Review: I don’t love driving but the Miofive S1 Ultra dash cam gives me more confidence

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of driving and never have been - but one thing that always makes me feel much better about driving is a dash cam.[1] That is because of an incident that occurred around three months after I passed my test. I was driving on the A38 towards Ivybridge early one Saturday morning and a trolley flew out of the rear doors of the van in front of me.

Luckily I managed to avoid it - and any other cars - and while I didn't immediately think of my dash cam then, once I had arrived at my destination safely I realised it was caught on camera. Thankfully I didn't need to show it to my insurance company or anyone else, but had it caused an accident it would have been absolutely vital to have had that recording. It made me realise then how important it was to have a dash cam.[2]

So when I was asked to review the Miofive S1 Ultra 4k front and 4k rear full HD camera,[3] I jumped at the chance. I've only ever had a front dash cam, but the rear one provides more confidence, knowing that every angle will be captured.

Setting up the front camera was pretty simple[4], with an easy to follow instruction booklet and diagrams to help you carry out each step without confusion. There is also an email address if you encounter a problem and need support.

Installing the dash cam[5] into the car was made easier by a handy plastic guide sheet, to ensure you put it in the right place. I had not had that on my previous dash cam and found it incredibly helpful. You need to ensure the windscreen is clean before applying to make sure the adhesion pad can stick properly, but once stuck down, it felt very secure.

The setup for the front camera was straightforward and the updates took less than two minutes to install everything needed. Once the updates were complete I was able to control the dash cam from the app with ease and view the footage. The only slight problem I had was installing the rear camera.

It took multiple attempts and updates to be able to control the rear camera. When I was pressing the button to flip the camera on the display screen, it wouldn't change. I think it may have been easier to have plugged the rear camera into the front camera before setting up the dash cam.

But once the updates had completed, there was no problem and I was able to successfully change the dash cam screen on the app to display four different camera views,[6] including having the front and rear camera on the same screen. The app is easy to find in the Apple App Store, or there is a QR code in the booklet and on the screen of the dash cam. It was easy to create an account.

The dash cam uses dual-band Wi-Fi[7] to stabilise the connection to your iOS or Android device and the exclusive Bluetooth function allows you to connect to the app faster, with instant access to the dash cam 4K HD videos, images and settings in real time.

The S1 Ultra dashcam uses absolute 4K sensor[8], front and rear dual recording function, ultra-high definition 4K+30FPS resolution, and also has a polarizer function, more reasonable exposure, so that you can observe the road with a clearer visual effect. I was really impressed with the camera quality on both the front and rear camera. It is clear and high definition unlike the previous dash cams I have used.

The dash camera has special night vision technology[9], with clear footage even when it is dark. The front camera is F1.8 large aperture, and 140?wide-angle 7-glass lens; the rear is F2.0 large aperture, and 112?wide-angle. This makes the dashcam capture clear footage even in low light or nighttime conditions, enhancing driving safety.

You can also change the dash cam to turn the display off after a certain period of time with no activity, such as one minute, which helps ensure there are no distractions when driving. The camera, which is currently on sale for 40% off on Amazon,[10] easily unclips and you are able to access the footage in the app.[11] You can also use the app to take still images which you can then save to your phone. Another handy feature on the app, which I haven't had to use yet but know I will one day, is the parking locator.

This is extremely helpful for anyone who often forgets where they have parked their car. The Miofive S1 Ultra[12] also has an upgraded supercapacitor, which helps extend the product life significantly and strong heat dissipation, which eliminates the risk of overheating and ensures reliable operation of automotive dash cams in all conditions. The dash cam has an 18-month warranty period[13], which can be extended should you join the Miofive community promotion programme, where you can upload videos caught on the dash cam.

Sharing footage will extend your warranty period to two years. You can also share feedback in the group, which will be listened to by Miofive[14] representatives. Overall, I really like how simple the device is to use and how much confidence it can provide knowing your dash camera is capturing everything which will be available immediately, if you need it.

Especially if a trolley comes hurtling at you from the back of a van! There is no faffing with an SD card and having to upload it to your computer. Everything is available at your fingertips thanks to the handy app.

You can get the Miofive S1 Ultra on Amazon here[15] for GBP119.99, down from GBP199.99.

Join PlymouthLive's WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone

PlymouthLive is now on WhatsApp[16] and we want you to join us. Once you sign up for our updates, we'll send the latest breaking news and biggest stories of the day straight to your phone. To join our community, you need to already have WhatsApp.

All you need to do is click this link and select 'Join Community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the PlymouthLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.

If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'Exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice[17].

Click here to join our WhatsApp community[18].

References

1. ^ dash cam. (amzn.to)
2. ^ dash cam. (amzn.to)
3. ^ Miofive S1 Ultra 4k front and 4k rear full HD camera, (amzn.to)
4. ^ Setting up the front camera was pretty simple (amzn.to)
5. ^ the dash cam (amzn.to)
6. ^ four different camera views, (amzn.to)
7. ^ dash cam uses dual-band Wi-Fi (amzn.to)
8. ^ S1 Ultra dashcam uses absolute 4K sensor (amzn.to)
9. ^ special night vision technology (amzn.to)
10. ^ which is currently on sale for 40% off on Amazon, (amzn.to)
11. ^ footage in the app. (amzn.to)
12. ^ The Miofive S1 Ultra (amzn.to)
13. ^ The dash cam has an 18-month warranty period (amzn.to)
14. ^ Miofive (amzn.to)
15. ^ You can get the Miofive S1 Ultra on Amazon here (amzn.to)
16. ^ PlymouthLive is now on WhatsApp (chat.whatsapp.com)
17. ^ Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)
18. ^ Click here to join our WhatsApp community (chat.whatsapp.com)