GM's Rear Camera Mirror Is Fantastic

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
7-9-2019

GM-trucks.com is testing the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer over the coming two weeks. We are just a few days into the testing and we are already in love with this vehicle. It has many great features that we are planning to go into great detail on in a long-format review soon. One of the most impressive features is the new rear camera mirror our RS tester came equipped with.

The new camera mirror is dead simple to operate. The mirror is still a reflective mirror until you flip up the little tab we used to call the dimmer. Once that is done, the image changes to the camera view. The camera view is wider, brighter, and higher in resolution than what one sees in the reflective mirror. 

It is so good, and so wide, we found that we no longer needed the side-view mirrors in most circumstances. The camera performed great in daylight, at night, and in the rain. GM cleverly incorporates a washer for the camera that is located directly next to the backup camera on the rear tailgate above the license plate. When you wash the rear window the camera also gets a spritz. 

If you happen to be at a GM dealership ask someone there to let you check out the new rear camera mirror in one of the vehicles. You will instantly fall in love with this new technology. If you own a GM vehicle with the camera, please tell the membership how you like it so far in our comments section below. 

[Back in a Bowtie]

how long before pgamboa has this ready to mod into older trucks?  Ill be first on the list hahaha

[newdude]

I've driven a couple GM vehicles with one and my brother's 2019 Camaro ZL1 has it.  Best feature GM has added to a car yet IMO. 

 

Also fun fact, you can order the camera mirror on all trim levels of the 2020 HD trucks.   

[powerhaulic]

Drove a Blazer a while back, the mirror is fantastic.

Glad my new truck will be equipped when it arrives.

[Thomcat]

Been using it in my '18 Traverse since Aug '17. Only worth it if like my Traverse there are 5 different brightness levels and when you flip it defaults to a self dimming mirror and not just a standard flat glass mirror.

 

Does have limitations under certain circumstances dues to poor refresh rate of camera/LCD screen. The flicker from HID lam,ps in following cars can be annoying, also the stuttering effect of fast moving cars passing alongside can be annoying. On unlit 2 lane roads late at night, prefer to flip to the self dimming mode.

 

The '19 Traverse already has a built in rear view camera that doesn't work only when in reverse either.......works at any time at any speed......Hit the home screen and press the touchscreen camera icon while in Drive and you'll get the view from the rear camera with a visible 8 second countdown timer that auto-reverts to the previous screen.

[ThomCannell]

The camera/mirror is very cool - but it requires your eyes to adjust differently than a mirror. You have to go from down-the-road far to 8-inches-to-face near to read the "screen". With progressive lenses, PITA major tilt of the head to bring into focus. At night, a more worthy item.

[Tobiah Faulkner]

On 7/27/2019 at 3:20 PM, ThomCannell said:

The camera/mirror is very cool - but it requires your eyes to adjust differently than a mirror. You have to go from down-the-road far to 8-inches-to-face near to read the "screen". With progressive lenses, PITA major tilt of the head to bring into focus. At night, a more worthy item.

Thanks for the call out, it is a very good point and something I had not thought about. I have been looking at retrofitting a older model truck with one of these mirrors and now may reconsider. 

[Captainmc]

On 7/9/2019 at 11:21 AM, Gorehamj said:

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
7-9-2019

GM-trucks.com is testing the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer over the coming two weeks. We are just a few days into the testing and we are already in love with this vehicle. It has many great features that we are planning to go into great detail on in a long-format review soon. One of the most impressive features is the new rear camera mirror our RS tester came equipped with.

The new camera mirror is dead simple to operate. The mirror is still a reflective mirror until you flip up the little tab we used to call the dimmer. Once that is done, the image changes to the camera view. The camera view is wider, brighter, and higher in resolution than what one sees in the reflective mirror. 

It is so good, and so wide, we found that we no longer needed the side-view mirrors in most circumstances. The camera performed great in daylight, at night, and in the rain. GM cleverly incorporates a washer for the camera that is located directly next to the backup camera on the rear tailgate above the license plate. When you wash the rear window the camera also gets a spritz. 

If you happen to be at a GM dealership ask someone there to let you check out the new rear camera mirror in one of the vehicles. You will instantly fall in love with this new technology. If you own a GM vehicle with the camera, please tell the membership how you like it so far in our comments section below. 

I tried the new camera on the 2020 2500 HD while driving and it’s definitely cool but it was straining my eyes.  With a normal mirror your eyes are already focused for long distance, but since the mirror is a monitor then you have to re focus to the screen. I think some may not like it for actual driving. Also I think they should have used the tailgate camera for the rear view mirror, because if you put a canopy on then the rear view camera is useless.

[Jsdirt]

I'll stick with my glass. Now we can add "rear-view blindness" to the list of electrical failures forthcoming ...

[jbman]

^{I can't stand the camera on 2018  at night time you just can't see anything because its so bright and unclear Also is no way that I see how to  turn the brightness  down or make pic clear Have had it to dealer still no good Is their a   cam replacement I can buy? at least be able to turn it off in settings Thanks}

[powerhaulic]

3000mi now on my 2020 3500 AT4, absolutely love the camera mirror!

It took about a week before my eyes were programmed to see it clearly at first glance.

It can be zoomed in and out, angled up & down, and brightness adjusted.

there is no glare at night, it does a great job adjusting for ambient light conditions.

 

And the backup camera referenced above is far superior to the '19 and prior trucks in the center stack.

[Thomcat]

On 10/21/2019 at 6:31 PM, powerhaulic said:

 

....

 

And the backup camera referenced above is far superior to the '19 and prior trucks in the center stack.

Depends on the option pack, i.e. All Star Edition upgrades to an HD camera and HD radio monitor

[Thomcat]

On 8/6/2019 at 10:17 PM, Jsdirt said:

I'll stick with my glass. Now we can add "rear-view blindness" to the list of electrical failures forthcoming ...

Power fails and you flip the switch from monitor to a self dimming mirror which without power will function just like a stock full brightness regular mirror.

[Thomcat]

BTW that little plastic square on the far right of the camera lens in the photo is a camera lens washer. Move the lever or push the button on the stalk and a jet of windshield washer fluid streams across the two camera lenses to the left of the washer nozzle. Great for removing Winter salt/road dirt.

 

Traverse works different than described for the Blazer....separate independent rear windshield washer and camera washer controls.

Edited October 26, 2019 by Thomcat

[Jsdirt]

4 hours ago, Thomcat said:

Power fails and you flip the switch from monitor to a self dimming mirror which without power will function just like a stock full brightness regular mirror.

In theory ... . With GM these days, reality is always FAR different.

 

After all the surprises I got with my GMT-900, I wouldn't take a new GM product for FREE.