How Long Do Dash Cameras Record For?

Everyone knows the benefits of owning a dash cam, from capturing evidence in an accident to monitoring your vehicle when you’re not around. But not many people know how long quality car cameras can record & what happens with all their unused footage.

Let’s explore this topic in depth, then we’ll compare dash cams to other cameras that record constantly, like security cameras.

Dash Cam Recording Time

Dash cameras vary in their storage recording capability. Dash cam capacity is determined by two factors: the size of the SD card & quality of the recorded footage.

A dash cam recording in High Definition quality creates video files much larger in size compared to Standard Definition. Therefore, it fills up SD cards faster. Higher video quality takes up significantly more video storage space.

How Loop Recording Helps

If you have low recording memory space, the last thing you want to do is spend your time clearing your micro SD card after every drive. That’s where dash cam loop recording comes in.

Most dash cams work efficiently due to their loop recording feature, which allows them to automatically overwrite the oldest footage when the memory card is full. This means that your car dash camera system can record video indefinitely, provided it has a constant power supply.

While loop recording may seem annoying to some drivers, loop recording is better than the dash camera stop recording altogether. Not to mention how much video the average dash cam owner would have to delete every day (just to get their dash cam to function).

How Long Does Dash Cam Footage Last?

Even with loop recording, you still need to know how long your maximum dash cam record time is. A dash cam recording HD Wide Dynamic Range footage at 30 frames per second (FPS) will use roughly 32 GB of SD card storage space after six to eight hours of video. That’s a lot.

Especially in comparison to other ‘constantly recording’ cameras like home security systems. This is why loop recording is such an important factor for dash cameras. Once this limit is reached, the dash camera starts overwriting the oldest videos on the SD cards.

Related Post: How To Know If Dash Cam Is Recording?

Storage Capacity: Dash Cams vs. Security Camera Footage

To give you a better idea of how dash cameras capture footage compared to other camera systems, we first need to dive further into the key question: how long does footage stay on security cameras?

CCTV footage security cameras use something called ‘network video recorders’ (NVRs) or cloud storage for their video files. Multiple IP cameras use a storage system referred to as digital video recorders. This tech allows security cameras keep footage for days or even weeks at a time, when old security footage needs a closer inspection.

For example, a retail store video footage needs to retain surveillance footage for up to a year to review theft incidents. Home security cameras often keep footage for around 7-10 days before being overwritten.

While video compression plays a role, recording time between dash cams and security camera systems are different by design.

While dash camera footage is designed to document the most recent events on the road, most security camera footage is meant to monitor a location 24/7 and keep the recorded footage for a more extended period. Calculate video playback speed to see how much time you save when watching footage back at a specific multiple.

Maximizing Your Dash Cam’s Potential

Thanks to the magic of loop recording, you can rest assured your dash cam will always be ready to capture the unexpected.

Even though dash cams may not hold onto footage as long as surveillance cameras, they serve their purpose on the road. With the right memory card and settings, your dash cam is an amazing tool to document your drives and help with insurance claims.

Manage your expectations about dash cam recording capacity though. If you’re involved in an incident or witness something noteworthy, save that specific footage separately as soon as possible to prevent it from being overwritten.

Some devices come with a dash cam G-sensor. This feature detects when your car has been involved in an impact and automatically locks accident footage to prevent it from being overwritten. This automatic preservation of critical footage is another layer of assurance that you won’t lose those essential moments.

Summary

The longevity of dash cam recordings vary based on the recording quality capabilities. Thankfully, dash cam features like loop recording make recording for long periods of time a non-issue. A dash cams value in providing unbiased video evidence is underrated, read our dash cam reviews to get a feel for the features we value most. Be thankful it’s there to back you up when it matters most.