The Dash Cam Numbers
"4K" and "night vision" are not one claim each — they hide a sensor generation, a bitrate, a power source, and a parking-mode implementation underneath. This page is the normalized reference table: every dash cam spec that actually decides picture quality and reliability, what it means, and where it comes from. It is a reference dataset, not a buying guide — pair it with a specific camera's manufacturer spec sheet before you buy.
The one thing to know: A '4K' dash cam badge describes the sensor's pixel count, not the footage that actually reaches your card — bitrate and bit-starved encoders routinely turn genuine 4K sensors into soft, blocky footage at the one moment (a plate, a crash) that matters.
The decoder table
| Topic | Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution truth | True 4K | 3840×2160 native sensor output encoded at that resolution | Manufacturer spec sheets, Sony sensor datasheets |
| Resolution truth | Interpolated/upscaled '4K' | Lower native sensor resolution (commonly ~1440p/2K) upscaled to a 3840×2160 file | Manufacturer spec sheets; enthusiast-forum sensor identification |
| Sensor decoder | Sony STARVIS (gen 1) | Back-illuminated CMOS line optimized for improved low-light sensitivity over standard CMOS | Sony Semiconductor Solutions STARVIS documentation |
| Sensor decoder | Sony STARVIS 2 (gen 2) | Improved dynamic range plus further low-light sensitivity gains over STARVIS 1 — does not by itself raise resolution | Sony Semiconductor Solutions STARVIS 2 documentation |
| Bitrate as quality metric | Low / Mid / High bands | ~10–20 Mbps / ~20–40 Mbps / ~40–60+ Mbps | Manufacturer spec sheets across price tiers |
| Frame rate | Common rates & why it matters | 30fps standard, 60fps on select front cameras — higher fps reduces motion blur, helping plate legibility at speed | Manufacturer spec sheets |
| HDR / WDR | What it means | Multiple exposures blended per frame so bright and dark areas both stay visible (e.g. sunset, oncoming headlights) | Sony sensor WDR documentation |
| Power source | Supercapacitor vs lithium battery | Capacitor: seconds–~1 min buffer, survives ~140°F+ heat. Battery: longer buffer, more heat-sensitive over years | Manufacturer spec sheets; lithium-ion datasheets |
| Parking mode types | Buffered / Impact-triggered / Time-lapse | Motion-triggered recording / shock-triggered recording / continuous reduced-fps recording — all need a hardwire kit + voltage cutoff to run long-term | Manufacturer + hardwire-kit documentation |
| Storage math | GB/hour by bitrate | ~6.75 GB/hr @15Mbps, ~13.5 GB/hr @30Mbps, ~22.5 GB/hr @50Mbps | Bitrate-to-filesize calculation (Mbps×3600/8/1000) |
| Storage math | Endurance vs standard microSD | Endurance cards use flash/firmware rated for constant overwrite; standard cards are rated for infrequent read/write and fail early under loop recording | SanDisk High Endurance / Samsung PRO Endurance datasheets |
| Field of view | Typical range & tradeoff | ~140–170° diagonal — wider FOV sees more but increases edge distortion | Manufacturer spec sheets; lens-distortion fundamentals |
| Operating temperature | Typical range | ~-4°F to 140°F (-20°C to 60°C) for camera electronics; power source is often the real limiting factor | Manufacturer spec sheets |
License: CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution.
How to cite this dataset
Dashcam Lab, "The Dash Cam Numbers" v1.0, published 2026-07-30, https://dashcam-lab.pages.dev/dashcam-numbers/. Machine-readable CSV: https://dashcam-lab.pages.dev/dashcam-numbers.csv (version-pinned copy: https://dashcam-lab.pages.dev/dashcam-numbers-v1.0.csv).
Caveats — read before citing a value
- Bands are typical ranges, not universal constants. A specific camera's exact bitrate, sensor part number, or temperature rating should be verified against that model's own manufacturer spec sheet.
- Sensor generation is one input among several. STARVIS 2 improves low-light sensitivity and dynamic range over STARVIS 1, but bitrate, lens quality, and image processing all affect final footage quality too.
- Storage math assumes constant bitrate. Variable-bitrate encoders and scene complexity (motion, low light) can shift actual GB-per-hour from the calculated figure.
- This table is a spec reference, not legal guidance. It does not cover recording or audio-consent law, which varies by state and country — see our disclosure in the footer.
- Standards and sensor lines get revised. Sony periodically introduces new sensor generations; this decoder reflects the generations understood as of the version date below.
Methodology & versioning
Version 1.0 — published July 30, 2026. Facts are drawn from Sony Semiconductor Solutions' public STARVIS/STARVIS 2 product documentation, manufacturer spec sheets, microSD endurance-card datasheets (SanDisk High Endurance, Samsung PRO Endurance), and standard bitrate-to-filesize calculation, cross-checked against our own buying guides. We do not test cameras ourselves; this is a specification reference, not a lab result. Corrections: if a spec changes or we find an error, this page and the CSV below are updated in place and the version/date bumped — see How We Evaluate for our full editorial policy.
Machine-readable download: the full table is available as CSV at /dashcam-numbers.csv, and a condensed digest is maintained in /llms-full.txt.
This page is general spec reference information, not a guarantee of any specific product's real-world performance, and not legal advice about recording law.
Frequently Asked Questions
A normalized reference table of the dash cam specs that actually decide quality and reliability — resolution truth, Sony sensor generation, bitrate bands, frame rate, HDR/WDR, power source, parking-mode type, storage math, field of view, and operating temperature — each with a source. It exists because 'dash cam' listings routinely lead with a resolution or 'night vision' badge and stop there.
No. '4K' describes the file's output resolution, which some cameras reach by upscaling a lower-resolution sensor. Even with a genuine 4K sensor, a low encoder bitrate can compress out the fine detail that resolution alone would preserve — bitrate and sensor generation matter as much as the resolution number.
STARVIS 2 is a newer sensor generation with improved dynamic range and further low-light sensitivity gains, but 'better' depends on your priority — a well-implemented STARVIS 1 camera with a high bitrate can still outperform a poorly encoded STARVIS 2 camera. The sensor generation is one input, not the whole picture.
A parked car's dashboard can exceed a lithium cell's safe long-term operating temperature in summer sun. A supercapacitor tolerates that heat without the same degradation over years, trading away total buffer time (seconds to about a minute) for heat survival — which matters most in hot climates or cars that sit in direct sun.
No. This table normalizes what each spec CAN mean in general. Actual values (bitrate, sensor part number, temperature rating) are set per model — always check the specific product's manufacturer spec sheet before buying.