There’s nothing worse than trying to parallel park on a busy street. Traffic stacks up behind you, someone starts honking, you put the car in reverse and look over your shoulder, already sweating — was that a child darting behind the car? It’s stressful, like trying to place a (3,000-pound) horizontal Tetris piece when you know you only have the space for one of those squares. And it’s even more stressful if your car doesn’t have a built-in backup camera. While we’ve written about other car accessories that can make an older used car feel brand new — here, we’ve rounded up the best back-up cameras, as praised by the most enthusiastic reviewers on Amazon.
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Best-rated backup camera
With over 6,000 five-star reviews, the eRapta ERT01 gets top marks for its easy installation, picture quality, and great price. One reviewer writes, “The picture is very clear, the field of view is easy on the eyes. And the onboard LEDs in concert with your reverse lights, provides ample light for the sensor. If you’re on the fence, get it!” Another says, “Anywhere locally, you are paying 75 dollars for something comparable to this. It still works after 6 months. It turns on every time I put my truck in reverse.” Some other reviewers recommend the night vision, which they say is more like a bright light instead of traditional night vision but still very effective. “You can see things a lot better that way,” says a satisfied customer. “It also works with the stereo I installed and took me about 45 minutes to put in. This will more than pay for itself the first time you see something and not back over it.”
Best-rated (less expensive) backup camera
Multiple reviewers found the Raayoo to be a perfect balance of price and quality: “I am really impressed with this little budget camera! It is light and sturdy and the picture quality is really good. It is as good or better than the factory unit in our new mini van,” says one. “It has a nice wide and tall view so you can angle it down a bit to see closer to the bumper of the vehicle and still see plenty of the upper view.” According to another reviewer, there are some trade-offs: “The quality isn’t as good as my 720p security camera but again, for the price, this is a good product overall for those on a budget or trying out auto cameras for the first time!”
Best combination dashcam and backup camera
“Great dashcam for front and rear views. It’s very easy to set up and start recording,” writes one reviewer. Another says, “I am blown away at the quality of this camera. If you’re looking for a camera for your truck, car or SUV this is great.” One benefit mentioned in multiple reviews is the ability to record five-minute clips with either the front or back camera: “Originally purchased as we were headed about 2K for a vacation trip and I wanted to capture any accident we may have had or proof of ‘no-fault,’ occurrences,” explains a reviewer.
Best backup camera for large vehicles
“I’ve been buying a lot of dashcams and backup cameras but was looking for something with a big enough screen to use on trucks as we haul equipment and need to turn and backup into tight spots,” reports one reviewer. The length of the installation wire was enough to accommodate a “Silverado 1500 dualcab truck,” he says, and the camera was able to withstand, “90+ degrees and so far I am seeing no issues with the camera or the monitor.” Another reviewer praised the monitor’s size and image quality, saying, “The picture is nice and clear both during daytime and at night. I have a far more expensive system on my work truck and this unit matches it and even beats it at night vision. Overall I couldn’t be happier.”
Best night-vision backup camera
Many reviews specifically mention the quality of the night vision on this backup camera. “The night vision is really bright and I could drive the truck (2002 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4.7) in reverse with no lights on. Not that I really want to, just saying … I could,” says one reviewer. “The LeeKooLuu 7 LED night vision rear view backup camera/monitor system runs very well. It has a clear image in daylight. In night time it tends to display in red color grayscale but still sharp enough to know what is behind you. It works well for being as inexpensive as it is.” There is one warning, however. According to one customer, “At night, sources of light behind the vehicle can wash out the image on the screen, pretty much blinding you.” So maybe don’t try to park in front of someone who has their lights on.
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