Laptops are an essential part of our lives. They help us with our work and keep us entertained in our free time. However, laptops have one major drawback: their cameras aren’t the best. This drawback can be a problem if you need to video chat or take a picture while you’re away from your home base. Fortunately, external laptop camera options exist that can solve this problem.
The best option for you depends on what kind of laptop you have and how much money you want to spend.
The first type of external laptop camera is a webcam-style device. These attach magnets or Velcro to your monitor and send a live feed directly to Skype, Hangouts, FaceTime, etc. These devices typically cost around $30-$100.
The second type of device is a clamshell design. These will typically cost around $70-$200, depending on which brand you choose and whether it’s wireless or wired.
How Do I Choose External Laptop Camera?
When considering a laptop camera, you’ll want to consider the quality of the webcam. Most webcams will work just fine for casual video chat and live stream. Still, if you’re going to make professional videos or produce content with HD-quality graphics, you’ll need a higher-quality webcam.
Consider your needs and how often you’ll use them before purchasing. For example, some laptops offer built-in cameras that can be used as an external webcam, while others do not. If you plan on buying an external device, try looking into one with built-in and exterior cameras.
The two most important things to look for when buying an external webcam are:
- Does it have autofocus
- Does it have light-adjusting capabilities
How Does External Laptop Camera Work?
External webcams work the same way as a built-in webcam on your computer, but they can be placed in different locations to take photos of people from different angles.
Webcams can come with different features, including built-in microphones and high-resolution cameras for excellent video quality.
Many webcams are compatible with Mac and Linux users and those who want high-definition videos or an image quality that’s not possible with their built-in webcams.
In addition to these features, some external webcams offer infrared night vision capabilities, which is helpful if you’re doing Skype calls late at night.
In general, there are four types of the external webcam which includes:
- USB
- Composite cable
- HDMI cable
- Wireless
Your choice depends on your devices and what type of connection will work best for your needs. For example, some users may prefer using a USB webcam because they can plug it into any device without worrying about compatibility issues like composite or HDMI cables. Other users may choose wireless webcams because they don’t have to worry about tangled wires cluttering their desks!
What You Should Know Before Purchasing A Webcam
To choose the best webcam, you need to take into account the following factors:
- Video Quality: If you’re looking for a web camera with a good lens and accurate colors, you’ll want to find one with a high-quality glass lens and one that supports high-quality video recording.
- Frame Rate: Frame rate is the number of images the webcam can capture per second. The higher the frame rate, the smoother the video will be. Frame rates are measured in frames per second (FPS). So be sure that your webcam can shoot at least 24 FPS.
- Operating System Compatibility: Webcams on Macs will work better with Mac computers than those on PCs and vice versa. Before purchasing an external laptop camera, ensure it is compatible with your laptop and the operating system.
- A Webcam Resolution: A webcam resolution is the number of pixels that make up the image captured by the webcam. The higher the resolution, the better the image quality. The most common resolutions for webcams are 640×480, 800×600, and 1024×768. However, for a high-quality image, you should look for a webcam with a resolution of 1280×1024 or higher.
The cost of a webcam depends on the features included in the package. You might pay as little as $10 for one that supports essential functions such as making video calls or capturing still images from an SD card (like this Logitech C922x).
More expensive webcams might have additional features like pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ), facial recognition software, 3D capabilities, or autofocus.
Finally, look for webcams with features tailored to your specific needs.
Conclusion
Choosing a laptop webcam is not easy, but with these five steps, you will be able to figure out which one is right for your needs:
- Check your laptop to see if it has an available USB port. If it does, you can connect the camera directly, and the installation process will be simple.
- Check reviews for the product on a site like Amazon to understand how other users have experienced the product.
- Consider what type of footage you want to capture when deciding between models that offer stills versus video options.
- Consider what features are important to you in your purchase.
- Make sure that whatever external camera you buy is compatible with your laptop model.
