Worth it when free, not when it's not
Written: Aug 06 '00 (Updated Aug 06 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: As a free cam, it's worth the bargain
Cons: Grainy and lack light control
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| minnie8's Full Review: Logitech Camera Family |
I recently bought a new computer and along with it came a ball tumbling around in the box. The ball was a device called Logitech Quickcam, a sort of a webcam if you will. Because I've never used a webcam before, I didn't know what to think of the quality.
Then, my father and my sister each bought one after seeing the cam that I had obtained freely, and that's when I knew I could really write a review on this cam based on my personal experience and comparison with other similar products.
I would like to tell you that the other two cams that I am comparing the Quickcam are Photostudio Suite Cam and Creative Labs Video Blaster WebCam 3.
The Quickcam is about 1.6 times the size of a golf ball, and is 1.6 inches in radius. The lense of the camera is the size of something between a dime and a nickel. This camera really is quite small and can easily be hidden under larger than normal female hands. I just tried hiding it in my hands and easily succeeded.
The stand on which the Quickcam ball sits on depends on what Logitech gave you with the cam. Unlike the stand that's pictured is in the Product Page of this Quickcam in Epinions, I got a stand that was less than stable. It was a rubber stand and didn't have much securing device to secure the ball into it, other than a small stick attached to the cam that I poke into the middle of the rubber stand. So basically my cam just sits on top of this rubber and tends to roll down the computer from time to time which becomes quite a frustration after a while. The reason it rolls down so much is because the wire that connects the cam to the computer box is so thick and heavy compared to the size and weight of camera itself.
Which brings us to connection. In order to connect this webcam, or any webcam for that matter, you will need a USB port. Although most computer nowadays come with two or more USB ports, those of you with very old computers should consider getting a USB port before getting this camera. Parallel port (the ones you use for printers) will not work.
With the Quickcam comes a CD which has the basic settings such as:
Creating Pictures and Video: This is basically just taking pictures or making videos. In order to take a picture/video, there is a button you push on the software. Unlike most other webcams, Quickcam does not have a capturing button on the cam itself, but rather you have to use the mouse to click a capturing button on the software.
Create a Picture and Video Email: You can take pictures/videos and when you provide the recipient's email address, the software will automatically send the file to the recipient--good for keeping in visual touch with family and friends.
Create a Web Album: Basically the title itself. The Quickcam give you a free website in which it displays the pictures you saved automatically. It's yet another good way of showing your family and friends how you have been--visually.
Create a Webcam: This is what most webcam users use these kind of camera for. When you enable this function, the Quickcam gives you a free webcam website on Spotlife.com, in which your image is reloaded every one minute for the world to see.
That's that with the functions, and of course, when there's camera, there is the quality issue. So let me tell you this, Quickcam is worth the price if you buy it for $0 dollars, but anything above $40.00, I would not recommend this camera for buy. I thought the quality was good when this was the only cam I experienced, but when I experienced two other webcams that belonged to my family, I realized it wasn't where I thought it stood on the list of webcams. For best quality I say, you definitely should buy a webcam from Photostudio Suite. The quality of that cam is near perfect and there's not a grainy substance flying around in the monitor.
Quickcam has many bad traits about it. one of which, is that it lacks the ability to control light. So when it's a sunny day, no matter how much you cover the light with blinders in your room, your face will come out as almost white with no contrast. Other than my eyes, tip of my nose, and underneath my lips, my face came out white every time. On the other hand, when it's too dark, the image becomes extremely grainy and comes out dull and lacking contrast, yet again.
The speed at which the webcam catches the movement when you are taping a video with it, is quite sad. I experimented with the camera and this is what happened. When I waved my hand in front of the camera, by the time I was done with waving for the fourth time, the camera was still at the third wave. Basically, the camera catches you in slow motion.
I enjoy this Quickcam that I have obtained, but I think that's only because it's a very new thing for me and plus it was free. I highly advise you to get the Photostudio Suite webcam instead, if you want real quality webcam. I believe that webcam cost $50.00 for my sister. Just please don't send me an email saying "Oh my gosh, you were right. The Logitech Quickcam really did suck."
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
minnie8
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Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 66 members
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