Lukas LK-7900 ACE Dash Cam Review
March 25, 2023 by Zach Harmon
Whether you’re looking for a cheap and affordable dash cam or a high quality one, it’s important to consider your options carefully. With so many dash cams available, it can be hard to tell which is any good. We tested dozens of different dash cams to make your shopping process easy. In this post, we’ll take a look at the LK 7900 ACE by Lukas to give you an idea of what you can expect.
Pros
- Decent Price
- Wide viewing angle & lens
- Multiple recording modes (event recording)
- Built-in GPS
- Voice guidance
- Motion detection for Parking mode
- UV Filter
Cons
- Old dash camera (created in 2013)
- Low quality G-Sensor
- Windshield mount not included
- SD Card not included
- Poor weather performance (low temperature specifically)
- Power cable stopped working after a cold night
- Not Compatible with several modern SDXC cards
- CPL filter sub par
Product Highlights
My Experience With the LK-7900 Dash Camera
Like all dash cameras we test, I used the dash cam in my car for 1 month before writing this review. I drive a total of about 2 hours daily, during both the morning and at night.
Here’s what I found:
The dashcam features a 135 degree wide-angle lens viewing. However, it has a low auto-exposure capability, which makes the video recordings really bad in dim lighting conditions. The smart functions are very useful and it’s compatible with modern tech.
In 2013, this was one of the only dash cams that had a GPS pre-installed. Nowadays, this is common practice so it isn't a huge positive in my book.
I don’t usually nitpick but my biggest issue was the power charging cord stopped working one morning after a cold (& snowy) night. Usually you could expect freezing cold temperatures to cause electronics to stop working. However, on the product page the manufacturer boasts the LK 7900 can withstand -4 degrees to 176 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to 80 degrees Celsius).
My experience is that the working temperature range of the camera is pretty narrow. I was even having issues booting up the dash cam at 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Owning a dash cam during snow season is the most important time to have a dash cam. Huge red flag for me.
Takeaway: The camera has a couple strong features but since the Lukas LK 7900 is a dash cam that was released in 2013, most of the technology is old and outdated.
What Stood Out
- Multiple Recording Modes – Four different recording modes are available on the Lukas LK-7900 ACE: driving, motion detection, event, and manual or emergency. You are only able to record videos continuously for 3 minutes while using the driving mode option. The manual and emergency recording mode enables you to begin recording at your own discretion. It will record a video for 30 seconds, which is made up of 10 seconds before and 20 seconds after you press the recording button.
- Motion Detection – This mode detects motion and records a video for a total of 30 seconds, 10 seconds before and 20 seconds after the motion is detected. Similar to Motion Recording, Event Recording also captures a 30-second video (10 seconds before and 20 seconds after), but it is activated when the G-sensor picks up any impact or rapid changes.
- Smart Function – Contains things like a smart car DVR, a highly sensitive GPS, microphone, and a LED display.
- Last Effort Battery – Even if the camera’s external power supply gets unplugged (or broken), there’s some minor functionality due to the super capacitor battery power.
- Loop Recording – If your storage method ever runs out of space, loop recording is a function that automatically saves over the oldest recording currently saved. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it.
FAQs - LK 7900 Dash Cam
What type of camera does the Lukas LK-7900 ACE use?
The dash camera that comes in the package is a 2.0 Pixels (M) using Sensor CMOS. It’s a slightly more advanced package when compared to other products from this manufacturer, more specifically the Lukas LK 7950 WD dash camera.
What’s the video quality like and what’s the resolution?
The website advertises that it has both 1280×720 and 1920×1080, however during playback of the video clips I couldn’t even read street signs or licenses plates clearly.
What is the video sensivity and video compression?
It uses typical AVU H264 Format and a sensitivity of 0.5 Lux.
What storage methods does the dash cam offer and what’s the max storage capacity?
The storage methods are as followed: SD / SDHC / SDXC with ranges from 8 gb to 25 gb. Max storage capacity is dependent on the memory card you implement.
Is a built-in GPS included?
Yes. The Lukas LK 7900 comes equipped with the SiRFstarIII GPS Tracking system, which saves driving location.
What else does a Lukas LK 7900 purchase include?
USB Power Cable
UV Filter for Sunny Day Protection
Memory Card 16G SD (only if you get the upgraded memory card package)
Discreet Camera
Firmware download included
Tape and Fixing Clips
User Guide Manual & Instructions
How We Rate Dash Camera Products
The Dash Cam Discount team rates all dash camera products by the following features:
Value For Money – 0 to 5 stars
Are you getting you money’s worth?
Is the product priced comparably to competitors?
Ease of Use – 0 to 5 stars
How difficult is the dash cam to install?
Is it easy to playback the video recording?
Camera Resolution & Lens Quality – 0 to 5 stars
Do the manufacturers use high quality parts? (camera lens, SD card, G Sensor)
Is it possible to read license plates and street signs from the video recording?
Additional Features – 0 to 5 stars
Does the dash cam have parking mode?
Is there a built-in GPS?
Can the dashcam use radar detection to inform you on your driving speed?
Read more about how we rate all of the products we review on our product criteria page.
Final Thoughts
2.5 out of 5
2.5/5
The Lukas LK 7900 ace dash camera works decently well, especially considering that it was created back in 2013. It definitely does the trick and does what a dash cam is supposed to do.
It has a high quality UV filter, and above average parking mode feature. The parking mode uses motion detection, which was one of the reasons it was so popular back in 2013.
However, nowadays, the Lukas LK 7900 Ace definitely isn’t the best dash cam out there. It’s hard to use, has a terrible G Sensor, and license plates aren’t readable on the dash cam footage.
In 2013, this was one of the premium dash cams and everyone was mesmerized by the voice guidance in such a cheap dash camera.
Times change though, and this the Lukas LK 7900 Ace is no longer the top dog. If you’re looking for a cheap dash camera, this will do the job. For an example of a dash cam at the same price point, check out our Nextbase 222x Review since it has similar features with more modern technology. Understand that there are tons of cameras that do the job better and at a cheaper price.
About Post Author
Zach Harmon
Zach Harmon founded Dash Cam Discount to pursue his passion. He created the site to share his experience in the industry & provide quality information to the people. Connect with Zach on LinkedIn or send an email to zach@dashcamdiscount.com.
See authors posts
