The Backup Camera Systems – Everything You Need to Know

Reversing a vehicle can be a tricky affair for a lot of drivers, especially in locations where parking spaces are tight. Thanks to the aid of modern cameras and electronics, backing or reversing cameras are now available to motorists to help and assist when parking nor backing out of the driveway.

A backup camera, often also called a reversing camera, is a special type of video device that is used specifically for the purpose of being attached to the rear of a vehicle to aid in backing up or reversing to alleviate the rear blind spot of a vehicle. A backup camera is designed distinctly from other cameras in that the image it displays on a monitor is horizontally flipped so that the output is a mirror image of what the camera actually sees. This is necessary due to the fact that the camera and the driver are facing opposite directions, and without the flipped view, the camera’s right would be on the driver’s left and vice versa, which can cause confusion when doing a reversing maneuver.

A typical backup camera sports a wide-angle or fisheye lens to allow for a wide angle view of the surroundings. While such a lens may spoil or the camera’s ability to see a faraway object, it allows the camera to see a wider horizontal path from one rear corner to the other. Back up cameras are installed typically pointed on a downward angle, to allow a view of ground, approaching walls and other obstacles.

Most reversing camera systems typically consist of a rear facing camera with a wide-angle lens, and a screen or monitor which is typically mounted on or part of the vehicles dashboard. Advances in electronics have paved the way for miniaturized camera systems with smaller monitors integrated into rear view mirrors for convenience and for ease of installation.