Are you wondering if you can convert your GoPro into a Dash cam? Well yes, you surely can. GoPro is very flexible for filming outdoors.

You now have a perfect companion for recording your beautiful journeys and to act as a first-hand witness in case of any mishap.

GoPros are ideal for using them as dash cams since they are small, strong and durable. Also, GoPros are highly versatile and enhance your overall experience, capturing all the action while you are on the road.

In this article, you’ll find a step-by-step guide on how to turn your GoPro into a Dash cam.

 

GoPros vs Dash Cams


It is important to understand the difference between the two. GoPros are basically used for capturing the stunning moments of your outdoor adventures. They record all your thrilling sports and activities for you to view later. Whereas, a Dashcam is specifically used for filming your journeys in a vehicle. These cams make sure to record every bit of your drive continuously to provide a clear picture in case of any road accident or mishap.

gopro vs dashcam

You can easily convert your GoPro into a dash cam using one of the GoPro mounts available, like a suction cup or similar. With GoPro as your Dash cam you can be sure of recording quality footage and enjoy your drive at peace. They are useful in many ways, some of them listed as below :

  • Capturing thrilling moments while on road trips.
  • Providing evidence in case of an accident on a motorbike, car, truck etc.
  • Useful in claiming insurance in case you experience road rage.
  • Parents can attach them on their kids’ vehicle for peace of mind.
  • Monitoring crime and traffic for security.

Reliability and Functionality

GoPro comes with a wide variety of functions which makes it highly user-friendly and you can use the feature Auto Upload to Cloud for storing all the footage during long journeys. The design of GoPros both in a protective case or bracket mount makes it durable and reliable to withstand tough conditions.

Limitations

  • GoPros cannot withstand high heat conditions unlike dashcams.
  • You need to carry it with you and attach it every time you drive.
  • It is a bit more expensive than the basic dashcams.

However, there are certain hacks to overcome these limitations. You can use an additional accessory CamDo which can easily attach to the back of your cam and automates the process of switching on-off the cam every time you start or stop your vehicle. GoPro comes handy in the time of need and you don’t have to worry about the picture quality and the cost of additional Dashcam if you already have a GoPro.

It is very easy to convert your GoPro into a Dashcam. Read on the below section to get a complete understanding…

 

How to Turn your GoPro into a Dash Cam


Dash cams are of vital importance when it comes to recording your drives. Converting your GoPro into a Dashcam using a mount can serve the purpose pretty well. There are a few points which you’ll need to consider.

Adjust GoPro Settings

Before mounting the camera on your vehicle you may need to adjust a few settings. If you are using the GoPro for recording your car journeys, then the best setting is to shoot in Wide FOV so you can capture a wide angle view head of the car. Then choose a resolution of 1080p which works pretty well for this kind of purpose. Remember that high resolutions like 4k, as well as high frame rates will drastically increase the size of your video files.

Check out: GoPro Settings Explained: Best for Action, Travel and More

Use GoPro Video Looping Feature

GoPro looping mode is an exceptionally brilliant feature for these kinds of situations. By enabling Looping mode, your GoPro will keep recording all of your journey and only keep the last 15 or 30 minutes of recording (depends on the settings). It helps in space management, overwriting the previous footage and keeping the most recent activity for you to view. You can set the GoPro Looping Video to a maximum length of 5, 20, 60 or 120 minutes or MAX.

Use a GoPro Car Mount

In order to turn your GoPro into a dash cam and record from your car, you need to make sure that GoPro remains steady. You can attach GoPro cameras on the dashboard of any cars with its GoPro Car mounts. Generally, the suction cup mount works very well.

GoPro Suction Cup Mount (GoPro Official Mount), Black
  • Attach your GoPro to cars, boats, motorcycles and more
  • Industrial strength suction cup proven at speeds of 150+ mph
  • Engineered to provide a broad range of motion and stability

Check out: Top 12 GoPro Car Mounts [Suction/Clamp/Gimbal/Dashboard]

Use GoPro Quick Capture Feature

GoPro’s quick capture allows you to start and stop recording with one button, even when the camera is off. This feature is very helpful while driving and it will keep your driving experience safe. You need to enable this feature in the GoPro settings.

An alternative to this would be using GoPro’s voice control. In this way you can even control your your camera while driving without inducing distractions.

Read more on voice control in the following article: 12+ Voice Commands to Control your GoPro (+ Secret Commands).

 

Things to Remember


#1. GoPros are not that resistant to heat like the Dashcams do, hence to save your cam from harm, carry them along with you once you get off the car.

#2. Turn off your GoPro when you are not recording to save battery life.

#3. Carry additional batteries or power cable along with a 12V car charger to charge your GoPro for long journeys (GoPro average battery life when fully charged is about 1.5/2 hours).

Check out: How to Make Your GoPro Battery Life Last Longer

#4. Disable non-essential features like Protune, WiFi, Bluetooth etc. if not required before mounting your cam to preserve battery for long durations.

#5. GoPro doesn’t usually come with a large pre-installed memory card. If you are planning long trips, make sure you have a micro SD card that is large enough to store all your footage. With 64GB-128GB memory cards you can store several hours of full hd footage.

To know how many pictures and videos you can record with your SD Card check out:

 

 

Thanks for reading!

I hope this guide helped you understand how to turn your GoPro into a Dash cam 🙂

 

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