Backup Camera Quality

This is a very sensitive topic, sheesh. The last thread about this, a while back got shut down for a while and posts removed. We can all agree that we have/had a vehicle with a better quality backup camera. We aren’t constantly driving in reverse and it’s used for periodic moments/mere seconds at a time. It’s a truck without a lot of bells and whistles and tbh it works damn fine for what it is.

 

Never thought my backup camera was bad but it looked HD compared to my wife's '20 Acura TLX.

 

Compared to my wife's 2017 Elantra, my Tacoma's rear camera is not up to Hyundai standards.

Resolution is not as good on Tacoma and the directional lines aren't present like they are in the Elantra.

I'm not complaining about my Sport's rear camera (it works fine for me) but it is not as good as my wife's car.

 

Mine is way better than the one in my '71 Fury.

 

How long and how far do peeps drive in reverse, to need the highest quality back up cam? I generally use mine for a couple feet or a few yards. But I'm not driving to work in reverse. I just turn around, put in "D" and go the opposite direction of "R"

 

The almost 10 year old backup camera on my 2014 E-class is night and day better than my ‘21 Tacoma. Don’t get me started on the 360 cam.

When I was shopping for a new Tacoma, the salesman demoed the 360 on a new Sequoia as no trucks in stock had that option. So I was a little perturbed when mine came in and it looked 2007 tech. I never would have paid the thousands it cost to get the package required to get it. Oh well, Im hoping the 4th gen will be a lot better when the time comes.

 

I would guess it's the precision for parking for most that would make it nice to have a sharper image, but for me it's when I go to hitch up the trailer. With some hitch lube the ball gets a little dark and it's hard to tell right where it is when backing. Not the end of the world as I used to hook up trailers with no camera, but the lower quality makes one of the biggest possible boons of the camera into something that is just kinda useful instead of awesome to have.

 

It's for 16yr olds just learning how to reverse mostly

 

They’re adequate but stating the obvious they could be better.

Keep in mind that the cameras are relatively exposed so they collect dirt quickly. Just wiping them off periodically can make a noticeable difference.

Like on 4R’s, it’s an item that Toyota didn’t want to spend add’l money on until a full redesign. When you sell 200k+ a year, saving a few bucks on cameras (or grab handles, bed storage bins, seat straps…) can add up.

 

True, but when you go so long between full redesigns there is a larger profit margin that would easily absorb the cost of a little better camera.

 

BUT I am sure Toyota knows this will NOT make or break a sale. If this was a Lexus, sure, but a mid-sized work truck? Toyota will sell every Taco they build, they always have.

 

For sure, but it does leave a bitter taste for some to be told there's a backup camera for safety and convenience and then you find out the first camera phone you had years ago was better resolution. Like I said, I am fine without one, but I really like having it. It's a nice convenience and would be more convenient if it were a better quality image.

 

FWIW: Every car sold in the US since 2018 must have a backup camera. Per Canada law, since May 2018, all new cars sold in Canada, weighing 4536 kg or less, must be fitted with a backup camera.

 

It’s a back up camera, it’s not a camera for filming p@rn.

 

To be fair, I have seen grainier p@rn.

 

Yeah, like not backing up onto a child, pet, or other object which is immediately behind the bed and not visible by turning the head.

 

They're every bit as good as...

 

There’s a subtext to “bells & whistles” though. When I hear that I think of something that has a half-hearted version of everything because it’s all about feature count. If you don’t have bells & whistles what you’re communicating is you’ve focused your efforts on the things you included and there was intentionality in choosing what to include.

My mantra: if you’re going to put it in, make it worthwhile.

I can back up for hundreds of feet following a curved sidewalk if I have a clear view. Once you start putting stuff in the back of the truck, or if you have a topper, your vision becomes obstructed.

I dunno if your family started wearing lead underwear when you turned 17, or if family dinners were really uncomfortable, but there are huge blindspots when I’m using my truck for regular old fashioned truck stuff.