Technical Details
– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 30fps
– Price: n/a
– Bit rate: 8.1 Mbps
– 5MP CMOS sensor
– Angle of view: 120° (diagonal)
– 2″ Screen
– Tripod screw mount
– Still images up to 12M (4000×3000)
– Operating temp.: -10˚C to 60˚C (14˚F to 140˚F)
– Medium size (98mm x 53mm x 23mm)
– Weight: 88g
– Time and date stamp on video
– Supports up to 32GB MicroSD cards
– Loop recording, auto on/off, G-Sensor, parking mode
– Interfaces: HDMI, USB 2.0, AV
NOTE: The DOD F500LHD is no longer available for sale.
DOD F500LHD Review
The DOD F500LHD (or just F500LHD in its unbranded version) is a popular and reliable dashboard camera, and at about $100 it is also one of the more affordable models. It records 1080p at 30fps, with great video quality during the day time. At night, the video footage is rather grainy, but the quality is still acceptable for a camera of this price.
While getting a cheap camera can be a good thing, be aware that this camera actually feels a bit cheap to the touch, i.e. it is made of quite light materials. You may want to handle it with a bit of care in order not to damage it, however during normal operation recording in a car, users have reported that this camera lasts for a long time without any issues. It is also quite easy to set up and remove.
There are various versions of this camera around, there is a branded version by DOD and there is also an unbranded version that is just called F500LHD without any prefix. These two are the same. However, stay away from the DOD F500HD or just F500 (without the LHD), as this is a different camera with a very small angle of view that is useless as a dash cam.
Notice that this camera records videos in .MOV format and not in .AVI like most other dash cams do. If you are going to watch your footage on a Windows PC, download the free VLC player which supports this format (among many others). If you have a Mac, it will play .MOV without a problem as this is Apple’s native video format.
The camera has a 2″ LCD screen. It supports loop recording, G-sensor, parking mode and date/time stamp on video, as is customary with all modern dash cams. GPS is not included. The F500LHD has a tripod screw mount, setting it apart from most other dash cams. If you are planning to use this camera outside of your car as well, the tripod mount may come in handy. It cannot be user while driving though because the vibrations would be too strong.
The F500LHD has an option to record the video upside down, in case you prefer to affix it at the bottom of the windshield rather than at the top. Apart from video recording, you can also use this camera to take .JPG photos up to 12 Megapixels in size (4000×3000 pixels).
F500LHD Video Samples
For original Full HD video quality, watch on full screen and set the video resolution to 1080p using the cog icon in the lower right of the screen.
Day Time Video Sample
Day time video quality is great considering this is one of the cheaper dash cam models. All the necessary details are clearly visible, and signs and license plates can be easily read even at a distance.
Night Time Video Sample
Night video is quite grainy, but the image quality is still acceptable for a camera of this price. While you won’t make any cinematic movies out of your F500LHD’s night recordings, the video is detailed enough for a dash cam’s purpose and license plates are readable from up close even on a rainy night.
Where To Buy
The F500LHD is no longer available.
