Why You Shouldn't Repurpose Your Action Camera as a Dash Cam?

An action camera is one of the most popular and must-have electronic gadgets these days. It seems that everybody has one and for those who haven't, it's very likely that they have plans to buy one soon. Well, this is fairly understandable. With its versatility and ability to be mounted anywhere, even on your dog, it offers an excellent way to capture amazing shots, especially the ones when you're in a motion.

Can You Use an Action Camera as a Dash Cam?

One of the biggest questions action camera owners have is whether they can use their action cam as a dashboard camera. Since the two devices basically have the same capabilities, they figured that the one could probably work like the other. The answer is: yes, you can use an action camera as a dash cam. However, just because you can, it doesn't mean you should. Here's why.

1. It might get stolen

Action cams are usually more expensive than dash cameras, so it isn't really a great idea to repurpose such a device as a simple dashboard camera. In addition, leaving it out in the open raises the risk of the sports action cam being stolen. You certainly don't want to lose such an expensive device, do you?

2. It is inconvenient

Using an action camera as a dash camera is quite troublesome. You have to make sure that you have it with you every time you drive. You have to mount in, plug it in, and set it up every single time you drive because you can't just leave it on your car or it might get stolen.

3. It can overheat

Perhaps one biggest reason why you shouldn't use your action cam as a dash camera is that it can be prone to overheating. Dash cams are designed to be used for long periods of time. Action cams, on the other hand, are not. It isn't advisable to turn the latter on for more than eight hours straight because it might overheat. Also, it is not good practice to leave the device inside a parked car, especially with Australia's climate.

4. It might cause you to miss good dash cam features

Dash cameras have some useful features that you can't just duplicate with an action camera. For instance, most dash cams have a G-sensor that automatically protects the saved images and footages from accidental erasures in the event of a collision. Repurposing an action cam as a dash cam may cause you to miss out on these excellent features.

Action cameras are indeed versatile pieces of electronic equipment. However, they can only do so much and using them for applications they are not designed for may have serious consequences. If you want to document your road trips, it's best to buy a separate dash cam to enjoy better results and maximum convenience.