Broadband internet has more or less revolutionized the way people approach both communication and information-gathering. Of course if one wants to take advantage of the former, perhaps video video chatting / conferencing, you’re going to need a decent webcam. It also goes without saying that anyone broadcasting (anything) might also need a trustworthy and HD-capable capture device which is capable of delivering the sort of performance one might need to entice viewers via social media streams. However, not everyone can afford to dish out exorbitant sums on an upper-end, feature-packed webcam; that’s why we’ve assembled a list of three incredible examples which anyone can afford. Note* – price range $18 – $35 (or, around £10 – £18).
If you want to shoot in 720p on a budget, this handy little webcam from Logitech can help you do it for less. The C270 also allows you to easily shoot for widescreen formats, which the more serious video artists will no doubt find to be quite useful in their pet projects. This affordable model also incorporates Logitech’s fluid crystal technology, which allows for much smoother video motion as well as richer colors and sharper video and sound. Moreover, taking 3 megapixel shots is also a breeze and you can do it with just one click. It’s also worth mentioning that the unit’s design allows for quick and easy attachment to an array of surfaces, while at the same time avoiding inflicting damage to its host. All in all, the C270 is a very affordable webcam that even media production specialists will highly useful.
Creative Live! has produced a quality, affordable plug-and-play webcam with the “Cam Sync”. In short, it’s able to deliver a steady 30 frames per second signal at a knock down, drag out price while also facilitating one-click uploads to Facebook and Youtube. If that weren’t enough, this handy device will also interface with the free “Live! Central 3” software (downloadable) which provides additional functionality to the unit. There’s also the capability to take 30 shots at 1.3 mega pixels in burst mode, which is handy for doing things like creating animated gifs. Moreover, the design is compatible with shape or contours of most laptops, making for an excellent traveling companion.
Yeah, there are quite a number of webcams out there which are said to deliver true 720p HD video, but few that can claim to do it as well as Microsoft’s LifeCam HD-5000. Perhaps the first thing of note is the fact that it is in fact a certified MS product, meaning that it should be fully-compatible with any computer utilizing one of their Operating Systems. Secondly, the cam has two interesting and useful features – auto focus and TrueColor technology. In short, this essentially means that the webcam will latch onto objects and provide an instantly focused shot and any issues related to color or brightness shall also be adjusted on the fly. Of course if you have problems with either of these implementations (or would rather adjust things yourself) you can easily disable them too.
