HD Webcams
HD Webcams With High Definition Quality
High Definition Webcams opened up a whole new dimension in online chatting & video calling, whereby the user gets to see the other party clearly in a live feed.
People who needed to travel overseas frequently dreaded the feeling of lonelyness & isolation when they need to stay in a foreign country for a few months due to work.
Calling back home is rather costly if you do international calls. Text messaging and online social programs do not allow you to see or hear anything apart from words. The world is no longer a big place as getting online to chat is no longer limited to just text. But the first few generations of webcams do not provide good video quality or the video will be jerky. As a result of that, the user experience is not satisfactory.
But new generation webcams are not only clear and with some models giving 720p HD resolution. With the competition mega pixel heating up, more and more webcams have a good inbuilt camera lens. There are a few factors to consider when getting a good webcam. Look for models that allow changing of frequency, depending on the type of light that is used in your room, it may result in a flickering video if the frequency of the light is lower than the setting in the Webcam. For instance, a webcam set to 60 Hz and a fluorescent light operating at 50 Hz will result in a flickering image.
Get a webcam that comes with a built in mic. Most laptops come with a microphone as well but it is not of a good quality. Your friend will not be able to hear you clearly if you try to chat using the mic on the laptop. Remember to change the recording controls in the control panel to use the webcam’s recording device as the mic.
Try the software of the webcam and test the color correction. Without such features, your face will look too dark if the area behind you is too bright or end up looking red if there is insufficient light. If you are trying to impress your date, you will not score well with a funny looking face.
Creative Live! Cam Socialize HD
This webcam has its on stand so that makes it a very portable device that can be taken along wherever you want. Installation of a driver’s package is required for it to function. This model shoots video in a (1,280 X 720 pixels) at 30 frames per sec. This is of a HD quality. The output of the recording was smooth and not a bit of jerkiness. This device cost around $64.
Specifications
Sensor : HD CMOS Image Sensor
Video Resolution : Up to 1280×720 pixels
Picture Resolution : Up to 5MP with interpolation
Frame Rate : Up to 30fps at 1280×720 pixels
Microsoft LifeCam Cinema
The word “Cinema” is a little over-rated for this device. How can a small webcam be of cinema quality? The device itself is mounted fixed to a flexible base. This device is able to stand still on its own without having to stick it onto a surface. The device itself has auto focus so this is very useful if you have to shift the camera quite often such as using it outside. The captured video quality is at (1,280 x 720) pixels as well but only at 15 fps. Price is around $92.
Specifications
Sensor : CMOS autofocus
Video Resolution : Max up to 1280 x 720
Picture Resolution : 2MP
Frame Rate : Up to 15 fps at 1280×720 pixels
Creative Live! Cam Optia AF
The Creative Live! Cam Socialize HD has a 2 mega pixel camera and has auto focus that is able to keep the subject in focus even if he moves around the room. It does a lot more function like photo capture, video recording, motion detection and remote monitoring. It is able to record to a highest resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 pixels at a reduced frame rate of 3 fps. Price at around $70
Specifications
Sensor : Manual focus VGA CMOS
Video Resolution : 640 x 480 to 1600 x 1200
Picture Resolution : 2MP
Frame rate : Up to 30 fps max
Microsoft LiveCam Show
This webcam includes several different attachments to connect up the camera to various devices ranging from a notebook to a desktop. You can choose the between use of clips to sticking it via magnetic discs onto metal surfaces. The quality of the video is very impressive as it uses a 2 MP lens. This web cam is able to capture images at a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels at 15 fps. This device is real small, light weight and portable yet produces real impressive images. This webcam cost $93
Specifications
Sensor : 2.0 Megapixel Sensor
Video Resolution : 160×120, 320×240, 640×480, and 800×600
Picture Resolution : 2MP
Frame rate : 15 fps
Microsoft LiveCam VX-2000
VX-2000 is a budget webcam with decent video quality. It comes with a 1.3 mega pixel VGA camera that can take decent still images. The base is rectangular and can sit nicely on a flat LCD screen. Despite being a budget webcam, the quality of the video can be on par with the other webcams in this article to the naked eye, except that the highest resolution is only 640 x 480 at 15 fps. This device cost around $32
Specifications
Sensor : VGA Video Sensor 1.3 MP
Video Resolution : 640 x 480
Picture Resolution : 1.3 MP
Frame rate : up to 30 fps max
Logitech 2MP Webcam C600
This is a very portable circular webcam that comes with a 2 MP camera. It has a very primitive design with a round body and square base. The full resolution can reach up to 1,280 x 720 pixels at 15 fps. Logitech has always created quality products and there is not doubt that this webcam will not disappoint. This device is priced at $90
Specifications
Sensor : True 2.0-megapixel sensor with glass lens and Logitech® RightLight™ 2 technology
Video Resolution : up to 1600 x 1200
Picture Resolution : 2 MP for video and up to 8 MP for photos
Frame rate : 30 fps
Logitech 2MP portable Webcam C905
This webcam comes with a clip to be attached to the edge of laptops. For flat surfaces you will need to use the stand included. This webcam has similar video properties of the model above but it has auto focus capabilities. It was able to keep up with the motion of the user if you move in or away from the lens. This model cost around $120
Specifications
Sensor : Native 2MP HD sensor with Carl Zeiss® optics with autofocus
Video Resolution : up to 1600 X 1200
Picture Resolution : 2 MP
Frame rate : 30 fps
Microsoft LiveCam NX-3000
This webcam is made mostly for use with notebooks. The connection uses the clip-on principle but with its rectangular base, it can still sit obediently on a flat surface. Images can be captured at max resolution of 1,280 x 960 are grainy as it is interpolated from the VGA imaging sensor of the camera. Images captured at 640 x 480 are much sharper. This device cost around $70
Specifications
Sensor : VGA sensor
Video Resolution : 640×480 to 1,280 x 960
Picture Resolution : 1.3 MP
Frame rate : 30 fps
All prices are stated in US dollars. With these recommendations you will be able to make a decent choice without regrets. There are many different companies who produce budget webcams but often do the minimal. No point saving a few extra dollars when you are not going to enjoy using your device.
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