation Car Rear View Backup Camera
Our review of eRapta ERT01 Backup Camera revealed that it has enough features to keep your car safe from a rear bump.
Features
Since you’d be installing this camera above the license plate – in the rear of your car – you might want it to pose a formidable defense against both dust and water, two substances it would encounter the most as you drive.
Luckily, eRapta was paying attention, as suggested by the IP69 rating of this backup camera. The first number of the rating (6) designates this camera to be dust-proof, whether you are driving down your street or going through a sandstorm.
As for the second digit (9), it suggests that the camera could be immersed in water up to 2m depth, and it would still function. In other words, both the International Protocol ratings mean that this camera is water and dust-proof. Period!
Equally important is the ability of this camera to fight – and defeat – your car’s blind spot, which is a leading cause of car accidents worldwide. The eRapta ERT01 does that by projecting a 149 degree view which eliminates any gray areas on the back side of your car.
User Critique
Some customers have complained about the lack of instruction manual, so they had to consult the internet to install the eRapta ERT01.
Pros
- Night Vision
- Water and dust proof
- Huge view angle
- Parking assist guidelines
Cons
- No Instruction manual
Our Verdict
Despite costing way under the odds, the eRapta ERT01 comes with night-vision chips, is dust and waterproof and gives a large rear view angle – while also projecting safe distance lines. What more can you ask!
2. REOTECH Vehicle License Plate Backup Camera
At a time when rear-view cameras have been made mandatory by the US Government, the REOTECH Rear View Camera has been making all the right noises in the market.
Is its fame genuine? Let’s find out.
Features
Starting from its design, REOTECH has made the exterior of this camera water and dust-proof, as suggested by the camera’s International Protocol Rating. Rated as IP65, this camera not only provides complete protection against dust but is also waterproof to the hilt. That means whether it is sandstorm or hurricane you’re passing through, its performance would remain intact.
Many rear-view cameras have the problem of catching rust, particularly if they are used in humid environments. Fortunately, REOTECH has taken care of this aspect by providing this camera with a stainless steel design, which would prevent rust from setting in.
Turning our attention to how large the picture it would display, the REOTECH has a viewing angle of 120 degree. In other words, it would display the whole field behind your car in one scene. That said, we have seen cameras with better viewing angles, with one of our reviewed – namely the eRapta ERT01 – providing a 149 degree viewing angle.
Finally, if you look closely, you’d find seven LED Lights adorning the sides of the camera’s lens. Whenever it would turn dark out there, these infrared lights would automatically turn on and flood the camera’s field of view, turning it into a night vision.
Also, since infrared light is invisible to naked eye, it means that only your camera would see the lights to then project a clear image at night, and your viewing angle won’t be disturbed.
User Critique
There are cameras which comes with bigger view angle than the REOTECH, but they are easy to install and comes with 12V Voltage DC Power support, which is perfect for wide variety of large vehicles.
Pros
- Infrared lights make it night vision
- Easy to install
- Water and Dust resistant
Cons
- Could have provided a bigger field of view
Our Verdict
With its seven infrared lights, foolproof resistance against both water and dust and an easy install, there is every chance that your money would be well spent on the REOTECH Vehicle Backup Camera.
3. LeeKooLuu Backup Camera and Monitor Kit
Apart from being easy to install – a luxury which most car monitor kits do not provide, the LeeKooLuu only sniffs power and its resistance against water and dust ranks, not to mention its night-vision capability, ranks it among the high-end models out there.
Features
Did I say that this unit sniffs power? You bet I did. For, in case you want it to give only rear view, you could power it from only the reverse lights of your car. And in case you want a full-time view, your car’s cigarette lighter would be enough, both settings which would pose no burden on your car’s battery.
The fact that this unit consumes little power doesn’t mean that its performance would be likewise. Instead, as you would instantly recognize by looking at its 4.3” display, LeeKooLuu has taken no chances on this count.
Since you’d be installing the backup camera just above the license plate, it would be exposed to atmospheric miscreants – water and dust. It is here that the IP67 rating of this unit comes into play, which means that the camera is both dust and waterproof, regardless of how much quantities of water and dust it has to fight.
Turning our attention to how it would project picture, and two important features deserve a mention, the first of which is the 135* viewing angle. This angle would remove all blind spots that may exist behind your car to remove any chances of a mishap.
As for the second feature, it is the color-coded distance lines. Marked red, yellow, and green, these distance lines would appear the moment you start reversing your vehicle to aid you in reversing your vehicle safely.
The monitor of this camera contains a user-intuitive interface which allows you to tinker with its settings. For instance, be it increasing or decreasing the camera’s brightness, changing its viewing angle, or changing the language of the monitor (it displays five languages), everything could be done from inside the monitor.
User Critique
As veteran car drivers might tell, the 135* viewing angle isn’t the biggest which rearview cameras might offer.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Has Night vision infrared lights
- Easy to install and operate
- Barely sniffs power
- 4.3” display
Cons
- Viewing angle could have been bigger
Our Verdict
For those of you who want to do reverse-driving safely – and don’t want to spend over the odds on a quality product which could aid you, the LeeKooLuu Backup Camera deserves a mention.