| Electronics - Computers & Accessories - Webcams |
| 1-20 of 40 1 2 Next 20 |
|
|
click price to see details click image to enlarge click link to go to the store
| 1. Logitech 2 MP Webcam Pro 9000 with Built-in Microphone | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $79.99 -- our price: $58.10 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B002M78ECK Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review Reviews
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is one of the better webcams I have had the opportunity to use over the years. Its stylish design fits easily on top of my LCD screen, while its functionality and features continue to impress. However, Vista functionality can be an adventure at a few times.
First, let's talk about the good -- picture quality. Let me put it to you think way: This webcam works better than my high priced Sony Camcorder at picking up video in low-light settings. I was simply amazed the first time I used it in a room with compact flourescents in the middle of the night and had such remarkable clarity and picture quality. Logitech credits this ability with something they call RightLight technology (in the video review I get it backwards -- sorry Logitech!). Whatever you want to call it, it's one of the features that definitely makes this webcam stand above the rest. Next, the optics themselves are impressive. The 9000 utilized Carl Zeiss optics and you can tell the difference between this webcam and others. If you want to find out what makes Carl Zeiss optics so good, I encourage you to do a quick internet search or visit Wikipedia to look it up. It's hard to describe in text how this optics setup helps -- this is definitely something you have to see to believe. Overall, I found it worked well with all the major instant messaging applications -- AOL, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo. It also worked very well as a stand-alone camera taking incredible video and decent still shots -- but remember, if you want to take a lot of still shots the quality you get from a product like this is fair at best compared to what you will get with a decent digital camera. Now, let's talk about a few things that weren't so good about this webcam. The biggest struggle I had was with Windows Vista. Even though the box proclaims it is certified for Vista, I had numerous driver issues. The Logitech 9000 worked in Vista just fine, but for some reason at random intervals it wanted to re-install its drivers. One thing you should know if you purchase this camera is that when installing it you will want to make sure you have the installation program check for updates. I found there were two driver updates for the camera during install. However, even with these updates I continue to have that random re-installation issue. The "helper application" that comes with the 9000 lets you do a lot of things -- such as configure the webcam, add effects, etc. Although I had no problem configuring it I never got the effects to work. However, this wasn't a big deal for me as I have no use for the special effects. Overall, if you are looking for a quality webcam that can produce terrific results I highly recommend the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. Just be aware of potential Vista issues (which hopefully Logitech will solve). Other than that it's so easy to use even beginners to computers will be able to get it up and running in no time. A quality webcam at a good price considering all of its features.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Having never owned - or even so much as used - a webcam prior to this, I don't have much point of reference. That said, the installation of this product couldn't have been any easier. On my older desktop system, the installation only took a few minutes. The laptop I have is much newer, and the software installed even faster. Absolutely trouble-free, and within minutes I had a picture on screen and was able to take photos and make videos.
The adjustable clip on the back of the camera is very effective - it doubles as a stand, which came in handy on my bulky old non-flat screen monitor. On my laptop screen it was just as handy, resting firmly in place at the top of the screen. I was truly impressed by the video quality. Again, I've never owned a webcam previously, but I've viewed many webcam videos posted on websites - and I was aware that the image quality ran the gamut. The lens on this webcam produces a very sharp, detailed image. Even in relatively low-lighting, the picture wasn't bad at all. On my several years old desktop, the image didn't keep up with the movements very well - moving my head from side to side, for instance, resulted in quite a blur. But on my newer laptop, that blur was reduced extremely - the movements registered in more or less real-time. The auto-focus feature seems to do it's job pretty well, and makes operation very simple. The audio quality was definitely less impressive than the picture - but it was right in line with what I expected for a little tiny built-in microphone. Loud noises clip and/or distort - I tried playing my saxophone and the result wasn't listenable (though some would say that's due to my playing ability). Yelling, or even extremely loud talking, clips. But all things considered, when remaining at a distance of a couple feet and talking at a normal, even volume - the audio quality was very acceptable. I got a kick out of the various visual features. There are a bunch of filters - my favorite is the '50s style, creating a vintage black-and-white scratched up film look. Neonize was a trip - darkening everything on screen except for neon-colored borders to everything. The 'ghost' filter gives a blurred tracer effect to all movement. I don't know how much need I'll have for these, but they're fun to mess around with. There are also a bunch of options to change the look of your face on-screen - including 'robot face' which makes you look like a cyborg or something. I don't honestly know what the 'avatar' feature was supposed to do - I aligned my face within the red box like it said to, but nothing really happened ever once I initiated the feature... Bottom line - speaking for total, complete, 100% webcam novices like myself: this is a quality webcam that I could not imagine being easier to use. The video quality is top-notch. My biggest criticism - and this is actually kind of minor - is the utter lack of a storage case or pouch for the webcam. I don't plan to leave mine out all the time and I'd like to keep the lens (rightfully rated highly) in good shape. For the time being, I'm actually putting it back in the box but even a cheap felt pouch would've been nice.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Despite being a computer programmer for... longer than I can now apparently remember, I have never been someone with much desire to be on the leading edge of computer technology. Let somebody else try it out, help work out the bugs, and come up with a convincing argument for why I need such and such a thing, and I'll THINK about it... for a few years. Thus, I was late to get on the Internet, late to buy a home computer, and laughed out loud at the thought I might ever want or need a web cam... until now.
As a still camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 can take better pictures than my old and long gone digital camera, though at maximum resolution you'd better content yourself with emailing them one at a time. However, it is not a complete substitute for it because even with a very long extension cord that desktop will get heavy in a hurry. As a video camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 is truly amazing! At maximum resolution people only familiar with older generation web cams will be openmouthed with astonishment, and viewers of the resulting videos will be able to make educated guesses about their dental health. It has a "Face Tracking" feature that can be set to follow one face or multiple faces and will do so quite well no matter how the subject(s) move, though the resulting video is not recommended for anyone susceptible to motion sickness. In short a person who did not think he needed a webcam now wonders how he ever did without it. Defects? Well, the software that comes with it is more than a little buggy; you WILL want to download the latest software from their web site, which cleared up my problems. I also don't like the fact that you can select only a single image size for both still and video because only the three smallest image sizes work for both still and video. If you select any of the five larger image sizes for taking still photos, you will have to reset it for taking videos and vice versa, which since the newest version of the software finally saves my settings between runs, is more than a little annoying. (Note: the latest version of the Logitech software has added two more video image sizes: 1.3 and 2 megapixels, leaving only the three largest image sizes as still photo only.) A nice accessory would be a tiny protective carrying case because it is small enough to haul with you on trips. The original package will do the job, if you opened it carefully enough, but it is too bulky to fit well in a suitcase. Note: a more expensive Mac version (apparently because certain features available to PC's in software must be replaced by hardware) is now available: Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro. Word is that there is some cross-compatibility, but I wouldn't count on it. Purchase the one that is compatible with the machine you will mostly be using it with.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 has probably the clearest image for any reasonably priced WebCam. My daughter grabbed it from me as soon as it arrived and when we got it working her friends were astounded at how much better the image from our house was than all the other friends' webcams. The auto-focus does a nice job of keeping the picture in crystal clear focus even as you move around and get close to the camera. We used it to make a couple of short videos and at even larger sizes, they still looked great. We took some still pictures at the highest quality and they were razor sharp. Sound quality was also exceptional. The camera has the ability to automatically adjust to the light in the room and that worked nicely. It lets you turn the feature off in case you don't like the result. The camera has a well designed stand that lets it wrap around flat screen monitors and sit nicely on top of regular monitors.
Installation was painful on our PCs (Windows XP fully updated), however. On my daughter's computer we had to install twice to get all the correct editing software that comes with the camera. On my computer, the first try caused the installation to crash and when we finally did get everything installed after a couple of reboots we couldn't get the software to recognize that the camera was installed. We ran an update from Logitech, rebooted again, and everything was finally working. The Skype problem that has been reported in some reviews here seems to be related to the current version of Skype but people have been reporting success using Skype Version 2.5.0.154. Apparently, the Skype developers are aware of the problem and are working on a fix. Overall, this is an amazing camera. My daughter uses it to talk to her friends using Live Messenger and it works perfectly. It does a fantastic job as a still and video camera (at least one that is attached to the computer). The software lets you add all sorts of silly effects like putting an arrow through your head or giving you silly sunglasses (with more effects available for free downloading from Logitech) and it does a great job of keeping them in the right place even as you move around. I can strongly recommend this camera to anyone in the market for something better than one of those cheap, poor image cameras.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is a great all-around web-cam and perhaps the best value in high end models. While there are certainly more affordable models and a couple of higher end models, this one really hits the sweet spot in combining great value and top of the line features. I recently got to really test Microsoft's LifeCam VX-5000. It's a good all around webcam at a reasonable price, but it has some weaknesses. As such it provides a good counterpoint from which to compare the Quick Cam Pro 9000. While the VX-5000 is an improvement over older models, it still has some of the weaknesses we typically associate with web-cams. But at least in a few key areas the Quick Cam Pro 9000 overcomes those weaknesses. Pros + Video quality is very good, and can be used for professional (work) video conferencing if you wish + The video capture rate performs much better than competing devices I have tried + The microphone sensitivity is above average, but demanding users may still want to use a dedicated microphone + The highly touted low light performance and auto-adjustment works very well and not as well as the + The software includes less unneeded software than the VX-5000 + The HD video resolution can scale to full screen depending on your video resolution settings + The included software is very easy for non-techies to install and configure using simple buttons + Ability to zoom, pan and tilt are nice standard extras + Nice video effects, though they take some time and experience to use + Advanced features are just a click away, allowing customized settings + Nice indicator light alerts you to when webcam is capturing + The options to take a snapshot, record video or record sound are nice and useful for basic multimedia stuff Cons - The price may seem somewhat high for those who only want a basic webcam - The base is not the best design for working with a variety of monitors - Still has some software and driver issues for some versions of Windows - Not as much support for Mac users in terms of Logitech software Comparing Against The Alternatives The Logitech's Quick Cam Pro 9000 offers a true 2.0 megapixel sensor, but can create pictures that are the equivalent of 8.0 megapixels via interpolation. This is on the higher end of picture quality captured by the current generation of high end web-cams. The Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000 also offers a true 2.0 megapixel sensor. Conversely, the VX-5000 only gives you 1.3 megapixels, and those are interpolated up from the VGA resolution that is captured by the camera. Interpolation basically means the resolution is not based on the direct sensor but are *enhanced*. The native sensor capacity definitely matter more than the interpolated values, and the Pro 9000 has admirable numbers. Since the 9000 has a better built-in sensor, one would expect it to capture better video than the VX-5000 and it does. But it also captures better video than the VX7000 despite the similar listed sensor capabilities. Both the 9000 and the Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000 capture high definition video, but once again the 9000 can capture a higher resolution. Perhaps the difference is in the Zeiss optics. Now I am not your typical consumer when it comes to optics, having worked with optics professionally as well as for academic reasons. Name brand doesn't always tell you that the optics are *good* because all optics manufacturers produce a range of products from low to mid-range to high end. In this case, the visual quality definitely seems to be enhanced by some good quality internal optics. I have read they are real optical glass, but I haven't disassembled my unit to confirm that claim. ;-) So if you really want a very clear picture and don't mind spending twice as much, then the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is for you. It definitely has a better auto-adjustment feature than the VX-5000 that allow it to adapt more quickly and accurately to changing light conditions. It also has an auto-focus feature that seems to work very well too. The Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF is another high end camera that also has some auto-focus features at a higher price tag, around $100. Unlike the Pro 9000, it has a telescoping arm that allows you to extend the camera height more easily and as such it doesn't need to be rested on top of your monitor. Do your research depending upon your needs. If you need an inexpensive webcam and don't need high definition video, look into the VX-5000. If you want a higher quality unit that can be used easily under a variety of lighting conditions, the Pro 9000 is one of the best options. Enjoy!
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is one of the better webcams I have had the opportunity to use over the years. Its stylish design fits easily on top of my LCD screen, while its functionality and features continue to impress. However, Vista functionality can be an adventure at a few times.
First, let's talk about the good -- picture quality. Let me put it to you think way: This webcam works better than my high priced Sony Camcorder at picking up video in low-light settings. I was simply amazed the first time I used it in a room with compact flourescents in the middle of the night and had such remarkable clarity and picture quality. Logitech credits this ability with something they call RightLight technology (in the video review I get it backwards -- sorry Logitech!). Whatever you want to call it, it's one of the features that definitely makes this webcam stand above the rest. Next, the optics themselves are impressive. The 9000 utilized Carl Zeiss optics and you can tell the difference between this webcam and others. If you want to find out what makes Carl Zeiss optics so good, I encourage you to do a quick internet search or visit Wikipedia to look it up. It's hard to describe in text how this optics setup helps -- this is definitely something you have to see to believe. Overall, I found it worked well with all the major instant messaging applications -- AOL, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo. It also worked very well as a stand-alone camera taking incredible video and decent still shots -- but remember, if you want to take a lot of still shots the quality you get from a product like this is fair at best compared to what you will get with a decent digital camera. Now, let's talk about a few things that weren't so good about this webcam. The biggest struggle I had was with Windows Vista. Even though the box proclaims it is certified for Vista, I had numerous driver issues. The Logitech 9000 worked in Vista just fine, but for some reason at random intervals it wanted to re-install its drivers. One thing you should know if you purchase this camera is that when installing it you will want to make sure you have the installation program check for updates. I found there were two driver updates for the camera during install. However, even with these updates I continue to have that random re-installation issue. The "helper application" that comes with the 9000 lets you do a lot of things -- such as configure the webcam, add effects, etc. Although I had no problem configuring it I never got the effects to work. However, this wasn't a big deal for me as I have no use for the special effects. Overall, if you are looking for a quality webcam that can produce terrific results I highly recommend the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. Just be aware of potential Vista issues (which hopefully Logitech will solve). Other than that it's so easy to use even beginners to computers will be able to get it up and running in no time. A quality webcam at a good price considering all of its features.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Having never owned - or even so much as used - a webcam prior to this, I don't have much point of reference. That said, the installation of this product couldn't have been any easier. On my older desktop system, the installation only took a few minutes. The laptop I have is much newer, and the software installed even faster. Absolutely trouble-free, and within minutes I had a picture on screen and was able to take photos and make videos.
The adjustable clip on the back of the camera is very effective - it doubles as a stand, which came in handy on my bulky old non-flat screen monitor. On my laptop screen it was just as handy, resting firmly in place at the top of the screen. I was truly impressed by the video quality. Again, I've never owned a webcam previously, but I've viewed many webcam videos posted on websites - and I was aware that the image quality ran the gamut. The lens on this webcam produces a very sharp, detailed image. Even in relatively low-lighting, the picture wasn't bad at all. On my several years old desktop, the image didn't keep up with the movements very well - moving my head from side to side, for instance, resulted in quite a blur. But on my newer laptop, that blur was reduced extremely - the movements registered in more or less real-time. The auto-focus feature seems to do it's job pretty well, and makes operation very simple. The audio quality was definitely less impressive than the picture - but it was right in line with what I expected for a little tiny built-in microphone. Loud noises clip and/or distort - I tried playing my saxophone and the result wasn't listenable (though some would say that's due to my playing ability). Yelling, or even extremely loud talking, clips. But all things considered, when remaining at a distance of a couple feet and talking at a normal, even volume - the audio quality was very acceptable. I got a kick out of the various visual features. There are a bunch of filters - my favorite is the '50s style, creating a vintage black-and-white scratched up film look. Neonize was a trip - darkening everything on screen except for neon-colored borders to everything. The 'ghost' filter gives a blurred tracer effect to all movement. I don't know how much need I'll have for these, but they're fun to mess around with. There are also a bunch of options to change the look of your face on-screen - including 'robot face' which makes you look like a cyborg or something. I don't honestly know what the 'avatar' feature was supposed to do - I aligned my face within the red box like it said to, but nothing really happened ever once I initiated the feature... Bottom line - speaking for total, complete, 100% webcam novices like myself: this is a quality webcam that I could not imagine being easier to use. The video quality is top-notch. My biggest criticism - and this is actually kind of minor - is the utter lack of a storage case or pouch for the webcam. I don't plan to leave mine out all the time and I'd like to keep the lens (rightfully rated highly) in good shape. For the time being, I'm actually putting it back in the box but even a cheap felt pouch would've been nice.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Despite being a computer programmer for... longer than I can now apparently remember, I have never been someone with much desire to be on the leading edge of computer technology. Let somebody else try it out, help work out the bugs, and come up with a convincing argument for why I need such and such a thing, and I'll THINK about it... for a few years. Thus, I was late to get on the Internet, late to buy a home computer, and laughed out loud at the thought I might ever want or need a web cam... until now.
As a still camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 can take better pictures than my old and long gone digital camera, though at maximum resolution you'd better content yourself with emailing them one at a time. However, it is not a complete substitute for it because even with a very long extension cord that desktop will get heavy in a hurry. As a video camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 is truly amazing! At maximum resolution people only familiar with older generation web cams will be openmouthed with astonishment, and viewers of the resulting videos will be able to make educated guesses about their dental health. It has a "Face Tracking" feature that can be set to follow one face or multiple faces and will do so quite well no matter how the subject(s) move, though the resulting video is not recommended for anyone susceptible to motion sickness. In short a person who did not think he needed a webcam now wonders how he ever did without it. Defects? Well, the software that comes with it is more than a little buggy; you WILL want to download the latest software from their web site, which cleared up my problems. I also don't like the fact that you can select only a single image size for both still and video because only the three smallest image sizes work for both still and video. If you select any of the five larger image sizes for taking still photos, you will have to reset it for taking videos and vice versa, which since the newest version of the software finally saves my settings between runs, is more than a little annoying. (Note: the latest version of the Logitech software has added two more video image sizes: 1.3 and 2 megapixels, leaving only the three largest image sizes as still photo only.) A nice accessory would be a tiny protective carrying case because it is small enough to haul with you on trips. The original package will do the job, if you opened it carefully enough, but it is too bulky to fit well in a suitcase. Note: a more expensive Mac version (apparently because certain features available to PC's in software must be replaced by hardware) is now available: Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro. Word is that there is some cross-compatibility, but I wouldn't count on it. Purchase the one that is compatible with the machine you will mostly be using it with.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 has probably the clearest image for any reasonably priced WebCam. My daughter grabbed it from me as soon as it arrived and when we got it working her friends were astounded at how much better the image from our house was than all the other friends' webcams. The auto-focus does a nice job of keeping the picture in crystal clear focus even as you move around and get close to the camera. We used it to make a couple of short videos and at even larger sizes, they still looked great. We took some still pictures at the highest quality and they were razor sharp. Sound quality was also exceptional. The camera has the ability to automatically adjust to the light in the room and that worked nicely. It lets you turn the feature off in case you don't like the result. The camera has a well designed stand that lets it wrap around flat screen monitors and sit nicely on top of regular monitors.
Installation was painful on our PCs (Windows XP fully updated), however. On my daughter's computer we had to install twice to get all the correct editing software that comes with the camera. On my computer, the first try caused the installation to crash and when we finally did get everything installed after a couple of reboots we couldn't get the software to recognize that the camera was installed. We ran an update from Logitech, rebooted again, and everything was finally working. The Skype problem that has been reported in some reviews here seems to be related to the current version of Skype but people have been reporting success using Skype Version 2.5.0.154. Apparently, the Skype developers are aware of the problem and are working on a fix. Overall, this is an amazing camera. My daughter uses it to talk to her friends using Live Messenger and it works perfectly. It does a fantastic job as a still and video camera (at least one that is attached to the computer). The software lets you add all sorts of silly effects like putting an arrow through your head or giving you silly sunglasses (with more effects available for free downloading from Logitech) and it does a great job of keeping them in the right place even as you move around. I can strongly recommend this camera to anyone in the market for something better than one of those cheap, poor image cameras.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is a great all-around web-cam and perhaps the best value in high end models. While there are certainly more affordable models and a couple of higher end models, this one really hits the sweet spot in combining great value and top of the line features. I recently got to really test Microsoft's LifeCam VX-5000. It's a good all around webcam at a reasonable price, but it has some weaknesses. As such it provides a good counterpoint from which to compare the Quick Cam Pro 9000. While the VX-5000 is an improvement over older models, it still has some of the weaknesses we typically associate with web-cams. But at least in a few key areas the Quick Cam Pro 9000 overcomes those weaknesses. Pros + Video quality is very good, and can be used for professional (work) video conferencing if you wish + The video capture rate performs much better than competing devices I have tried + The microphone sensitivity is above average, but demanding users may still want to use a dedicated microphone + The highly touted low light performance and auto-adjustment works very well and not as well as the + The software includes less unneeded software than the VX-5000 + The HD video resolution can scale to full screen depending on your video resolution settings + The included software is very easy for non-techies to install and configure using simple buttons + Ability to zoom, pan and tilt are nice standard extras + Nice video effects, though they take some time and experience to use + Advanced features are just a click away, allowing customized settings + Nice indicator light alerts you to when webcam is capturing + The options to take a snapshot, record video or record sound are nice and useful for basic multimedia stuff Cons - The price may seem somewhat high for those who only want a basic webcam - The base is not the best design for working with a variety of monitors - Still has some software and driver issues for some versions of Windows - Not as much support for Mac users in terms of Logitech software Comparing Against The Alternatives The Logitech's Quick Cam Pro 9000 offers a true 2.0 megapixel sensor, but can create pictures that are the equivalent of 8.0 megapixels via interpolation. This is on the higher end of picture quality captured by the current generation of high end web-cams. The Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000 also offers a true 2.0 megapixel sensor. Conversely, the VX-5000 only gives you 1.3 megapixels, and those are interpolated up from the VGA resolution that is captured by the camera. Interpolation basically means the resolution is not based on the direct sensor but are *enhanced*. The native sensor capacity definitely matter more than the interpolated values, and the Pro 9000 has admirable numbers. Since the 9000 has a better built-in sensor, one would expect it to capture better video than the VX-5000 and it does. But it also captures better video than the VX7000 despite the similar listed sensor capabilities. Both the 9000 and the Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000 capture high definition video, but once again the 9000 can capture a higher resolution. Perhaps the difference is in the Zeiss optics. Now I am not your typical consumer when it comes to optics, having worked with optics professionally as well as for academic reasons. Name brand doesn't always tell you that the optics are *good* because all optics manufacturers produce a range of products from low to mid-range to high end. In this case, the visual quality definitely seems to be enhanced by some good quality internal optics. I have read they are real optical glass, but I haven't disassembled my unit to confirm that claim. ;-) So if you really want a very clear picture and don't mind spending twice as much, then the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is for you. It definitely has a better auto-adjustment feature than the VX-5000 that allow it to adapt more quickly and accurately to changing light conditions. It also has an auto-focus feature that seems to work very well too. The Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF is another high end camera that also has some auto-focus features at a higher price tag, around $100. Unlike the Pro 9000, it has a telescoping arm that allows you to extend the camera height more easily and as such it doesn't need to be rested on top of your monitor. Do your research depending upon your needs. If you need an inexpensive webcam and don't need high definition video, look into the VX-5000. If you want a higher quality unit that can be used easily under a variety of lighting conditions, the Pro 9000 is one of the best options. Enjoy! ... Read more | |
| 2. Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910 with 1080p Video | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $99.99 -- our price: $74.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B003M2YT96 Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc Sales Rank: 43 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 3. Logitech HD Webcam C310 with 720p Video, 5 MP Photos | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $41.78 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B003LVZO8S Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc Sales Rank: 147 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 4. Logitech HD Webcam C510 with 720p Video and Swivel Design | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $59.99 -- our price: $45.98 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B003LVZO92 Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc Sales Rank: 121 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 5. USB 6 LED PC Webcam Camera plus + Night Vision MSN, ICQ, AIM, Skype, Net Meeting and compatible with Win 98 / 2000 / NT / Me / XP / Vista | |
![]() | list price: $24.99 -- our price: $1.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B0015TJNEY Manufacturer: Generic Sales Rank: 134 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review
| |
| 6. Logitech Webcam C210 with 1.3 MP Photos and Microphone | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $27.94 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B003LVZO88 Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc Sales Rank: 83 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 7. Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 (68A-00001) | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $23.59 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B000EVM5DK Manufacturer: Microsoft US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 8. Logitech Webcam C260 with 3 MP Photos and Microphone | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $39.99 -- our price: $37.98 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B003LVZO8I Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc Sales Rank: 157 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 9. Logitech Webcam C500 with 1.3MP Video andBuilt-in Microphone | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $29.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B002M78ECU Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
| 10. Microsoft LifeCam Cinema | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $79.95 -- our price: $50.63 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B002MCZJ78 Manufacturer: Microsoft US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 11. USB Webcam with LED Lights - Metal Finish | |
![]() | list price: $32.99 -- our price: $5.94 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B002DW0VT8 Manufacturer: Generic Sales Rank: 341 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review
| |
| 12. Flexible 5.0 Megapixel USB PC Camera Webcam | |
![]() | list price: $29.99 -- our price: $5.11 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B001M5092G Manufacturer: Generic Sales Rank: 444 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review
Reviews
| |
| 13. Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 (Red) | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $27.14 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B0015BYS74 Manufacturer: Microsoft Sales Rank: 321 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 14. Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro for Mac (Black) | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $99.99 -- our price: $87.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B001AOK7KI Manufacturer: Logitech Sales Rank: 301 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 15. Microsoft LifeCam HD-5000 | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $29.95 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B002XN7C6W Manufacturer: Microsoft Sales Rank: 374 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 16. Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 / QuickCam Pro 9000 | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $79.99 -- our price: $58.10 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B000RZQZM0 Manufacturer: Logitech Sales Rank: 1157 Average Customer Review: US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Reviews
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is one of the better webcams I have had the opportunity to use over the years. Its stylish design fits easily on top of my LCD screen, while its functionality and features continue to impress. However, Vista functionality can be an adventure at a few times.
First, let's talk about the good -- picture quality. Let me put it to you think way: This webcam works better than my high priced Sony Camcorder at picking up video in low-light settings. I was simply amazed the first time I used it in a room with compact flourescents in the middle of the night and had such remarkable clarity and picture quality. Logitech credits this ability with something they call RightLight technology (in the video review I get it backwards -- sorry Logitech!). Whatever you want to call it, it's one of the features that definitely makes this webcam stand above the rest. Next, the optics themselves are impressive. The 9000 utilized Carl Zeiss optics and you can tell the difference between this webcam and others. If you want to find out what makes Carl Zeiss optics so good, I encourage you to do a quick internet search or visit Wikipedia to look it up. It's hard to describe in text how this optics setup helps -- this is definitely something you have to see to believe. Overall, I found it worked well with all the major instant messaging applications -- AOL, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo. It also worked very well as a stand-alone camera taking incredible video and decent still shots -- but remember, if you want to take a lot of still shots the quality you get from a product like this is fair at best compared to what you will get with a decent digital camera. Now, let's talk about a few things that weren't so good about this webcam. The biggest struggle I had was with Windows Vista. Even though the box proclaims it is certified for Vista, I had numerous driver issues. The Logitech 9000 worked in Vista just fine, but for some reason at random intervals it wanted to re-install its drivers. One thing you should know if you purchase this camera is that when installing it you will want to make sure you have the installation program check for updates. I found there were two driver updates for the camera during install. However, even with these updates I continue to have that random re-installation issue. The "helper application" that comes with the 9000 lets you do a lot of things -- such as configure the webcam, add effects, etc. Although I had no problem configuring it I never got the effects to work. However, this wasn't a big deal for me as I have no use for the special effects. Overall, if you are looking for a quality webcam that can produce terrific results I highly recommend the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. Just be aware of potential Vista issues (which hopefully Logitech will solve). Other than that it's so easy to use even beginners to computers will be able to get it up and running in no time. A quality webcam at a good price considering all of its features.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Having never owned - or even so much as used - a webcam prior to this, I don't have much point of reference. That said, the installation of this product couldn't have been any easier. On my older desktop system, the installation only took a few minutes. The laptop I have is much newer, and the software installed even faster. Absolutely trouble-free, and within minutes I had a picture on screen and was able to take photos and make videos.
The adjustable clip on the back of the camera is very effective - it doubles as a stand, which came in handy on my bulky old non-flat screen monitor. On my laptop screen it was just as handy, resting firmly in place at the top of the screen. I was truly impressed by the video quality. Again, I've never owned a webcam previously, but I've viewed many webcam videos posted on websites - and I was aware that the image quality ran the gamut. The lens on this webcam produces a very sharp, detailed image. Even in relatively low-lighting, the picture wasn't bad at all. On my several years old desktop, the image didn't keep up with the movements very well - moving my head from side to side, for instance, resulted in quite a blur. But on my newer laptop, that blur was reduced extremely - the movements registered in more or less real-time. The auto-focus feature seems to do it's job pretty well, and makes operation very simple. The audio quality was definitely less impressive than the picture - but it was right in line with what I expected for a little tiny built-in microphone. Loud noises clip and/or distort - I tried playing my saxophone and the result wasn't listenable (though some would say that's due to my playing ability). Yelling, or even extremely loud talking, clips. But all things considered, when remaining at a distance of a couple feet and talking at a normal, even volume - the audio quality was very acceptable. I got a kick out of the various visual features. There are a bunch of filters - my favorite is the '50s style, creating a vintage black-and-white scratched up film look. Neonize was a trip - darkening everything on screen except for neon-colored borders to everything. The 'ghost' filter gives a blurred tracer effect to all movement. I don't know how much need I'll have for these, but they're fun to mess around with. There are also a bunch of options to change the look of your face on-screen - including 'robot face' which makes you look like a cyborg or something. I don't honestly know what the 'avatar' feature was supposed to do - I aligned my face within the red box like it said to, but nothing really happened ever once I initiated the feature... Bottom line - speaking for total, complete, 100% webcam novices like myself: this is a quality webcam that I could not imagine being easier to use. The video quality is top-notch. My biggest criticism - and this is actually kind of minor - is the utter lack of a storage case or pouch for the webcam. I don't plan to leave mine out all the time and I'd like to keep the lens (rightfully rated highly) in good shape. For the time being, I'm actually putting it back in the box but even a cheap felt pouch would've been nice.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Despite being a computer programmer for... longer than I can now apparently remember, I have never been someone with much desire to be on the leading edge of computer technology. Let somebody else try it out, help work out the bugs, and come up with a convincing argument for why I need such and such a thing, and I'll THINK about it... for a few years. Thus, I was late to get on the Internet, late to buy a home computer, and laughed out loud at the thought I might ever want or need a web cam... until now.
As a still camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 can take better pictures than my old and long gone digital camera, though at maximum resolution you'd better content yourself with emailing them one at a time. However, it is not a complete substitute for it because even with a very long extension cord that desktop will get heavy in a hurry. As a video camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 is truly amazing! At maximum resolution people only familiar with older generation web cams will be openmouthed with astonishment, and viewers of the resulting videos will be able to make educated guesses about their dental health. It has a "Face Tracking" feature that can be set to follow one face or multiple faces and will do so quite well no matter how the subject(s) move, though the resulting video is not recommended for anyone susceptible to motion sickness. In short a person who did not think he needed a webcam now wonders how he ever did without it. Defects? Well, the software that comes with it is more than a little buggy; you WILL want to download the latest software from their web site, which cleared up my problems. I also don't like the fact that you can select only a single image size for both still and video because only the three smallest image sizes work for both still and video. If you select any of the five larger image sizes for taking still photos, you will have to reset it for taking videos and vice versa, which since the newest version of the software finally saves my settings between runs, is more than a little annoying. (Note: the latest version of the Logitech software has added two more video image sizes: 1.3 and 2 megapixels, leaving only the three largest image sizes as still photo only.) A nice accessory would be a tiny protective carrying case because it is small enough to haul with you on trips. The original package will do the job, if you opened it carefully enough, but it is too bulky to fit well in a suitcase. Note: a more expensive Mac version (apparently because certain features available to PC's in software must be replaced by hardware) is now available: Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro. Word is that there is some cross-compatibility, but I wouldn't count on it. Purchase the one that is compatible with the machine you will mostly be using it with.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 has probably the clearest image for any reasonably priced WebCam. My daughter grabbed it from me as soon as it arrived and when we got it working her friends were astounded at how much better the image from our house was than all the other friends' webcams. The auto-focus does a nice job of keeping the picture in crystal clear focus even as you move around and get close to the camera. We used it to make a couple of short videos and at even larger sizes, they still looked great. We took some still pictures at the highest quality and they were razor sharp. Sound quality was also exceptional. The camera has the ability to automatically adjust to the light in the room and that worked nicely. It lets you turn the feature off in case you don't like the result. The camera has a well designed stand that lets it wrap around flat screen monitors and sit nicely on top of regular monitors.
Installation was painful on our PCs (Windows XP fully updated), however. On my daughter's computer we had to install twice to get all the correct editing software that comes with the camera. On my computer, the first try caused the installation to crash and when we finally did get everything installed after a couple of reboots we couldn't get the software to recognize that the camera was installed. We ran an update from Logitech, rebooted again, and everything was finally working. The Skype problem that has been reported in some reviews here seems to be related to the current version of Skype but people have been reporting success using Skype Version 2.5.0.154. Apparently, the Skype developers are aware of the problem and are working on a fix. Overall, this is an amazing camera. My daughter uses it to talk to her friends using Live Messenger and it works perfectly. It does a fantastic job as a still and video camera (at least one that is attached to the computer). The software lets you add all sorts of silly effects like putting an arrow through your head or giving you silly sunglasses (with more effects available for free downloading from Logitech) and it does a great job of keeping them in the right place even as you move around. I can strongly recommend this camera to anyone in the market for something better than one of those cheap, poor image cameras.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is a great all-around web-cam and perhaps the best value in high end models. While there are certainly more affordable models and a couple of higher end models, this one really hits the sweet spot in combining great value and top of the line features. I recently got to really test Microsoft's LifeCam VX-5000. It's a good all around webcam at a reasonable price, but it has some weaknesses. As such it provides a good counterpoint from which to compare the Quick Cam Pro 9000. While the VX-5000 is an improvement over older models, it still has some of the weaknesses we typically associate with web-cams. But at least in a few key areas the Quick Cam Pro 9000 overcomes those weaknesses. Pros + Video quality is very good, and can be used for professional (work) video conferencing if you wish + The video capture rate performs much better than competing devices I have tried + The microphone sensitivity is above average, but demanding users may still want to use a dedicated microphone + The highly touted low light performance and auto-adjustment works very well and not as well as the + The software includes less unneeded software than the VX-5000 + The HD video resolution can scale to full screen depending on your video resolution settings + The included software is very easy for non-techies to install and configure using simple buttons + Ability to zoom, pan and tilt are nice standard extras + Nice video effects, though they take some time and experience to use + Advanced features are just a click away, allowing customized settings + Nice indicator light alerts you to when webcam is capturing + The options to take a snapshot, record video or record sound are nice and useful for basic multimedia stuff Cons - The price may seem somewhat high for those who only want a basic webcam - The base is not the best design for working with a variety of monitors - Still has some software and driver issues for some versions of Windows - Not as much support for Mac users in terms of Logitech software Comparing Against The Alternatives The Logitech's Quick Cam Pro 9000 offers a true 2.0 megapixel sensor, but can create pictures that are the equivalent of 8.0 megapixels via interpolation. This is on the higher end of picture quality captured by the current generation of high end web-cams. The Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000 also offers a true 2.0 megapixel sensor. Conversely, the VX-5000 only gives you 1.3 megapixels, and those are interpolated up from the VGA resolution that is captured by the camera. Interpolation basically means the resolution is not based on the direct sensor but are *enhanced*. The native sensor capacity definitely matter more than the interpolated values, and the Pro 9000 has admirable numbers. Since the 9000 has a better built-in sensor, one would expect it to capture better video than the VX-5000 and it does. But it also captures better video than the VX7000 despite the similar listed sensor capabilities. Both the 9000 and the Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000 capture high definition video, but once again the 9000 can capture a higher resolution. Perhaps the difference is in the Zeiss optics. Now I am not your typical consumer when it comes to optics, having worked with optics professionally as well as for academic reasons. Name brand doesn't always tell you that the optics are *good* because all optics manufacturers produce a range of products from low to mid-range to high end. In this case, the visual quality definitely seems to be enhanced by some good quality internal optics. I have read they are real optical glass, but I haven't disassembled my unit to confirm that claim. ;-) So if you really want a very clear picture and don't mind spending twice as much, then the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is for you. It definitely has a better auto-adjustment feature than the VX-5000 that allow it to adapt more quickly and accurately to changing light conditions. It also has an auto-focus feature that seems to work very well too. The Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF is another high end camera that also has some auto-focus features at a higher price tag, around $100. Unlike the Pro 9000, it has a telescoping arm that allows you to extend the camera height more easily and as such it doesn't need to be rested on top of your monitor. Do your research depending upon your needs. If you need an inexpensive webcam and don't need high definition video, look into the VX-5000. If you want a higher quality unit that can be used easily under a variety of lighting conditions, the Pro 9000 is one of the best options. Enjoy! ... Read more | |
| 17. Logitech 2 MP HD Webcam C905 for Notebooks with Built-in Microphone | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $99.99 -- our price: $58.99 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B002QUZNOK Manufacturer: Logitech US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 18. Flexible 5.0 Megapixel USB PC Camera Webcam with Microphone | |
![]() | list price: $39.99 -- our price: $3.45 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B0019WF4FE Manufacturer: Generic Sales Rank: 440 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review
| |
| 19. Macally ICECAM2 USB 2.0 Video Web Camera with Built-in Microphone (White) | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $55.20 -- our price: $22.08 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B001AD0QPA Manufacturer: Macally Sales Rank: 610 US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 20. Logitech C200 Webcam (Black) | |
![]() | Electronics
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $23.97 (price subject to change: see help) Asin: B002GP7ZTQ Manufacturer: Logitech, Inc US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
|
Editorial Review | |
| 1-20 of 40 1 2 Next 20 |