Minolta MNCD37 Dash Cam Review – Not Quite Worth the Price

As someone who does a fair bit of driving for both work and play, I’m always looking for gadgets that can make my time on the road safer and more enjoyable. So when a buddy suggested I check out the Minolta MNCD37 dash cam, I was definitely intrigued.

After doing some research and ultimately buying the Minolta MNCD37, I have to say it delivers good but not great performance at a relatively high price point. It has some decent features but also comes up short in some too. I’ll break down what I liked and didn’t like after testing out the Minolta MNCD37 for a few weeks of driving daily.

At a Glance

Minolta MNCD37 Features & Specs

First, let’s run through some of the device’s core features and specs:

• 1080p camera lens capable of full high definition video
• Wide 120 degree horizontal field of view
• 12 megapixel maximum photo resolution
• High Dynamic Range (HDR) for handling tricky lighting
• Digital Image Stabilization to reduce blur in photos
• Built-in lithium-ion battery for backup power

It also has a 3 inch LCD screen, built-in microphone, microSD card slot, mini USB port, and various video/photo settings you can tweak like resolution and loop recording times.

Physically it’s a lightweight cam that was easy to mount on my windshield. The simplicity of just sticking it to the glass and plugging it into my car’s USB port was nice.

What I Liked About the Minolta MNCD37

Now for the good stuff!

1. Big, Bold LCD Screen – Having a nice big 3 inch display made it super simple to align the cam on my windshield and check that it had a good view of the road. The screen let watch my videos back anytime I wanted and the playback system is super easy to navigate. I loved being able to easily scrub through and watch my old road trip footage right on the device itself.
2. Excellent Audio – The built-in mic did a shockingly good job picking up audio inside and outside my car. I could clearly hear conversations, music, and ambient noise in playback. It really helped make the videos feel immersive.
3. Compact, Inconspicuous Design – Measuring just 3.3 x 2 x 0.6 inches and weighing only 2.6 ounces, the Minolta MNCD37 has a tiny footprint. I was able to tuck it behind my rearview mirror where it went mostly unnoticed by passengers.

Where the Minolta MNCD37 Fell Short

Unfortunately, the Minolta MNCD37 also had some flaws that were hard to overlook:

1. Video Quality Lacking – While 1080p and HDR support seem great on paper, real-world video was pretty underwhelming. Footage looked dull and lacked fine detail. It felt more like 720p than true high definition.
2. Narrow Field of View – The 120 degree viewing angle failed to capture action on the peripheries. I preferred more side-to-side coverage.
3. Fixed Focus Lens – The fixed focus made objects at different distances blurry. I missed being able to adjust focus for crisp video.
4. Bad Battery Life – The built-in battery drained quickly & caused my car battery to die on a few occasions. Not to mention that when it was using the built in battery – it would only record short emergency clips. It’s really just a backup, not a primary power source.
5. Buggy Motion Sensing – The motion detection for parking monitoring was hit or miss. I think the sensitivity level needs some tweaking.

My Verdict – Nothing Special

While the Minolta MNCD37 ticked some boxes, it fell short in areas that matter to me. Lackluster video quality and limited lens functionality really disappointed.

For its price point I was expecting better performance and better features. There are superior options available for only a little more money.

All that said, I’ll give the Minolta MNCD37 about 2.5 out of 5 stars based on our testing process. It’s an okay choice for a basic full HD dash cam, but serious users will be left wanting more.

I appreciate Minolta trying to pack lots of modes and settings into a mini body. And the simplicity of use is great. But to put it in perspective, the MNCD37 received the same rating as the Hello Kitty Dash Cam – designed specifically for the super-fans of the brand and not known for its advanced features.

However, execution and real-world results felt like a letdown in the end. For alternatives that deliver sharper video and more mounting versatility, be sure to check out my other dash cam reviews!