Any Webcam recommendations?

Hi guys,

I'm looking to pick up a couple webcams for my mum and sister for christmas, so that they can talk via msn etc... i want to get them some nice ones, high frames/second, decent capture size etc... I'm happy to pay £30-£40 each (maybe even closer to £50 if the extra features are worth it. Which leads me onto my next question, i've been looking around on http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/pr.../EN,crid=220o3 and they have lots of models that also come in "messenger" versions, anyone know what the difference really is between them? if any? Also, don't really want/need any of the video editing software, oh, and does the face tracking stuff work well/make much of a difference?

I'll admit, i haven't searched around the logitech site in too much depth yet because i've got to go to work now. so i'll probably check it out a little bit more later anyway, but any advice is always welcome.


Thanks guys,

Bres

Logitechs are fantastic. I've got a 3000pro and it's superb :)

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Originally Posted by Lowe

Logitechs are fantastic. I've got a 3000pro and it's superb :)

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Me too, top quality, as is the Phillips toucam pro.

There is not a lot of difference between most webcams. Some claim to be USB2 but in reality are only "USB2 Compatible" and run at USB 1.1 speeds (12Mbps). Many will also claim to be 1.3 Megapixel. This is interpolated and not the true resolution which is almost always 640x480. The main thing to look for is the sensor type. If you want good colour rendition, low noise, and good low light capability (and trust me, you do) then make sure it has a proper CCD sensor, and *not* a CMOS sensor. No matter how great the claims are on the box, CMOS sensors come nowhere near the performance of a slightly more expensive CCD sensor. CCD webcams are so good that many amateur astronomers are attaching them to their telescopes and getting some absolutely amazing photos.

The Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 has a CCD sensor, as does the Philips PCVC840K, but check on the box before you buy it, because it is not unknown for the manufacturers to have subtle differences in model number and a CMOS sensor rather than CCD.

Mike

I own a Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 myself, great little thing, don't go for the Logitech sphere thingy if you intend to use the built in mic as it pic up noise made by the motor moving the camera around apparently :o

I've got a Logitech Quickcam 4000 Pro too, it's very good quality. I have no need for it anymore so feel free to PM me with an offer if you're interested.

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Originally Posted by 0iD

top quality, as is the Phillips toucam pro.

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The stand annoys me on mine but that was soon fixed with 30mins if the metalshop at work and a flexi shaft.

Cheers guys, looks like it's a Quickcam pro 4000 or pro 5000 then, thats serves me right for checking the logitech site first, the logitech site says the pro 4000 is around £80, if only i had checked e-buyer and scan first and knew they were only £30-40 this thread wouldn't have been needed. cheers for all the help anyway guys, and thanks for the offer Tak but i might aswell get them both together at the same time.

Bres

Glad I found this thread because I was going to ask the same question. Thanks for everyone who gave advise.

Does anyone can say anything about Logitech QuickCam Fusion ?

I need a webcam for teleconferencing with Skype or Messenger.
I have a headset but the mic output signal is low and my sound-on-board
circuit does not have a mic boost function.
In other words, until I go and spent c. £150 on Creative Labs SoundBlaster X-Fi Fatal1ty
(which I plan to buy at some point) I need to find a way around the mic problem.
The QuickCam Fusion comes with a built-in mic plus
it received some good reviews in terms of its pure picture performance.

I also looked at Creative Webcam Live! Motion however :
- its resolution is lower, just usual 640x480
- I do not really need its impressive tracking feature
- its more expensive
- most important, I read that it is clearly underperforming in terms of pic quality.

Any other recommendations ?

Regards

Robert

Another vote for the Quickcam Pro 4000, it is superb!

Thanks for your vote ... :bowdown:
I decided to go for PRO 5000.
I had trouble to find it in stock on the net.
Most of the sites ran out of it before Xmas.
As I wanted to get one soon I paid a bit more and got it from Maplin. :thumbsup:
They had two of them in their Queensway store in West London.

Cheers

Robert