Comparison Fighter FC-04 vs Phantom CA-0350U

Regular method and installation location provided by the camera design.

— Universal. This method of installation can be called "outdoor" — the camera is placed on a stand screwed to a particular surface, and the body is completely outside. This option is generally universal and can be used regardless of the brand of car, although there are standard cameras (see below) with such an installation.

— Mortise. Cameras installed in specially made sockets for them. Usually they have a round shape, and for installation it is enough to drill a hole of the appropriate diameter in the body of the car. Also, usually, they are universal.

— Screw. Cameras designed for screw mounting (hence the name). They are quite simple and easy to install — it is enough to make a hole for a screw in the case, and the required hole diameter is noticeably smaller than for mortise models. Most often they are universal.

— License plate frame. Devices that are license plate frames with built-in reversing cameras. They are convenient in that they do not require special installation work — the structure is simply placed instead of the standard frame, on the same mounts. At the same time, note that frames for numbers can have a different format and, accordingly, the size and configuration of fasteners; this point must be clarified...before buying.

— In the license plate cover. Cameras mounted in the license plate light. Often they have in their design not only a camera, but also a lamp for illuminating the numbers. License plate shades on different cars have a different design, respectively, models of this type are made mostly standard (see below).

— In the boot handle. Models that are a boot handle with a camera installed in it and mounted instead of a complete handle. They are made only regular (see below).

— The emblem. Models of this type can represent both separate cameras built into the "shield" and emblems supplemented with cameras and installed instead of the factory emblem. By definition, they are only regular (see below).

— In the grille. In the vast majority of cars, the engine, and, accordingly, the radiator is located in front; accordingly, this option is typical for front-view cameras (see "Type of view"). Most of these models are standard (see below).

— At the stoplight. Optics is made in the form of a brake light. Usually, such cameras are made for a specific make and model of a car. The device itself is installed in place of one of the regular brake lights (right, left or centre). At the same time, during the installation process, it is not necessary to make holes in the body elements or turn off the license plate light. The camera in the brake light housing does not violate the integrity of the design of the stern, concisely blending into the image of the exterior.

The technology by which the matrix is made is the photosensitive element of the camera.

— CMOS. Also known as CMOS; both of these entries are abbreviations of the same term, only in different languages (English and Russian). Without going into details, it is worth saying that CMOS matrices are notable for their low cost, compactness, good image processing speed and low power consumption, however, due to the design features, they are prone to the appearance of noise in the image, and therefore somewhat lose CCD in terms of image quality.

— CCD. CCD-type matrices (CCDs) are somewhat more complicated and more expensive than CMOS, but they provide better image quality, including in low light conditions — in particular, due to the low level of noise. This is due both to the low level of heating during operation, and to the uniform light sensitivity of each pixel (whereas in CMOS it can “walk” a little).

— HCCD. A variant of the CCD technology described above, featuring improved sensitivity and even better picture quality in low light.

The physical size of the photosensitive element of a camera. It is usually measured diagonally and is indicated in inches — more precisely, fractional parts of an inch. The larger the sensor, the larger the size of each individual dot (pixel) on it, the more light enters each pixel, and the easier it is to ensure high image quality with a minimum of noise (especially when it comes to shooting at dusk). However you need to remember that only matrices of the same type and resolution can be compared with each other in size. And a large sensor is not always a guarantee of quality — a lot depends on the rest of the hardware of the camera, the quality of its installation and other factors. However, the large size of the sensor usually indicates a high class camera.

The resolution of the frame taken by the camera in video mode, in pixels — in other words, the size of the picture in dots horizontally (first digit) and vertically (second digit). It should be taken into account here that in the case of reversing cameras, the recording in pixels describes only the frame on the camera matrix itself; to describe the "picture" coming to the connected screen, the designation in television lines (TVL) is used. This is due to the fact that the video signal is transmitted in an analogue format; See Video Resolution below for more on all of this. Here we note that with the same resolution in TVL and the same viewing angles, a camera with a higher resolution in pixels will produce a clearer, more detailed image. But HD reversing cameras, and even more so Full HD units.

Although modern electronics are dominated by digital standards, car reversing cameras still use an analogue signal transmission format. This is due to compatibility requirements: such video allows you to use fairly simple screens. And although its quality loses to digital, it is quite enough for most of the tasks facing this class of auto electronics.

An analogue video signal has a size in horizontal and vertical dots. But since the number of vertical dots has a strictly defined number of 625 (in the PAL and NTSC colour system), resolution is usually indicated only by the number of horizontal dots (TV lines).

In fact, this parameter describes the quality of the image that is displayed directly on the screen connected to the camera. There are models with a value of 480, 500, 520, 540, 560 TVL and even higher resolution in TVL. This is important for models with wide viewing angles (see below). On the other hand, in order to use all the features of a camera with numerous TV lines, a screen corresponding to these features is also required; For more details on compatibility with the screen, see specialized sources.

The colour system refers to the format in which colour information is transmitted in an analogue video signal. In modern reversing cameras, the European PAL system or the American NTSC are most often used. It makes no sense to describe them in detail — suffice it to say that for the normal operation of the camera you need a radio tape recorder (or other device with a screen on which the image is displayed) with support for the same colour system. However, incompatibility in this parameter is not fatal — with such a connection, the image will only turn from colour to black and white (in extreme cases, its overall quality will slightly deteriorate).

This parameter describes the total amount of interference in the video output from the camera. The higher the signal-to-noise ratio (that is, the ratio of the useful signal level to the level of extraneous interference) — the better the image will be, the less distortion it will have. The minimum level for modern cameras is considered to be 40 dB — with it, the “picture” is reproduced with minor noise that does not significantly affect its perception. And in the most advanced models, this figure can reach 48 – 50 dB — such an image for the human eye is almost indistinguishable from the perfect one.

Of course, in fact, the quality of the image also depends on the capabilities of the screen on which it is displayed, however, even the best screen will not save a “noisy” camera.

The lowest ambient light level at which the camera can provide a normal image without additional illumination. In modern models, this indicator varies on average from 0.01 lux (clear night at a quarter moon) to 3 lux (deep twilight).

The lower the minimum illumination, the better the device handles with low light. However, note that in the absolute majority of cases, car cameras at night are used together with car lighting devices: front ones (see "View type") — with main headlights, rear ones — with reversing lights. Therefore, this parameter is rather general reference or even advertising information, rather than a really significant characteristic.

- Auto exposure. The presence in the camera of the function of automatically adjusting the shooting parameters to the degree of illumination of the scene caught in the frame. Exposure in the classical sense is the amount of light perceived by the photosensitive element of the camera; it can be changed by opening and closing the aperture of the lens, as well as by adjusting the shutter speed of each frame. If the range of these adjustments is not enough, a change in the sensitivity of the matrix can also be used in digital devices. Either way, an underexposed image will look too dark, and an overexposed image will look too bright; both are unsuitable for viewing. However, the process of manually adjusting all the parameters is rather troublesome and obviously inappropriate when driving in a car, especially since the illumination of the picture in the field of view of the lens can change in a matter of seconds. Therefore, most modern cameras have an auto exposure function. Thanks to it, the device itself sets the parameters to the optimal level and changes them when the illumination changes. Note that such automation is not ideal, but in the vast majority of cases it is quite enough for normal visibility on the screen.

- Auto white balance. The camera has an automatic white balance correction function. Despite the name, this balance concerns not only white color, but also the overall color gamut of...the image coming from the camera. Without going into details, its meaning can be described as follows: each type of lighting (sunlight, overcast day, fluorescent lamps in the garage, street lights, etc.) needs its own white balance settings, otherwise the colors in the image will look unnatural - too warm or too cold. Auto-correction, on the other hand, relieves the user of the need to adjust the white balance manually - the device itself determines the type of lighting and reconfigures. At the same time, given the specifics of the purpose of the rear and front view cameras, this function is rather a pleasant addition than a practically significant point - after all, it is not the colors of visible objects that are usually decisive when maneuvering, but their location in space.

— Parking labels. Possibility of displaying by the camera on the connected screen of parking marks — a special scale which is superimposed on the visible image in a special way. Such a scale plays the role of a rangefinder: the distance to the object visible on the screen can be estimated by the mark near which it is located, this greatly simplifies maneuvering in tight conditions. In addition, in some models, it also helps to evaluate the dimensions of the visible openings in width. True, for an adequate display of parking marks, the camera must be installed quite accurately - at the optimal height from the ground and at a certain angle to the horizontal; in regular models (see "Installation type"), this usually does not cause difficulties, but universal models may require ingenuity and painstaking work. We also note that even with an ideal installation, the accuracy of the parking marks will be far from absolute. However, they can be a very useful addition to a "clean" camera image.

- DVR function. The ability to shoot not only in the mode of broadcasting an image to a multimedia screen, but also to record the situation around the car on an external data drive. The DVR function is implemented in advanced models with a separate data processing unit, the design of which provides a slot for a memory card for storing captured video materials.

- Top view. The top view gives you full control over the situation around the car and makes it easier to maneuver in tight spaces. Also, the top view allows you to better see obstacles in blind spots and improves the safety of reversing parking in tight spaces. This feature is found in surround view systems. The projection of the top view is formed by processing images from cameras dispersed around the perimeter of the vehicle.

- Water protection. The presence in the design of the chamber of protection against moisture ingress. This feature is almost mandatory for outdoor models, as they will inevitably be exposed to rain, snow, spray from wheels, etc. In some cases, the manufacturer even indicates the level of this protection. However, even without it, you can be sure that nothing will happen to the camera even in the rain.

- Remote control. A remote control is included with the camera. Unlike conventional household devices, wired remote controls are most often used in automotive electronics; reversing cameras are no exception. This is due to the fact that the wire in the car is often not only cheaper, but also more convenient than an IR sensor or a radio channel. We also note that this function is usually found in premium models that have additional features - for example, switching the viewing angle.