Miofive 4K dash cam review: Picture quality at the heart of well-priced device

Miofive is a relatively new player on the UK dash cam market and isn’t to be confused with the similar sounding but entirely unconnected Mio, which also makes in-car recorders.

The unit we’re testing here is the brand’s only model and comes with a focus on image quality and ease of use rather than being rammed with every option and accessory under the sun.

Inside the solid-feeling slimline box, there’s a Sony image sensor capable of capturing footage in full 4K resolution at 30 frames per second, GPS sensor, 5GHz wifi, on-board storage and a small viewing screen.

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Compared with some units fitted with viewing screens, the Miofive is a pretty neat package. At 116x50x55mm it’s not quite as compact as the smallest units we’ve tested but its long rectangular shape is almost as small as some screenless cameras while still fitting in a usable 2.2-inch display. The size and shape means it sits neatly out of sight behind a rear view mirror, although the slimline mount uses an adhesive pad so you need to make sure it’s positioned correctly first time.

Helpfully, there’s a calibration tool to ensure the camera is positioned squarely to offer the best view of the road ahead.

Although you can use the screen and on-device controls, the Miofive also has an accompanying mobile app that allows you to view and download footage from the camera and adjust settings. Compared with some apps we’ve used, the Miofive one is easy to set up and use, with quick hassle-free connection to the camera and a simple interface.

Unlike most dash cams, the Miofive uses 64GB of built-in storage rather than a microSD slot. This saves the expense of buying a separate card but does mean you have to download footage to your phone in order to share it. Thankfully, 5GHz wifi makes transferring files fairly quick.

At the heart of the camera is a f1.8 lens with a 140-degree field of view feeding into a sensor from Sony. This is capable of capturing footage at 4K resolution or you can sacrifice resolution for a step up to a higher 60fps frame rate at 1080p.

The 4K footage is suitably impressive. Images are clear and sharp and important details such as number plates are easy to make out, even on cars travelling at motorway speeds. In really bright sun the contrast in peripheral areas can suffer but the main focus of the camera remains clear.

Using Sony Starvis technology (like many rivals) the Miofive also offers strong low-light and night time performance, although as always the image can’t match the quality of that captured in daylight.

The camera also features an impact-activated parking mode to capture footage if you’re car is hit while unoccupied and there’s an option to hardwire the device for timelapse monitoring as well.

Apart from a slightly annoying forward departure warning system, the Miofive doesn’t bother with driver assistance systems such as lane departure warning. Given how patchy these are in other devices it’s no poorer for that.

One unusual feature is that the app can map your drive for you, overlaying your route on a map using the camera’s GPS data. It’s quite a clever feature, although I’m not sure how often users would ever refer to it.

At £149.99 the Miofive seems like pretty good value. It lacks some of the fancy (and often unnecessary) features of other cameras but packs an impressive 4k sensor into a well-built, compact and easy to use package. Its biggest drawback is probably that there’s no option to link a rear-facing camera – something that a lot of units in the £150+ bracket offer.

Edinburgh News