The U1000 Plus and F790 are both compelling options for vehicle surveillance
(Image credit: Thinkware)
Thinkware has launched two new dash cams: the U1000 Plus, and F790. The high-end U1000 Plus compliments the existing U1000. It's a forward-facing dash cam equipped with a Sony STARVIS IMX515 image sensor capable of recording 4K video at 30fps, or 2K footage at 60fps. The U1000 Plus also benefits from Thinkware's Super Night Vision 3.0 low-light recording technology that promises high dynamic range with low image noise when recording in low light conditions.
The U1000 Plus can work in conjunction with the Thinkware Connected (UK) and Dashcam Link (US) app. The Thinkware Connected app enables remote live viewing of dashcam footage, notifications of an impact (whether your vehicle is in motion or parked, though the latter will require the camera to be hard-wired to your vehicle's electrical system), as well as the ability to send an emergency message and monitor your vehicle's status and driving history. The app is free to use for 5 years and is available for iOS, Android, PC and Mac.
The U1000 Plus includes a built-in GPS antenna, enabling features like red light and speed camera warnings, lane departure alerts, and it can sense the position of the vehicle in front to warn of an impending collision.
The U1000 plus is available now, priced at $299.99/£239 as a standalone front-facing dash cam, or for an extra $90/£90 it can be paired with a 1080p rear camera. Both options are supplied with a 64GB microSD card.
(Image credit: Thinkware)
The F790 is a front-facing Full HD camera that features the same Super Night Vision, GPS, and collision warning systems as the U1000 Plus. Installing the F790 should also be neater than a typical dash cam, as its cables have been integrated into the dash cam mount for ease of installation and a tidier fitment.
The F790 also boasts Thinkware's Dewarping Technology to straighten video footage that would otherwise exhibit bloated, barrel distortion caused by the camera's ultra-wide, fisheye lens. Video is recorded in the storage-efficient HEVC video format, and the F790 is compatible with a multiplexer box which can enable it to be used in conjunction with four additional cameras for all-round video surveillance.
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Expect to pay $249.99/£209 for the F790 bundled with a 32GB SD card, while a rear camera can be added for an extra £60
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Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
