Thinking of upgrading your webcam? If you rely on working from home, you may need something better than what came built into your computer. You don’t want to be “that guy” in the Zoom meeting, foggy and unfocused and your screen keeps freezing. These are the sort of distractions that can hurt your career.
We’ve put together a quick guide to choosing the best webcam for your budget.
When looking at the different options out there, here are the most important considerations:
1. Resolution
Like any type of camera, pixels and resolution are vital to the quality of image it will produce. For a webcam you want a minimum of 1080p. Don’t try to skimp and get away with a 720p camera, it’s not worth it. And if you have the budget, splurge on a 4K webcam. Especially if you’re looking to record videos, for YouTube or other purposes.
2. Frame Rate
Frame rate effects how smooth your video looks with movement. A 30 fps frame rate is adequate, but jumping up to a 60 fps webcam will help you come across as really natural and not choppy.
3. Lenses
When it comes to lenses, the bigger the better. A bigger lens allows in more light, which means you’ll look better. This is what they refer to as aperture size, you’ll want something between the f/2.0 to f/2.8 range, which most webcams you can buy do fall into.
4. Autofocus
This is a feature you want to be aware of if you’re looking at finding a more inexpensive webcam, as many of them tend to be fixed focus. This means if you scoot your chair closer, or hold something up to the camera, it won’t automatically refocus. Most mid to high end webcams will have autofocus, but this is definitely a feature you want to confirm when looking at cheaper options.
If you’re having a hard time finding a webcam that fits your needs, and justifies paying out of pocket for, you might be able to get away with using your smartphone.
Most video streaming apps are available on both iPhone and Android, or you can use free software to connect your phone’s camera and use it as a webcam on your computer. It may be worth buying a cheap smartphone stand, but this way additional costs are minimal.