Technical Details
– Dual channel dash cam
– Max. resolution: front: 1080p@30fps, rear: 1080p@24fps
– Price: n/a
– Optional GPS
– High Dynamic Range (HDR)
– Wi-Fi
– Operating temperature: from -30°C to 80°C (-22°F to 176°F)
– Video format: AVI
– Supports up to two 256GB SD/microSD cards
– UV filter (included)
– CPL filter (optional)
– Time and date stamp on video
– Loop recording, auto on/off, G-Sensor, motion detection
– Buffered parking mode (10 seconds before, 20 seconds after impact/motion detected)
– Battery discharge prevention (low voltage cutoff)
– OBD-II support
– Lock file button
– Player software for Windows, iOS, Android
– Internal capacitor instead of battery
– Internal microphone and speaker
– Voice menu in 21 languages, including English and Spanish
– Adhesive mount
Front Camera:
– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 30fps
– Bit rate: 7 Mbps
– Large size: 109mm length x 99mm x 38mm
– Weight: 161g
– Sony Exmor IMX322 sensor
– Angle of view: 135° diagonal
Rear camera:
– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 24fps
– Bit rate: 5 Mbps
– Small size: 28mm x 28mm x 32mm
– Weight: 25g
– Sony Exmor IMX322 sensor
– Angle of view: 130° diagonal
Lukas LK-7950 WD Review
In March 2015, Taiwanese manufacturer Qrontech released the Lukas LK-7950 WD, a full featured dual channel dash cam that supports Wi-Fi, GPS/GLONASS, buffered parking mode, and OBD-II. Additionally, Lukas dash cams are well known for their tolerance of high and low temperatures. For use in hot climates, it’s definitely a good idea to get a Lukas as they have no problems operating at up to 80°C (176°F).
It’s important to note that the LK-7950 was not designed to be stealthy. At 11cm x 10cm, the front camera is large, and it doesn’t even have a screen like most other cameras of this size would have. It does come with a whole lot of other features though, one of which is Wi-Fi, so you can use an iPhone or Android device as a user interface and screen for playback. The rear camera, on the other hand, is actually quite small and discreet.
Video quality of the Lukas LK-7950 WD is great: It uses Sony Exmor IMX322 sensors for both the front and the rear cameras, which both have 1080p resolution. As a result, it records very good video at day, both ways. Night video quality is good for the front camera and average to fair (depending on the lighting situation) for the rear view.
While the front camera records 30 frames per second (fps), the rear cam only does 24fps. 24fps proves good enough to provide for smooth video, and the quality difference between the two cameras is minimal. The main difference is video quality at night, which is largely owed to the fact that you don’t have headlights on the rear of your car, and additionally, the rear camera often gets blinded by other cars’ headlights. This, of course, is a problem that all dual channel dash cams face.
The LK-7950 supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) for better night visibilty. It also has optional GPS and GLONASS support. An UV filter is included as per standard, and you can also add an optional CPL filter to reduce reflections at day time.
Physically, the device is well built and feels sturdy to the touch. Its Wi-Fi adapter is actually removable for added security. The adapter has a normal USB interface, which makes it easy to upgrade or even to use it with another device such as a computer.
Tthe LK-7950 WD supports buffered parking mode, which allows you to keep the camera recording continuously while you are parked. If the device detects any motion within its field of view or with its G-sensor, footage from 10 seconds before the event up to 20 seconds after the event will be saved. This gives you a much greater chance of actually seeing what happened than cameras that only come to life after the event is detected
Of course, recording continuously while your car is parked can put a significant strain on your car’s battery. The LK-7950 also comes with a built-in battery discharge prevention, which will power the dash cam off whenever the battery’s voltage drops below a specific value (configurable).
The camera itself uses an internal capacitor instead of a battery, improving its heat resistance and overall longevity.
Another outstanding feature is the OBD-II interface, allowing you to record your car’s operating data (such as speed, accelerator, brake, gear positions, etc.) along with your video footage.
The camera’s firmware can be upgraded over-the-air. Just download it via your smartphone app, no physical intervention required. It should be noted that the Lukas app for iPhone and Android is quite straightforward to use and allows you to configure a wide range of options, without being overly complicated.
While the manufacturer claims that you can live-view your video feed via Wi-Fi, there is often a small delay of about two seconds when streaming video. This means that while checking your video feed is certainly possible, it’s not too practical to use this device as a backup camera.
In summary, the Lukas LK-7950 WD is one of the most sophisticated dual channel dash cams out there today (late 2015). It outperforms our previous dual channel favorite, the BlackVue DR650GW, in several ways. While the DR650GW is certainly smaller, the LK-7950 has better video quality due to its better rear-view resolution and sensor. Aditionally, it supports OBD-II, has a higher temperature resistance, and an eight times larger memory capacity.
Lukas LK-7950 WD Video Samples
Make sure to select the maximum resolution (cog icon).
Day Time Front Video Sample
Day time video quality of the front camera is very good. All details are clearly visible, and signs and license plates of other cars are readable even at a considerable distance.
Day Time Rear Video Sample
Rear video quality at day is good. License plates of overtaking cars are easy to read by pausing the video.
Night Time Front Video Sample
At night, video quality of the front camera is also quite good. All details are clear, license plates are a bit harder to read when driving by at high speeds, but can be made readable by pausing the video. When standing at a traffic light, they are easily readable even at medium distance.
Night Time Rear Video Sample
Rear video quality at night is fair. Your headlights don’t illuminate behind your car obviously, so reading license plates can be hit and miss as it depends on lighting and view angle. This is to be expected though and visibility is about as good as it gets for a backward facing car camera.
Where To Buy
The Lukas LK-7950 WD is no longer available.
