Canyon DVR40GPS: Reliable dash cam with excellent image quality
Canyon DVR40GPS dash cam. Pictures: Noel Campion.
The Canyon DVR40GPS dash cam is a versatile and reliable solution for drivers seeking enhanced on-road safety and recording capabilities. It boasts stellar features, a sleek design, and a user-friendly interface, offering impressive functionality without straining your budget.
The DVR40GPS has a Sony Starvis 415 sensor with excellent image quality that can record up to 4K at 30 fps. The included CPL (circular polarising filter) dramatically reduces reflections, enhancing colours and increasing contrast. This dash cam also boasts an expansive 140° field of view, offering comprehensive coverage of the surrounding environment. With this wide-angle viewpoint, you can be confident that you will have excellent coverage and maximise your chances of not missing anything.
The DVR40GPS also offers a range of safety features to keep drivers informed and protected on the road. The built-in GPS module enables real-time vehicle speed and location tracking, providing valuable navigation and incident analysis data, all of which can be stamped into your video files.
One missing feature is any form of parking mode to capture accidental bumps or impacts to your vehicle while parked. For the holiday season, it’s good to see the option to record timelapse movies of your journey.
One of the standout features of the DVR40GPS is its magnetic holder, which facilitates easy installation and secure mounting. Unlike traditional mounting systems that require cumbersome brackets or adhesive mounts, the magnetic holder uses a suction mechanism to attach the dash cam quickly and securely to your windscreen. This makes taking the dash cam quick and easy if you don’t want to leave it in your car.
The DVR40GPS comes with a speed cam feature, which should alert you of control cameras ahead. Canyon says they update their speed cam locations database weekly, but you must download this update manually via the app. During my few weeks of testing, I got no alerts, so I can’t confidently say if the feature is fully functional in Ireland.
The dash cam supports a direct WiFi connection, which works with the free Canyon Eye app (iOS and Android). Using the app, you can manage dash cam settings, access recordings, and download firmware updates directly from your smartphone. I didn’t find the downloads particularly fast. For example, a 410MB file takes just over seven minutes to download, and you have to download a video first if you want to play it back on your phone. However, you can view saved files directly on the camera's rear display. Alternatively, you can take the microSD card (not included) from the dash cam and copy the files to a PC or Mac.
The app's functionality is limited, and you can't use the dash cam directly when you're linked to it over WiFi. You have a live view function, but I’m not sure why you’d want to use it when the dash cam already has this function. I used the display to show speed rather than the live view because the GPS is more accurate than your car's speedometer.
The Canyon DVR40GPS dash cam is a versatile and reliable choice for drivers. It offers enhanced safety features, excellent image quality, and a user-friendly design. With its comprehensive coverage, seamless connectivity, and practical installation, it provides impressive functionality at an affordable price for a 4K dash cam.
Canyon DVR40GPS dash cam — €169 Harvey Norman
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