webcams

The Obsbot Tiny 3 is a small webcam with a sensor as large as the one in the iPhone 17 Pro’s main camera. And, frankly, it delivers a ridiculous leap in image quality over standard webcams.

I spend a lot of time in online meetings — a couple of hours every other day. While I never paid much attention to image quality, I knew that my Creative 4K webcam was not really up to the task. So I tried the Obsbot Tiny 3. It’s great, but at $349, it costs a lot more than a regular webcam. Is it really worth it?

Logitech kicks off summer with its Buy More & Save sale on an array of peripherals for your Apple setup. You can scoop up keyboards, mice, webcams, iPad keyboard cases and more, through June 1. In this Logitech sale, some individual items get discounts, but the main deal comes on how much you spend, the company said: $150 off $450; $70 off $250; and $30 off $150.

As a person who relies on Logitech gear every day, I can vouch for it — especially when you can get a deal on a few items at once to really improve your setup.

With the big Refresh sale in full swing with Logitech peripherals deals, now’s the time to jazz up your workstation with an array of great gear. After all, a setup is never really done, is it? The Swiss peripherals giant is moving keyboards, mice, webcams, headsets, earbuds, USB microphones and more at great prices in the big sale. You can score up to around 30% off on some items. And surprisingly, one sale item gets reduced by $125, a staggering 56% off. See below.

Late-model MacBook Pro laptops include a decent camera. But many users find it falls a bit short for use on their video calls, podcasts and other needs. So a display-mounted webcam creeps into many MacBook setups. Today’s MacBook Pro user relies on the well-regarded Logitech StreamCam webcam to punch up his video footage.

Opal Tadpole acts as a replacement for the webcam in your laptop or tablet. Clip the well-built gadget to an older MacBook and you’ll look better on video calls.

I tested one with multiple computers to see how Tadpole stands up in real world use — and whether it might make a good gift this holiday season.

If you keep dual displays in your setup but you stack them rather than placing them side by side, where does the webcam go? That question came up with today’s MacBook Pro setup. And the user had a surprising answer that he claims works well.

The difference between a good webcam and a mediocre one can be revealing — you either look and sound good or you look and sound like crap. So if you’d rather take the professional road to quality videoconferencing and self-made videos, a good device like the Logitech C920 HD Pro Webcam in today’s M1 MacBook Air is a great way to get there.

A trick you might have missed with the release of iPadOS 17 is support for external USB-C webcams. As good as the tablet’s front-facing camera is, it’s now possible to use a webcam with an iPad.

Here’s why you might be interested, and how to connect a webcam to your iPad with a USB-C port.

Amazon bargain site Woot! did it again this week with another killer sale. This time it’s deals on Logitech peripherals and accessories going for anywhere from $5 to $255. The list of 60 items includes keyboards, mice, iPad folios, webcams, headsets and other gaming gear, and more.

And if it’s Woot!, there must be a cheeky phrase at the top of the sale page: “This isn’t logitech, captain.” – Science Officer Sprock.

Whether you’re working remotely or recording content, your video quality matters. If you’re ready for a webcam upgrade that can make your videos shine, try the Obsbot Tiny 2. It’s an AI-powered 4K webcam that automates a lot of the technical details like adjusting for lighting or focusing on the star of the show (undoubtedly you).

This smart webcam is also marked down for a limited time. Right now, you can get the well-reviewed Obsbot Tiny 2 for just $319.97.

The new Elgato Neo range of devices — condenser microphone, webcam, LED key light, capture card and stream deck — simplifies video calls, content creation and video streaming for newbies, the company said Thursday. The gear also looks good doing it, with a unified white design across all five devices.

All the Neo products are compatible with iPad, making them an excellent choice for creators who use their tablets for content creation.

Amazon bargain site Woot goes big on Logi Friday in its Logitech Peripherals and Accessories Sale. Keyboards, mice, iPad keyboard cases, webcams, gaming devices, headsets — you name it, it’s there. Some items are priced at half off.

As of Friday morning, 55 discounted new and refurbished items await you. The sale ends April 20 at 10 p.m. PT (but when items sell out, they’re gone).

The new Elgato Facecam Mk.2, successor to the company’s popular Facecam webcam for creators and streamers, just came out. Improved picture quality, a new privacy shutter and other enhancements appear to make it a worthy upgrade. And that’s especially true because it carries a lower price than Facecam did at its launch.

The ex-Apple and Beats folks behind the DSLR-like Opal C1 Webcam are back with a tiny new webcam claiming even better picture quality in an ultra-portable package for use with laptops and tablets — the Opal Tadpole.

And unlike the C1, which launched at $300 and dropped to $250, the Tadpole comes out of the gate at $175.

In Cult of Mac‘s Setups coverage, we often come across users wondering on social media about how to easily switch between personal and work computers using the same display, keyboard and other peripherals. A solid solution is a KVM switch, and StarTech rolled out five new ones recently.

The devices’ compact designs could suit home setups — especially elaborate ones that folks are proud enough of to flaunt online.

Video streamers with a lot to say know that working without a script can be challenging, and most teleprompters TV hosts use to read while maintaining eye contact are pricey. But the new Elgato Prompter brings the technology to the masses for $280, the company said Tuesday.

So you can look like a pro on your YouTube video or Zoom call. And Promter’s screen serves as an extra monitor for Mac or PC, too.

In a world where video meetings have become an integral part of our working lives, how you come across on calls can make or break a sales pitch or interview. The innovative FineCam Pro takes the quality of your device’s existing camera to the next level. And right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription on sale for just $49.99 (regularly $84).

Working remotely? BenQ unveiled its new ideaCam S1 Pro Friday for creative professionals working from home.

It sports various shooting modes and high resolution.

In a bid to capture the streaming content creator market, Elgato just launched what it called “the world’s first 4K60 webcam” — Facecam Pro. It shoot video in 4K resolution at a smooth 60 frames per second (fps), which previously required a DSLR or other advanced camera setup.

The pricey new camera joins the original Facecam in Elgato’s growing lineup.

Continuity Camera in macOS Ventura upgrades video calls by bringing the iPhone’s high-res camera to the Mac. But a way to attach the handset to the laptop is necessary. That’s where Belkin’s iPhone Mount with MagSafe comes in.

With macOS launching soon, it’s time for the accessory to debut, too.

Logitech unveiled its new Brio 500 webcam series and Zone Vibe headphones series for hybrid workers Thursday. The company said “they bring quality, style, affordability, and sustainability to today’s workers for ultramodern collaboration experiences.”

“Many remote and hybrid workers are still underequipped and grappling with pre-pandemic era solutions,” said Scott Wharton, Logitech Video Collaboration general manager. “Our innovative new genre of Brio webcams and Zone Vibe headphones answer the call of modern workers who need business-grade quality, style, and affordability for work and play.”

Dell rolled out its new Dell Pro Webcam over the weekend, offering a less-expensive alternative to the UltraSharp 4K webcam it brought to market last year.

The new one shares some high-end features but also lets go of some others to get the price down.

A new report said HP plans to release a 1440p USB-C monitor with a built-in webcam that pops up and features tracking much like Apple’s Center Stage used in iPad models.

The display should serve professionals who want decent pixel density but don’t need the top-shelf visuals a graphics professional might.

Like a lot of companies showing their wares at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, Anker is addressing today’s hybrid WFH culture with new gear. Through its AnkerWork division, it rolled out a video bar webcam with sound to help improve your video calls. Through its Nebula brand come a couple of crowd-funded premium laser projectors. And the company had a few other items, as well.

It doesn’t seem like virtual meetings will be going away anytime soon. You can vastly improve your video conferencing experience with an EssentialTech Workspace HD Webcam. It offers a razor-sharp 1080p image and smooth performance. And it’s in stock and on sale now!