Camera - Camera Events

If you got your work or study-related stuff pushed on to Zoom and looking for the best webcam for zoom meetings to survive this pandemic, you came to the right place. We will help you to select the best webcam that fits your need. We have spent countless hours categorizing the best webcams according to quality, durability, and how good they are. We took video quality, built-in microphone, camera rotation, and many features into our consideration. Hopefully, you wouldn't need to check more sites after you are done here. We will be guiding you from what to look for when buying a webcam to some of the best webcams available. At A Glance: Our Recommended Top Webcam For Zoom Best Overall: Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam “It has all the necessary features for meetings along with privacy shutter. 1080p, autofocus, light correction, Stereo audio with dual mics.” Runner Up: NexiGo FHD USB Web Camera, for Streaming Online Class “2-megapixel CMOS sensor, 30fps at 1080p, Autofocus, privacy cover, built-in Noise-canceling microphone” Best Budget: Logitech C270 Webcam “For the price, no other models have such capabilities. Easy to install and use, 720p video.” Best 4k: BRIO Ultra HD Pro Computer Webcam “full HD 4K, 1080P, and 720P capable video for recording, premium glass lens, 4k image sensor, high dynamic range (HDR), autofocus, light correction, stereo audio with dual mics” Best Wide-angle: Vitade 960A Pro USB HD PC Web Camera “Built-in ring light, 1080P USB Webcam, 80° wide-angle lens, video at 30fps, Advanced H.264 encoding, Automatic low-light correction” Best Durable: Microsoft LifeCam Cinema “Aluminium body, 360-degree rotation, noise cancelling microphone, 720p video.” Best Portable: Logitech HD Laptop Webcam C615 “360-Degree swivel, 1080p Camera, Fold-and-Go Design, tripod ready, quick setup.” Best for Team Meetings: Meeting Owl Pro – 360 Degree “360-degree camera. Good for conferencing. Loudspeaker.” What Is a Webcam? A webcam is a device that streams images or videos to connected networks such as the internet. They are mainly used for video streaming. How it works is very simple. Webcams keep taking multiple shots of photos per second and continuously sends them to the CPU. Then the CPU processes and converts them into binary bits and sends them to the designated address, of course, with many devices helping in between. Is Webcam Necessary For Zoom Meetings? You probably heard this thousands of times; humans are social animals. We thrive in social interactions. Everyone's participation through the video feed somewhat mitigates the lack of real-life communication. And you will need the best webcam for zoom meetings to have a wholesome experience. You can participate in Zoom meetings without webcams, but you won't able to transmit your video. This defeats the purpose of meetings a little. If sending an audio voice was enough, we wouldn't need television, would we? Zoom lets you join the meeting even if you do not have a webcam. But you will notice the meeting does not feel whole without everyone is present with a live video feed. 8 Best Webcam for Zoom Meetings: The Reviews Before buying a webcam for your zoom, the first important thing you need to do is - fix your specific need and budget. I have researched and categorized some best cams that you can buy in 2021. 1. Best Overall: Logitech C920S HD Pro Webcam Features We Like: Video Recording: 1080p Sensor: 2MP Refresh Rate: 30fps at 1080p Viewing Angle: 78° Cable Length: 5 ft. More Features: Privacy shutter, Stereo audio with dual mic, Light correction, HD Autofocus Available On Amazon Logitech C920S HD Pro webcam stands out from the crowd with a privacy shutter. I chose this as the best overall because it can record at 1080p in 30 fps with autofocus while providing privacy. This item excels at all the features a good webcam should have. Features that boosted the race to the best are privacy shutter, autofocus, and 78° field of view. Be it anything, casual or formal meetings; we have witnessed many embarrassing scenarios on the internet. Its privacy shutter will help you not being one of them. 78° Field of view covers enough that you can move comfortably in front of the camera. While moving, you wouldn't need to worry about not being in focus. This one also has features like 30 fps recording, light correction, and stereo mic. 30 fps makes the video smooth enough to feel lifelike, while light correction helps to get better footage in low light. Everyone will listen to you clearly as it has a decent stereo mic. Summary: This product is a horse for all the races. It has made into the list because it is flexible at recording great video with a stereo microphone. If you attend a formal zoom meeting or casual, you can order it without a second thought. 👍 Pros: Records smooth video Decent light adjustment Has wide-screen supports Fits nicely on top of monitors 👎 Cons: May face river issues on different operating systems 2. Runner-Up: NexiGo FHD USB Web Camera, for Streaming Online Class Features We Like: Video Recording: 1080p, 720p Sensor: 2MP Refresh Rate: 30fps at 1080p Viewing Angle: 65° Cable Length: 6.4 ft. More Features: Privacy shutter, Noise-cancelling technology, Autofocus Available On Amazon After the first look at both top pick and runner-up webcams, I couldn't see much difference. They have the same 30 fps refresh rate at 1080p recording resolution, privacy shutter, and other supporting features that would help you attend zoom meetings. But taking a closer look, I noticed that the NexiGo camera lens has a 65° viewing angle where the Logitech one is offering 78°. It is not a very big deal, but a wider angle helps cover more area; thus, conferencing becomes a lot easier. That is why I have chosen this one as the runner-up. If you don't think that you would ever need conferencing, you can seriously consider this one. I really like the picture quality that its 2MP CMOS sensor can produce. For the price, such performance and features are very rare. Furthermore, the built-in mic eliminates the requirement of buying an additional audio input device. While you are in a meeting, this webcam can support you by automatically adjusting the brightness and focus. On the other hand, noise-canceling technology makes sure that the receiver on the other end is hearing you clearly. Summary: Single users who rely on the webcam for light and focus correction can confidently invest in the NexiGo FHD USB web camera. If you are about to buy any budget model which is under $50, you can surely go for it and thank me later. 👍 Pros: Complete privacy Amazing picture quality Easy to install and use Reliable service for years 👎 Cons: The color balance seems a bit off 3. Best Budget: Logitech C207 Webcam Features We Like: Video Recording: 720p Sensor: 3MP Refresh Rate: 30fps Viewing Angle: 60° Cable Length: 5 ft. More Features: 16:9 aspect ratio, Good sound quality, Elegant design Available On Amazon I chose this product because it is simple, elegant, and cheap. Yet, it serves very well. Its built-in microphone is excellent at noise reduction. The 16:9 aspect ratio gives a decent view, while plug and play is a great addition. You can get rid of all the driver problems, software errors, etc., due to the plug and play feature. Your voice will be better received because of noise-reducing microphones. Your feed will look great in almost all This one records video at 720p, the feed gets noisy in low light. The microphone is excellent. It can pick up noise from long distances. The 16:9 aspect ratio really sits well with most of the monitors. Summary: The price is a bargain. Video shows noise in low light, sound quality is excellent. If you are not willing to spend money on webcams, this is a decent cheap webcam for zoom meetings. 👍 Pros: Noise-reducing mic Very Affordable Does not need additional drivers 2 years official warranty 👎 Cons: Fixed focus Bad low light performance 4. Best 4K: BRIO Ultra HD Pro Computer Webcam Features We Like: Video Recording: 4K, 1080p, 720p Sensor: 13MP Refresh Rate: 30fps at 4K Viewing Angle: 90° Cable Length: 7.2 ft. More Features: HDR, 2 Stereo Mics, Autofocus Available On Amazon I have to confess that getting a true 4K recording experience in the webcams is not a reality to this date. But the BRIO Ultra HD Pro has amused at how close it can get to the authentic 4K resolution. Despite its over the moon price tag, I would recommend it for its performance and reliability. If you choose to record at 1080p resolution, no other webcam on the list will be able to beat its video quality. The quality of the lens, along with the 60fps refresh rate, plays a big role here. Moreover, the flash on the front can make sure an uninterrupted zoom meeting in low light situations. It also comes with dual mics that capture your voice as it is. The webcam supports both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 so that recording at UHD doesn't get interrupted. It's a plug-n-play webcam, but you can visit the official website and install the latest driver for your operating system in case of having connectivity issues. Summary: If clear video and audio quality is more important than the budget, the BRIO Ultra HD Pro 4k webcam won’t disappoint you. It has some hardware features that are not possible to get in low-budget models. 👍 Pros: Quick and easy to install High-quality image Automatic exposure control Anti-glare glass Compatible with multiple connection types 👎 Cons: Very expensive 5. Best Wide-Angle: Vitade 960A Pro USB HD PC Web Camera Features We Like: Video Recording: 1080p, 720p Sensor: 2MP Refresh Rate: 30fps at 1080p Viewing Angle: 80° Cable Length: 4.5 ft. More Features: H.264 encoding, Ring Light, 3 Brightness Level, Automatic Light correction Available On Amazon The wide viewing angle and the use of advanced H.264 encoding have made me review this exceptional webcam. I'm saying that because very few good-quality and reliable webcams with ring lights are available in the market, and this is one of them. Moreover, it has automatic low-light correction and autofocus features. What are the advantages of those? Vitade 960A Pro is so good at capturing the surroundings that you can even consider it for streaming, not to mention the zoom meetings. Furthermore, the encoding I have mentioned compresses the video half the size compared to MPEG. As a result, it takes less bandwidth, ensuring smooth streaming, even if your internet speed is not very fast. Though the software part of the webcam configures several features automatically, you can still control a few things according to your preferences. Some people are complaining about washed out video quality. I think they are not adjusting the ring light's brightness according to the surrounding. Summary: If you have the requirements of attending zoom meetings and streaming, you should check this one out. With the help of its advanced encoding system and bright ring-light, you can overcome internet speed and low-light issues. 👍 Pros: Seamless installation Good low-light performance Affordable Reliable 👎 Cons: Not-so-good quality ring light 6. Most Durable: Microsoft LifeCam Cinema Features We Like: Video Recording: 720p Sensor: 5MP Refresh Rate: 30fps Viewing Angle: 73° Cable Length: 6 ft. More Features: 360-degree rotation, True color technology, Digital microphone Available On Amazon This device made my list as no other product could compete at durability with its aluminum body and the set of features provides. Microsoft LifeCam Cinema has a metal body made of aluminum. The hard aluminum body makes this webcam very durable. The camera can swivel around 360° degree while featuring TrueColor technology. So, this webcam can be rotated 360° degree any you want. The use of TrueColor technology achieves colorful video delivery no matter where you set it up. This device can capture video in 720p at 30 fps, which looks better than most webcams as it uses a premium glass lens. The video feed is very smooth. It offers a 73° field of view, which is very decent. The noise-canceling built-in microphone has excellent sound quality. Summary: Microsoft LifeCam Cinema balances quality, durability, and cost packed into a single package. If you like Microsoft products and want a 3-years warranty, undoubtedly this can be your best pick from the list. 👍 Pros: Excellent build Moderate size Sharp image quality Very good face tracking 👎 Cons: Compatibility issues with macOS Auto-focus happens a lot in some environment 7. Best Portable: Logitech HD Laptop Webcam C615 Features We Like: Video Recording: 1080p, 720p Sensor: 8MP Refresh Rate: 30fps Viewing Angle: 74° Cable Length: 3 ft. More Features: 360-degree rotation, lightweight and portable, Premium autofocus Available On Amazon Logitech webcam C615 has made into my list because of its portability. Fold it, put it in the bag, and you are ready to go wherever you want. This Logitech webcam has a very well thought out fold and go design. The Fold-and-Go design makes it very easy to carry. Besides, a 360-degree swivel can easily cover all the surroundings. Using a tripod, you can mount it just the way you like. This cam records at 1080p but only allow 720p during video calls. This can handle abuse when traveling as it is built with thick plastic and rubber. The swiveling head can also tilt, which means you can set it up with any angle. The microphone delivers decent sound. Summary: Affordability, portability, and build quality has made it into a travel-friendly webcam. Though it was released long ago, this webcam is still reliable. It does not push the boundary but does its job very well. 👍 Pros: Foldable Small in size Tiltable swiveling head Features 1-click uploads to Facebook® and YouTube 👎 Cons: Short USB cable Not plug and play for Mac devices 8. Best for Team Meeting: Meeting Owl Pro - 360 Degree Features We Like: Video Recording: 1080p Refresh Rate: 30fps Viewing Angle: 360° Cable Length: 6.5 ft More Features: 8 smart mics, Great speaker quality, In-built Wi-Fi Available On Amazon Meeting Owl Pro allows panoramic video and has a loudspeaker. It can connect multiple rooms besides featuring a mic array. This webcam allows a 360-degree panoramic view of the whole room. Even if teams are in separate rooms, they can also join the meeting. Mic array will focus on the speaker automatically. When someone speaks. Unlike most others, users of this device do not have to look at packed faces on the monitor. Everyone at a meeting will be visible at 1080p video in a panoramic view. Mic has an audio pickup radius of 18 feet. Summary: This webcam is a one-stop solution for corporate meetings. Its 360-degree wide view, smart mics and great speaker make it standalone. However, it is for companies that rely heavily on conferences. Personal use of this device will be overkill. 👍 Pros: All in one corporate solution for meetings Great 1080p video Mic and speaker performs very well Panoramic video Automatic Speaker Focus 👎 Cons: Not plug and play Hard to troubleshoot The Accessories You May Need for Zoom Meetings LED Light: Neewer LED Ring Light 6-inch for YouTube Video Live Streaming Webcam Stand: SIGSIT Desktop Webcam Stand Suspension Boom Microphone: Blue Snowball USB Microphone Key Features for the Best Webcam for Zoom Meetings When buying the best webcam for zoom meetings, here are some key features you should keep in mind. Resolution Video quality depends on the resolution—the more, the merrier. Better resolution not only makes the image sharper but also picks up tiny details on the camera. Depending on your need, the suitable resolution might vary. Just for casual meetings, 720p would do fine. If you are a workaholic who is always busy with formal meetings, 1080p might be better. So take into account what you will be using the webcam for. Auto-Focus There are two types of focus in webcams, autofocus, and fixed focus. Fixed focused cameras have set lenses. They can't change their focus because their lenses are attached. If you move during a meeting, you might go into the blurry portion of camera without noticing it. In autofocus, lenses can move to adjust their focal length. Say you moved to the board to explain something at a meeting, the camera will automatically focus on you. You wouldn't need to worry about being in focus anymore. Microphone This a handy feature but often overlooked. Desktop computers rarely have a built-in microphone. Even if they do, the quality remains questionable. So, you might get stuck with a low-quality microphone. A microphone in the camera will help you to get rid of this problem. Whether you have a dedicated mic with you or not wouldn't matter. Plug the webcam in, and you already have a microphone. Rotational Coverage This is a convenient feature that makes good webcams great. Imagine you have set up a home office to your liking. But after a few days, you found another comfortable position. Now you will have to adjust the table, monitor, etc. according to that position. But rotational coverage will rescue you from this dilemma. You can rotate camera any way you like. It is also useful when there more people participating in the same webcam. Everyone can turn it to them when speaking. How Can I Improve Video Calling Quality For Zoom Meetings? Besides using one of the best webcams for zoom meetings listed above, there are few tips to improve team meetings' video call quality. Light: Make sure you do not have a light source on the background. Having A light source on the back will darken your footage. It really distorts the video. Distance: Do not distance yourself from the microphone. Distance will deteriorate sound quality. External Mic: Even though some webcams have a built-in mic, they cannot compete with a dedicated mic in sound quality. Do Webcams Need Special Software? Yes, some webcams need special software to operate. For others, only installing drivers would work. This specialized software is provided with the package most of the time. They can be downloaded from the manufacturer's site too. This software allows tweaking many settings in webcam. Hosting Webinars on Zoom You have to be a licensed Zoom user first. You will also need a Zoom Webinar license to host webinars. Once you have the license, you can schedule your webinar on the Zoom web portal. Deterring Hackers Webcams sometimes pose security threats, as we have seen in recent times. As precautions some things you can do are Use Firewall Keep the OS updated Do not link on the suspicious links Use VPN Use trusted tech support Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How can I look better in zoom? You can use Touch Up My Appearance in Zoom to get a soft focus and smooth out your skin tone. Do Webcams Need Special Software? Yes, some webcams need special software to operate. For others, only installing drivers would work. This specialized software is provided with the package most of the time. They can be downloaded from the manufacturer's site too. This software allows tweaking many settings on the webcam. What is a good webcam resolution? 720p or 1080p both resolutions are good enough regular use. Are webcams better than laptop camera? With very few exceptions, yes. Cameras used in laptops are fundamental. Webcams perform better than built-in cameras in notebooks. How to host webinars on Zoom? You have to be a licensed Zoom user first. You will also need a Zoom Webinar license to host webinars. Once you have the license, you can schedule your webinar on the Zoom web portal. Conclusion While buying a cam for your video meeting, your specific need and budget are the first and foremost thing. Keeping that in mind, focusing mainly on price and features, I have picked some best webcam for zoom in a few categories. I hope this list will help you find the one you have been looking for. We wish you all the best on your next zoom meeting.