An RV is, at the best of times, a cumbersome and difficult vehicle to drive. When you back up your RV, there’s the greatest chance of something going wrong. Pulling out of your driveway is, ordinarily, a reasonably simple task. But when you’re in an RV, rear visibility is restricted. This means that your children, pets, and the vehicle itself, are at risk. If you have a trailer, things become all the more complicated. This is when a top rated RV backup camera will make all the difference. The most common term used is an RV backup camera, but people also talk about a motorhome or camper backup camera. As they are great for trailers, we can include this too. So through the course of the article, I may use any of these terms. They mean the same thing.
When you engage reverse, your camper backup camera will automatically be activated. This gives you a clear view of what’s going on behind the rear wheels. Good RV cameras will have the features that you need to make quick and easy decisions with complete confidence. These features could include depth of field lines and other markers that make it easier for you to determine where your RV is in relation to its surroundings. Other features that you may want to consider are the size of the screen, is it a color screen, does it have infrared nighttime vision? Yes, choosing the best backup camera for your motorhome is not as simple as it may first appear.
This review is intended to help you with your decision. I’m confident that, amongst the great products that we’ve selected, you’re going to find the ideal RV backup camera for your needs. If it’s a reasonably priced, yet effective camera you’re looking for, look no further. If you don’t mind paying extra for the ultimate motorhome backup camera, you’ll find that here too. We’ve done the research to find not only the best of the best, but also products to suit people who are on a tight budget. Whilst considering budget as important, we’ve also focused on quality. With this in mind, we’ve searched for RV backup camera systems that come highly recommended. Taking into account user experiences, technical specifications and brand reputations, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the best RV backup cameras available today.
Which Camera is Best For Your RV?
Save yourself the time and hassle of searching for the perfect backup camera for your RV. We’ve done all the work for you. Now, all that’s left for you to do, is take a look at the products selected for this review and decide which one is best suited to your needs and budget.
1. Furrion 381556 FOS48TAPK-BL Wireless High-Speed RV Observation System
What I like best about the Furrion FOS48TAPK-BL is the fact that this is a wireless RV camera system. This makes your installation a synch and there’s less to go wrong. If you’re considering a camera that mounts to the back of your trailer, wireless is definitely your best solution. Additional wiring for a trailer is a real hassle. You have to go through the vehicle and the trailer, requiring extra connections. We all know how much time it takes to check all your trailer connections when you hitch it up.
When something doesn’t work properly, it can become an infuriating mission to rectify the situation. Apart from the smart wireless technology, this camper backup camera has a lot more that is bound to impress anyone.
My first concern with a wireless camera would be the range and quality of the signal. My second concern would be durability, an extra antenna outside the vehicle could easily be damaged. Looking at the Furrion high-speed RV observation camera and its technical specifications has put these fears to rest. This system has an IP66 water and dust-proof rating, making it perfect for outdoor use.
The Climate Smart design makes this an incredibly robust motorhome camera and it has been tested in extreme conditions. It is rated for temperatures between 14 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The Furrion Vibration Smart system is a big advantage, especially for trailers. Both the camera and screen have a range of up to 300-feet. I see, on the Amazon website, they’ve got this as 300-metres. But this seems to be a typo, the official manufacturer specs state up to 300-feet and that is what I’m going with. They say it’s designed for specialty vehicles up to 100 Ft. That’s enough for even the largest motorhome.
The digital technology is nothing short of superb, with uninterrupted digital pairing and a 5x high-speed signal stabilization and processing system. This provides a VGA image with up to 25 frames per second. A great 4.3” LCD display gives a clear view with a really good resolution. The camera is shaded to eliminate glare and the angle can be adjusted to suit you. With infrared lights (up to 2-Lux) and an 850nm filter, you have great visibility in poor lighting conditions up to 1.5M (5-feet).
While this is a really fantastic wireless RV camera, I think it’s important to point one of the issues that is common with this type of wireless technology. I’ve seen some complaints about the image cutting out at high-speed. This is to be expected with a wireless camera, there doesn’t seem to be any way around it. The manufacturers state that it will function properly up to 55 MPH. Though, in most cases, it seems to only become problematic at speeds in excess of 70 MPH. This is more of an issue with a longer RV because the signal has to travel further from the camera to the monitor.
Essentially, what happens is that the speed of the Bluetooth signal can’t keep up with the traveling speed when driving faster than the recommended speed. You’re actually leaving the signal behind you as you move forward and, with a shorter vehicle, the signal has less distance to cover. So the question is: how fast do you actually drive your RV and do you rely on a camera when on the freeway? Personally, I don’t see much of an issue here. When you’re in a large camper, or lugging a trailer, you shouldn’t really drive that fast. Besides, I find that a camera is most important when you’re backing up. No one can achieve speeds of 70 MPH in reverse.
I really love this RV camera. Its great wireless technology certainly makes it the best camera for a trailer and just as great for any type of camper. I’m willing to overlook the high-speed issues for the convenience of the wireless design. The thing that may detract some people is the price. The Furrion is not exactly the cheapest motorhome camera. Though, if you’re looking for the best wireless technology and exceptional quality, you always need to be prepared to pay extra for this. I’d go for this one in a heartbeat, making it my personal favorite.
2. Rear View Safety Backup Camera System
At a very reasonable price for this kind of quality, the Rear View Safety backup RV camera has good reason to appear on any best of list. Unlike the previous camera in this review, this model uses a wire and is fairly complicated to install. If you’re not all that technically minded, you may want to get a professional to install it for you. With that said, it’s well worth the trouble.
I was immediately struck by the high-quality, ultra-durable design and build of this motorhome backup camera. It is completely waterproof, with an IP69K rating.
The all-metal powder coated camera looks like it can withstand just about anything to come its way and should remain reliable for a very long time. This is probably the toughest RV backup camera that you can find with a vibration rating of 20G and impact rating of 100G. It is supplied with a 66 Ft aircraft grade cable and should be long enough for most RVs. As with the rest of this kit, you should never encounter any problems with this high-quality cable.
The 130-degree CCD camera is adjustable as is the shade cover which prevents glare. A 3-channel multiplexer means that you can connect up to 3 cameras to the high resolution (800 X 480 P) 7” digital TFT LCD monitor. It gives you an incredibly crisp image and dims automatically, adjusting to the ambient lighting conditions. This means you won’t have a glaring monitor disrupting your sight when driving at night.
18 Infrared LED lights provide perfect visibility for up to 50-feet, even on the darkest of nights. Gridlines on the monitor help you accurately judge distance and it can function in mirror mode, allowing you to get a logical image whether the camera is mounted at the front or rear of the vehicle. It even has a microphone for audio. Though I’m not exactly sure what one would use this for, unless you’re recording the world’s worst
accidents for your You-Tube channel.
I get really excited by equipment that is made to last and the Rear View Safety Backup Camera exceeds all expectations in this regard. This is certainly a high-quality item and worth paying a few dollars extra for. With that said, it’s far from being the most the expensive motorhome camera that you’ll find.
3. Coolwoo Backup Camera with Monitor Kit for RV
If your budget is slightly limited, the Coolwoo RV backup camera was made for you. Okay, it’s not the cheapest you can get. But, for quality that’s worth spending your hard-earned cash on, I can’t see anyone finding a better deal. Go any cheaper, and I’d have serious concerns about what you’re actually getting.
As a happy median between affordability and decent quality, I’ve got to hand it the guys at Coolwoo. This kit can match any of the more expensive models on most levels with an IP68 waterproof rating and aviation-grade 20M (65.6 Ft) extension cable. The kit is made for easy DIY installation with all the plugs and extension cabling pre-made in one harness.
It has the features that we all want, like 8 X infrared LED lights and an incredibly wide 175-degree angle. It has a sophisticated 6-layer filter glass with built-in CCD chips to ensure the best visibility in all lighting conditions. The 9” LCD monitor is larger than most and has a great 800 X 480 P resolution. You can connect two cameras to the monitor and it has a remote control.
For the type of quality and features that you’d expect to pay a lot more for, the Coolwoo is a great bargain. I wouldn’t say it’s quite in the same league as the super-tough Rear View Safety Backup Camera (reviewed above). But, as a cheaper alternative, it’s fabulous and it has a bigger screen, which, I’m sure a lot of people will appreciate.
4. Backup Camera System - 4 Camera Setup
As the most comprehensive RV camera kit in this review, the Rear View Safety 4-camera system is the most expensive. I know you can get multiple camera kits much cheaper than this. But like the previous product from Rear View Safety (reviewed above), it’s very hard to match the ultra-heavy-duty quality that you’re getting.
The two rear cameras are about as tough as it gets. These all-metal cameras with a 130-degree angle have an incredible IP69K waterproof rating. Like the other Rear View Safety cameras in this review, these also have a 20G vibration and 100G impact rating.
The two side view cameras are not quite as impressive but are still more hardwearing than most. The side cameras are a little more compact and don’t have the same type of glare shield as the mighty impressive rear cameras. The side cameras have a 120-degree field of view and a slightly lower waterproof rating – IP68. I guess side mounted cameras don’t have to endure conditions as extreme as those mounted at the rear. All the cameras have excellent IR night vision. Again, the rear cameras are superior with a nighttime range of 50 FT, the side cameras are slightly limited to 30 Ft.
It has an excellent 7” color display that looks hardier than any other. You have multiple display options and a remote control to simplify things. The screen dims automatically for less glare in the dark and it has an audio microphone.
Having two rear mounted cameras is the best way to tow a trailer. You can have a camera on the vehicle and the trailer – leaving nothing to chance. With a large vehicle, side mounted cameras are also a great safety advantage. Then there’s the ultimate quality aspect to this product. It’s rare, these days to see a product that is genuinely built to last and this is really refreshing. To make the best use of this camera system, you’ll need to buy the quick-connect system for the multiple cameras. I find this a little disappointing and feel that they should have included it in the kit. Though, this doesn’t override the fact that this is probably the best multi-camera RV kit available.
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