Vantop h610 Mirror Dash Cam Short Review

I have used this camera for three weeks and this is my experience after going through two other dash cameras. My first was an insignia dash cam which was there for at least a year and the second was a Beangel mirror dash cam which had a bad image quality compared to my first. I also wanted to add a backup camera for my 2001 Toyota Sequoia without dealing with an install through the radio or the hatch. The requirements for a new dash cam was a 128GB microsd support, front and rear recording, and a better way of getting data out than removing the SD card. This dash cam filled those requirements well and exceeded my expectations with some caveats.



How I installed the dash cam

• Tested the mirror with a mini USB cable before putting it in
• Plugged the included car charger into the dash cam to make sure both works
• Clipped the camera on my Gentex auto dimming mirror but had to extend the camera
• Used the trim remover to guide the power cable through the hard plastic trim to hide wiring. Did the same for the rear camera. 
• Placed the rear camera on the bottom of the bumper next to the trailer hitch using the included 3M strips. 
• Did not connect the reverse lead since it was not necessary because of the camera streaming option. (get to this later)

Some disclaimers:

• Using a third party mini USB or USB adapter will allow most functions for a minute but will cause random restarts. This means that you will have to the included car adapter which is bulky and will use up a 12v cigarette lighter. I have tried it initially with a third party cable and USB adapter to increase the number of available power options but the camera would restart when using streaming the rear view mirror along with a low battery warning. The included adapter will allow you to use all the options on the camera.
• You will have to format your own memory card in order to use it. 
• I used a microcenter 128GB microsd card because it was the absolute cheapest card with that storage and it works without any problems.
• You will have to use VLC media player to view the video files since it uses h265 encoding on an MP4 file to save space. 
• USB mode works with Mac OS Catalina and Windows 10, it does not work with my galaxy using a usb to type c that was included with the Galaxy s8. I have not tried with ipad os 13 since I do not have a lightning adapter for my non-pro ipad. 
• Complaints:
• Rear view cam on the screen will look washed out on bright light and I drive a brick without a sunroof. 
• Very few options for resolution recording, only 2k and 1080p recording from both cameras. I was disappointed to find that these are the only options since downscaling the resolution to 720p on my insignia dash cam would allow me to balance both storage space and video quality to record scenic views on long drives. But 128GB support sort of negates this since most other dash cam options only allow you to use 32GB microsd cards.
• You can only set the camera view on the display by swiping which can be unintuitive and other reviews have complained about this. There should be an option on the settings to set a default view. 
• The camera display will default to the previous view that you used. Connected to the previous complaint.
• The required and included  car adapter which can be a problem for those who only have one cigarette lighter in their car. 
• Wished they included some cable ties and a drill bit for a better install experience (since they already included a trim removal tool). 
• The included rubber holders are a little short which means that my thicc Gentex mirror pretty much stretches those rubber holders. Making them a few millimeters longer will make things easier.

Great points:

• Video quality is good despite the fixed focus lens even at night which can allow for nice recording of scenic views, incidents, and license plates at a safe following distance.
• The included strips for the rear cam has held up pretty well that I didn't really need to put the screws in immediately. 
• Being able to use USB storage mode allows me to transfer files using a mini USB cable and a laptop which is great since I don’t have to take out the microsd card which is easy to lose and forget. For those who are not familiar, it basically lets you use the camera in storage mode so that your computer (Windows 10 and Mac OS Catalina tested in my case) detects this as a USB drive that you can transfer files or delete them. This is what sold me on this camera in the first place since this feature is superior to WiFi transfer in speeds and ease of use for me. This is a completely underrated feature for a dash camera and Vantop should show this feature off. 
• Options for 5 minute loop recording which means that the camera records in 5 minute intervals which also allows the camera to free up space by removing the oldest recordings when the card is full. 
• A 128GB microsd support is great which allows for at least 5 hours of recording time which is great for long trips and more.
• The swivel and extendable camera lens allows me to grab the best view by positioning the camera to avoid the mirror mount from being in view or to catch a view of the hood to show the car’s following distance. 
• Using h265 encoding on an MP4 file helps reduce space and combined with more storage, 2k front and 1080p back takes less than 800MB for a five minute clip. In comparison, my insignia uses MOV files and a 720p clip takes up 270MB for a five minute clip which means that a 32GB microsd card would get full in about 8.5 hours. Combined with a 128GB microsd it should last around 11 to 12 hours with a better resolution and dual views. 
• Adjustable rear view cam allows for more flexibility when it comes to placement and different cars. You can easily adjust it using a small Phillips screw.
• Being able to stream the rear view camera to the mirror screen allows for a view even when your car is full of people or stuff. It also negates the need to tap into the reverse wire which makes installation extremely simple. 
• An extra set of rubber straps, screws, and 3M strips is a bonus and the included trim tool makes installation easy. 

Overall, this camera is a great value for the price and if you clipped a coupon with amazon; brings the price down to 75 to 79 which is a steal. Especially since its closest competitors are the Akaso and Rexing M1 mirror dash cams which are pricier and might not have the USB storage option. This camera for the price is a winner compared to a rear view camera from Kenwood or Pioneer which is just the camera. This also compares to the idiot proof installation and set up which means that almost anyone can DIY at any level without ruining their own car by tapping the wiring or changing out the radio. Being able to connect this dash cam to a laptop makes this a complete keeper in my book and is something to look for since the lack of WiFi. With a good video quality and being able to stream the rear view camera makes this a great dash cam mirror. The major cons for me is the limited amount of settings that the mirror has for certain functions but other than this, it is a great dash cam once you learn how to get around the settings.