The Great License Plate Protection Comparison Test of 2009

Here at Buy Radar Detectors we found ourselves looking at the different anti-photo plate protection products we carry, and we thought a small, informal comparison test might be needed. Well, not needed. More like we thought it would be fun to get outside on a nice spring day. So after obtaining a test vehicle we decided to see how well each product would work, and how noticeable they were.

Plan A we had to cancel. It mostly involved duct tape, the four lane freeway outside, a cheap camera equipped cell phone, and a tall tree. Wishing to avoid upsetting area commuters and for a more controlled test environment, we instead decided on a more scientific approach to our comparison test. Hereafter known as Plan B.

In our test we will be reviewing the following products:
TollFree Protector Anti-Photo License Plate Cover
Super Protector Anti-Photo License Plate Cover
Photo Blur Anti-Photo License Plate Cover
Photo Stopper Anti-Flash License Plate Spray

For testing the plate covers we used a Canon EOS Rebel XTi tripod mounted camera with a Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM SLR lens and a Canon 430EX flash. We took three pictures of each product:

• Picture from above (camera height 7'10") - This position should provide an idea of how the plate cover would perform against a red light camera, which are typically mounted high in an intersection and angled down.
• Picture from behind (camera height 4'3") - This position should give you an indication of how the license plate cover will appear to other drivers or police officers that are looking at your vehicle from behind.
• Picture from the side (camera height 4'3") - This position should provide an idea of how the plate cover would perform against photo radar equipment, where the camera is typically positioned on the side of the road.

We also used the flash in every plate cover picture, as this is typical for photo enforcement equipment. For the Photo Stopper anti-flash spray, we used the same equipment (camera height 4'3") and show each angle, with and without a flash, to show the effect of the product.

For an anti-photo product to be effective it needs to achieve a delicate balance. At angles used by photo enforcement equipment, the license plate numbers should appear obscured. On the other hand, when viewed straight-on the numbers need to appear clear and legible to avoid attracting any unwanted attention.

Please Note: Actual conditions vary according to camera location, time of day, and weather conditions. This is an informal test, and subjective. Feel free to try this at home.

For Plan B we did try to have some controls in place with similar lighting, same test vehicle, same camera, and same camera location. We also used a ladder from the warehouse for the "above" test to get a better result.

TollFree Protector Anti-Photo License Plate Cover
The Toll Free Protector is advertised as offering the best protection against cameras at the cost of being more noticeable. At first glance, this appears to be the case. The shot from the side completely obscures the plate number, and when viewed straight-on it is fairly obvious there is a plate protector. The shot from the top did not turn out as well as we had hoped. The numbers seem to be obscured, but if you look very closely you can make out at least 5 of them. Is this enough to save you from a ticket?

Super Protector Anti-Photo License Plate Cover
Next, we have the Super Protector, which is typically advertised as being the best mix of effectiveness and noticeability. From above, well... you are getting a ticket. From the rear, it is far less obvious than the TollFree Protector. From the side it does partly obscure half of the numbers (which is what it is supposed to do).

Photo Blur Protector Anti-Photo License Plate Cover
The Photo Blur actually looks a lot like the standard "clear" bubble plate covers sold in most automotive supply stores. It is generally advertised as being the plate cover that is least likely to attract unwanted attention, as even at an angle the obscuring looks more like a glare from the sun or accidental distortion. One very important feature we liked, unlike the other two protectors it does not require a separate tag frame to hold the cover in place. With some states making plate frames a violation, this alone is interesting.

This one surprised us, from above it does partly obscure the tag numbers, enough to possibly keep from getting a ticket. It also does a good job from the side. From a straight-on view it performs as advertised, being the least noticeable of the covers we tested.

Bonus test!
Photo Stopper Anti-Flash License Plate Spray (With and without flash.)
Photo Stopper does a great job at making your plate look shiny! While it does slightly overexpose the picture when a flash is used, it was not enough to obscure the plate number in our setup. Perhaps the results would have been better with a stronger flash or with a license plate where the numbers are not black and raised? We're told that products like this tend to work against older equipment, but are fairly ineffective against newer technology.

With Flash

Without Flash

With Flash

Without Flash

So there you go. The one we thought would block the plate from every angle, the TollFree Protector, is not so great when the picture is taken from above (better from the side though!). And it may lead to interesting conversations with local law enforcement officers. The Super Protector worked from the side. If you want the best mix of possibly obscuring a picture of your plate while not being very obvious, the Photo Blur does a rather good job. Finally, all the PhotoStopper spray really does is make your plate look shiny and new.

In closing, one of the better ways we have seen to avoid the cameras:
Top Gear - Richard Hammond vs the speed camera round 3