There are quite a few reasons why you need a reversing camera in your van. The most obvious one is that most self built vans and I think all production made vans make it impossible to see through the rear windows. Either there are no windows at all, they are blocked with insulation/curtains or with furniture inside of the van. And even if you can see through the rear door windows, they are far away and your viewing angle is not great. Since the vans can be pretty long, it’s important to know where the back of your van is. This is where the reversing camera comes into play. Other reasons to have a reversing camera in your van include avoiding road accidents (even if you are extra careful, others might not be) and also checking your surroundings without leaving your van. You hear a funny noise in the middle of the night? Check the camera.
These days people not only install one camera, sometimes they even put in more. Three cameras for instance will ensure all-around monitoring. With a clumsy van or RV it is great to see the road from all sides of the van. In this post we will help you decide on which camera you should buy.
How to Choose Reversing Camera for Your Van
A wide range of reversing camera choices makes it more difficult to pick the best one for your needs. Getting a high-quality camera will benefit you in the long run, especially if it saves you from hitting that metal pole with the back of your van. So consider the below factors before you decide:
Budget
Getting a reversing camera for your van is not the only cost, there is also the cost of installation. If you get a good camera and you pay to have it installed it can get quite expensive. Since the installation is not the cheapest, if you will not install it yourself, the get a good camera. No point in being cheap with the camera if you will later pay hundreds of bucks for installation. However, if you want to go super cheap and your will install the camera yourself, then a cheap camera will keep the costs low. You can also get a free quote when looking for reversing cameras for caravans to get ready for a certain budget.
Brand and Camera Quality
The market has a wide variety of brands that sell reversing cameras. If you want to be safe, go with a well known brand. Either way, some thing to keep in mind when choosing the camera: camera resolution, camera night vision capabilities, waterproofness, camera angle, extra features like parking lines, video recording etc…
You will also have to decide on the the number of cameras you will buy in a set. On camera goes usually to the top of the back of the van. Then you have two camera systems with one on the top to monitor the traffic behind you and the second one on the bumper for reversing/parking purposes. The first on has a bigger field of view that will reach further away from the van help you check the traffic behind you etc.
Then you have a set that also comes with a front facing camera. This one is usually used for insurance purposes. In some countries insurance companies will not cover damage if you don’t have video proof of the accident.
And finally, there are systems that also include side facing cameras. These help you see the area left and right of your vehicle.
Viewing Angle
Reversing cameras have a really wide viewing angle. You need to see your whole back of the van in the picture from one side to the other of your rear bumper. If your whole bumper doesn’t fit into the picture, the wide angle is to small and the camera won’t help you.
Wired/Wireless Camera System
Usually wired cameras are installed. There are no problems with charging them and they are more reliable. Installing a wired camera however takes more work as you have to lay wires under the carpeting of your car and drill holes into your van to get the cables out.
Colors, Resolution and Monitors
A higher resolution camera will give you a better picture and you will be able to recognize things in the picture more easily. Getting a color version of the camera helps as well although these days almost all cameras are color cameras. Camera quality goes hand in hand also with monitor quality. You will need a good monitor to see the picture while driving. There are two styles of monitors to choose from – dash mount and clip-on option. Clip on goes on your rear view mirror. Dash monitors are usually bigger but rear view mirror monitors are more practical.
Monitors will usually also have lots of other features as they now run operating system like Android. So you can use them for navigation, listening to music or watching movies (not while driving!).
Audio
A high-resolution image may not be enough for some people so manufacturers added also the audio to some cameras. Since you can usually hear what is going on even without this feature, this one is not really important.
Toughness and Warranty
Last but not least, caravan cameras are inclined to wear and tear as they are exposed to sun, rain, snow, heat, freezing temperatures, salt etc… This is where a good camera will stand apart from a cheap one. A high quality camera will survive outside for a long time while cheap one will start to rust, get foggy inside etc… Either way, it’s good to have some warranty on the cameras.
Final Thoughts
To summarize everything, a reversing camera is a must in caravans. It makes your driving safer and helps you maneuver your vehicle. Reversing cameras have several features that are necessary for van installation, this is why regular cameras won’t work.