Ombar DC42 Dash Cam review: a brilliant bundle

Summary

The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam bundle contains front and rear cameras that can shoot 170-degree and 150-degree footage, respectively.
A host of high-end features adds appeal, including 4K for the front camera via a F1.8 aperture lens, voice guidance, GPS tracking and 5G Wi-Fi.
It operates via a standard in-car power socket but the more advanced parking monitoring features require an optional hardwire kit.

Buying a dash cam makes total sense if you’re looking to keep a record of your journeys. Even if you’re lucky enough not to have an incident, dash cam footage is useful for recording events, some of which might not necessarily happen while you’re driving. I always keep one in my car, but the new Ombar DC42 Dash Cam bundle goes one step further.

It comes with a 4K front-facing unit, which attaches to the windshield but also features a rear-facing camera too, which is connected to the main unit via a lengthy cable. That means a much more comprehensive view of your surroundings, with the added ability to shoot at a 170-degree angle out the front and a 150-degree out the back. Ombar has upped the specification of this model to feature better after dark capabilities too, thanks to WDR tech and night vision functionality.

Some of the best dash cams have many of these features and, frequently, a rear screen too. That’s one area where the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam loses a mark, as it’s absent on this model. No matter, because the supplementary app is very impressive and allows all the file management to be carried out on your handset. Besides, a big bonus with this model is that once it’s plugged in, the dash cam gets on automatically shooting journeys without the need for any driver input. It’s a real breeze.

Recommended

Ombar DC42 Dash Cam

The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam might not have a rear screen but other than that it packs a real punch thanks to a crisp and clear 4K front camera. This is backed up by a rear-facing lens unit along with a host of handy features, including night vision capability and 5Ghz Wi-Fi connectivity for fast file transfer. There’s a great supplementary app on offer too, though advances parking features need the camera to be hardwired into your vehicle.

Pros & Cons

Excellent high-resolution footage
Fast and efficient file transfer via Wi-Fi
App works to great effect in place of a screen

No rear screen is a disappointment
The hardwire kit is an optional extra
Quite a lot of cable to hide behind trim

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Price, availability, and specs

The Ombar DC42 Dual Dash Cam bundle is available online now from the likes of Amazon. My review unit came supplied with a 64GB microSD card, which may or may not be part of the package in every region where it is sold. It’s also worth remembering a hardwire kit will be needed to get a permanent power source for the camera, which is also an optional extra.

Ombar DC42 Dash Cam

Number of Cameras: 2
Front Camera Resolution: 4K 3840 x 2160p
Field of View: 170-degree
Emergency Power: No
Brand: Ombar

What I liked about the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam

Excellent video quality and easy to manage files

Ombar Dash Cam in hand showing off the ports.

I really like the way the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is a complete package. It’s got a powerful specification, which includes two cameras. However, it’s not just the potent nature of the lenses that impresses, as there’s also 5Ghz Wi-Fi for faster transfer of files. This is always a bonus if you’re looking to move larger resolution video files from the camera unit. In addition, there’s GPS, which logs all of your travel details on a journey, including date, time, speed and co-ordinates. This is supplemented by G-sensor tech that automatically records footage if you’re in a bump.

I like the voice guidance too, while the durability of this model seems assured as it can operate between -4-degrees and 158-degrees Fahrenheit.

There’s also 24-hour parking monitoring, but it requires hardwiring to function. Once set up, it records time-lapse footage and includes impact detection, which is useful when your car is parked and unattended. Ombar includes other standout features, like excellent night vision that keeps license plates and road signs sharp even in low light. The voice guidance is a nice touch, and the model feels durable, with an operating range from -4 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit.

In terms of shooting capability, this Ombar bundle is perfect for a variety of shooting scenarios and allows capture settings to be amended, including 3840x2160p (default), 2560x1440p, 1920x1080p for the front view dash cam and 3840x2160p +1920x1080p (default), 2560x1440p +1920x1080p, 1920x1080p +1920x1080p for the dual view setup. How you use these options obviously depends on your preference. The same goes for the photo capture setting, which offers 12, 10, 8, 5 and 3Mb static shot options, while the F1.8 lens also benefits from WDR technology, making it more capable as brightness and contrast change on a journey.

Twin cameras, 4K clarity: how this dash cam bundle made me rethink my commute

I got crisp footage front and rear with this duo of 4K cameras that both deliver in all sorts of conditions.

What I didn’t like about the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam

No rear screen might not appeal

Ombar DC42 Dash Cam mounted on a windshield.

One thing that might not appeal with the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is the lack of a rear screen. The compact design is just that, with a slimline landscape-oriented body that sits neatly out of the way on the windshield. The downside is that the curved body doesn’t allow for the integration of a screen, although that’s not a major problem — the Ombar app works well enough and allows features and functions to be managed just as easily.

One thing that might not appeal with the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is the lack of a rear screen.

What’s more, while this Ombar dash cam ticks a lot of boxes, there’s the usual issue with needing to hardwire it into your vehicle if you wish to unlock the 24-hour parking monitoring functionality. This isn’t unique to the Ombar model though, so I wouldn’t say it’s enough to put me off this particular bundle. One other thing to consider with a dual camera dash cam model like this is the extra cabling that must be pushed behind trim panels. There’s a tool included to help with that, but it does involve a little more time and effort to get up and running.

Google Maps is collecting dash cam footage to update road data

Google Maps is using dash cam footage from third-party companies to update its road data in the UK.

Should you buy the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam?

Worth it for crisp and clear dual camera footage

I’m a big fan of the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam despite the fact it doesn’t have a screen on the back of the main camera. It shoots great footage, offers easy management of files via an impressive app, and adds in a whole host of powerful features for good measure.

Twin cameras mean there’s more wiring to plumb in, plus this one needs a hardwire kit if you want to exploit the parking surveillance tools. Nevertheless, it’s a very decent bundle.