INTRODUCTION

   Car dash cameras have been around for well over a decade now (police has been using them since 1981 - not including the very old case in the 1930's) but it wasn't until 2015 that their sales skyrocketed, not only in the EU but all over the world. Not much has changed in dash cameras since then however, yes image/video and audio quality has improved and there are extra features like cloud recording, 5G WiFi connectivity and more accurate GPS antennas but that's just about it. Back in 2019 Lanmodo officially released their popular Vast (review here) a device which was basically an improved (1080p Full Color) version of the night vision systems featured in luxury cars. Still, it lacked the rather crucial recording capability something that Lanmodo planned to include with the Vast Pro model aimed for release in 2020 and yes this is finally what today's review is all about.

   Lanmodo, since founded in 2015, have attracted people's attention because of its ingenious products. In 2017, Lanmodo launched the world's first all-in-one automatic car tent that can not only provide four-season protection, but can also be used as outdoor umbrella and camping tent. In 2018, Lanmodo released 1080P full-color night vision system which helps keep driving safe.

   The new Lanmodo Vast Pro is actually quite similar to its predecessor since once again inside the large enclosure we find a large 8-inch IPS LCD screen and a SONY MCCD photosensitive sensor (minimum illumination of 0.0001 Lux- again probably one of their starlight models - up to 300 meters distance) with 7-layer full glass optical lens (45 degrees viewing angle this time over - the Vast had 36 degrees) and 1080p recording. Aside the standalone Vas pro there's also a version which includes a compact IP67 certified (waterproof) rear camera that can record at 1080p resolution (compared to the HD of the normal Vast) with a viewing angle of 170 degrees and a night vision distance of up to 20 meters (regular sensor). So basically, the new Lanmodo Vast Pro adds recording capabilities and a slightly wider angle to its predecessor but are these enough? Let's find out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Vast Pro arrived inside a white box that has a large product image at the front right beneath the company name and above the main product features (the product version is printed on the sticker seen on the top right).

Inside the box we can see that the main unit is wrapped inside a plastic bag and placed in a piece of black foam.

Just like with the original Vast the Vast Pro bundle is very rich and contains the main unit, dashboard base, cigarette lighter power and OBD power adapters, suction cup mount, compact screwdriver, 128GB microSD card (SanDisk), microSD card reader, and the instruction manual.

THE VAST PRO

Unlike its predecessor the plastic enclosure of the Vast Pro is more "streamlined" (79mm tall, 57mm long and 213mm wide) and better looking (at least for my taste).

The 8-inch wide IPS screen may not be exactly large but it's more than what you'd get from a built-in/factory-ready model.

Once again at the top of the enclosure we find the all of its buttons which starting from right to left are the power button, signal switch button (between the front and rear camera - if the rear camera is installed), menu button (can adjust brightness and contrast levels), scroll up/down buttons and the ok button.

The 7-layer full glass optical lens of the Vast Pro can record video at 1080p resolution (at 30fps) with a viewing angle of 45 degrees and a maximum night vision range of 300m. You can of course also rotate the lens left, right, up and down to achieve the best possible view results.

Three perforated sections are located at the front left and right of the enclosure.

The microSD card slot is located on the far lower left of the enclosure.

Like with its predecessor Lanmodo gives you two ways to mount the Vast Pro system in your car, either by using the bundled base or by using the suction mount.

This time over Lanmodo used a far more convenient flexible base which was what i used for my review.

AUDIO & VIDEO QUALITY

Since unlike its predecessor the Vast Pro can record video, I'll be using that to showcase both audio & video quality and its night vision capability.

Day recording is quite good, bitrate goes from 7000kbps and all the way up to 20000kbps, colors are quite vibrant and video is smooth. Unfortunately, audio quality once you surpass a "safe" volume becomes quite distorted and in terms of viewing angles, well 45 is a small number no matter how one sees it (my guess is they couldn't find wider lens with 300 meters night vision range).

Testing the night vision of the Vast Pro (bitrate here sits between 6000kbps and 12000kbps) proved harder than the Vast since the pitch black road i had found and used in the past now had even more street lights. Still, there's a small area (like 15-20 meters in length) which is pitch black and so you can see how the Vast Pro behaves there (first chance i get i will test it with a really pitch black location).

CONCLUSION

   Just like with the Vast the Vast Pro is a mixed bag meaning it does some things well while others, let’s just say there’s room for improvement. Image/Video quality is quite good, yes, the 45 degrees viewing angle hardly makes the Vast Pro the ideal dash camera (still better than nothing at all right?) but if you are in need of its night vision feature, you’ll just need to look past that. The Vast had an even tighter viewing angle (39 degrees) but since it lacked the recording function of the Pro model it didn’t matter that much. Audio quality on the other hand is something Lanmodo should look into since just pushing your stereo a bit loud (like 60/100 during my day recording) is enough to produce distorted results. Of course, if you decide to use the OBD cable to keep recording even after you turn off your car or if you record while driving without having your stereo turned on then distorted audio shouldn’t be an issue obviously. The one thing I didn’t like before and still don’t now is that you need to turn your head to check the display of the Vast Pro. At the time I reviewed the original Vast my recommendation to Lanmodo was to create something that could fit just over the dashboard directly in front of the driver (just like the factory models) so I do hope they eventually get around into making something like that. On the bright side however, the new enclosure looks and feels better so Lanmodo clearly listened to reviewers of their Vast model (at least about that).

   If you’re interested in getting your very own Lanmodo Vast Pro currently you can get the front camera model for USD349.99 from Amazon.com or directly from Lanmodo for USD369 and the front and rear bundle for USD399.99 from Amazon.com or for USD439 directly from Lanmodo (use code NIKKTECH11 for a 15% discount from Amazon or code LMDVP_NIK for USD30 off from Lanmodo). All said and done the new Vast Pro is a definite improvement to its predecessor and even though it’s not perfect it does tick all the boxes needed to get the Golden Award.

PROS

- Great at Illuminating Pitch Black Areas (300 Meter Range)
- Full HD 1080p Recording (Good Quality With Vibrant Colors)
- 8 Inch IPS Screen
- Higher Quality Housing
- Adjustable Lens
- Base & Suction Mount Installation
- Cigarette Lighter & OBD Power Adapters (OBD For Continuous Recording)
- Available Model With 1080p Waterproof Rear Camera

CONS

- Front Recording Angle (45 Degrees)
- Mounting Locations (Hard to Drive & Look at The Vast)
- Audio Quality (Loud Sounds)
- Price (For Some)