Basic dashboard video cameras (dashcams) record video from a single camera lens and are typically placed in your front windshield to capture video footage (and audio) from in front of your vehicle while you drive, or while your car is parked. This type of dashcam is best for those desiring a simple "plug-and-play" dashcam solution.

The following diagram helps to illustrate where a single lens dashcam will typically be placed in your vehicle, and in what direction the video footage will be recorded:

Basic dashcams are often the simplest and easiest to use of all dashcams. These one-channel (one lens) dashcams may not necessarily have all the bells and whistles of some of the more advanced dashcams, but they perform their main task perfectly well: that is to provide an irrefutable record of the events that took place (acting as your trusty backup eyewitness) in case of an accident or incident.

All of the dashcams listed for sale below offer standard features including:

• Video recording
• Audio recording
• Automatic start of recording on power up
• Loop recording (no need for you to manually delete files from memory card when it is full)
• Event file protection
• Power cord included (hardwiring solutions are available)
• 1 year warranty

If you would like additional coverage from your in-car video recording system, for example to record video footage from both in front of and *behind*, or from both in front of and *inside* the vehicle (to see what the driver and occupants are doing), please see our dashcams for front and rear recording or our dashcams for front and inside recording pages.

Feeling a bit lost or overwhelmed? Please feel free to peruse our Dashcam Buyer's Guide which can help point you in the right direction when choosing which dashcam is best for you.