Requirements: Mac OS X 10.2.5 and iChat AV. 600MHz G3 or faster, broadband
Used with: PowerBook G4 867MHz, Mac OS X 10.2.8-10.3.8.
When Apple first debuted the iSight, I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "I guess that's neat." I've always thought the concept of video conferencing was quite cool, but I never bothered since I didn't really have a need. Well, I received a pair of his and hers iSights as a wedding gift, and I'm impressed. It's a strange paradox though. I'm not sure I'd have bought one without experiencing ownership first. Now that I have an iSight, I can say it's worth owning.
The iSight came packaged much like an iPod, in a cute, overdesigned clamshell box. The iSight design is very simple, just a small aluminum tube, about an inch and a half in diameter and 4 inches long. It's aluminum and looks solid and very attractive. The case is covered in holes, mimicking the Power Mac G5 design. Those holes are functional too, as the iSight gets warm during use. The lens has a little collar around it than can be twisted to open an aperture that covers the lens. This also doubles as an on switch. Just above the lens is a little 'on air' light. The iSight is surprisingly light too, which is great since it can be mounted the top edge of a laptop screen.
The iSight has a Firewire port on the underside, mounted on a ball joint. To mount it, you slide a special clip over the end of the included Firewire cable. This then clips securely into the iSight. you then thread the other end of the Firewire cable through one of the included stands, based on which Mac you're using (newer models have a neat magnetic stand for use with the new aluminum Cinema Displays). The stand then slides over the collar of the special Firewire clip, and mounts to the computer (I have a PowerBook, so the stand I use simply slides over the LCD bezel and then grips into place with and adjustable foot). Finally you connect the other end of the Firewire cable to the computer. It's a little fussy, but it works well and it looks very nice. Frankly, I'm not sure how I'd do it better.
The iSight's performance is very impressive for a web camera. Video quality is very good; smooth, with excellent color balance, and above average performance in low light. Grain is fairly minimal. The iSight can auto focus, another luxurious touch for a web cam. The camera also has a built in dual element noise canceling microphone. This works very well at reducing, but not eliminating background noise. Audio is clear, and much better than the built in microphone found in every Apple computer I've ever used. The gain is auto adjusting, but feels a little low according to other chat participants. You'd still get vastly superior audio results via a headset with a boom mic.
Part of what makes the iSight so appealing is the companion software, iChat AV. They work very well together, the experience is very elegant relative to other video chat solutions. iChat AV is an AIM compatible chat client that offers audio chat, and if you have broadband, video chat. It's not the most full featured chat client, but it's solid and fun to use. iChat AV automatically recognizes when an iSight or other compatible FireWire camera is connected, and a little camera icon will appear next to your name at the top of the buddy list. If any of your buddies has a camera as well, his icon will have a camera icon next to it. Simply click that icon to start a chat session. A preview window will pop up, showing the feed from your iSight. This is a perfect opportunity to make sure you're centered and look presentable. Once the invitation is accepted, you preview will be inset PIP style, while your buddy will fill the rest of the chat window.
Generally, the iSight and iChat AV work as advertised. In most situations, "it just works." Sometimes it'll take a couple of tries to negotiate a connection, but this seems rare. It's worth noting there's a slight lag when video or audio chatting. It's pretty minor, but conversation will be a touch less fluid than what you're used to with a telephone. iChat AV does seem sensitive to bandwidth limits. If you're using a slower broadband connection, you may need to activate a bandwidth limiter in iChat AV preferences. The latest version of AIM for Windows XP is supposed to be compatible with iChat AV. I've been unable to successfully chat with Windows AIM users consistently. It's tough to say who's to blame in that scenario: Apple, AOL or Microsoft. Needless to say the best experience will be had Mac to Mac.
I'm very impressed with many of the thoughtful touches in the iSight's design. The little light at the top lets you know you're on air. Opening the lens will launch iChat AV if it isn't already running. Closing the lens during a chat will mute and pause your video, while still displaying the incoming feed. The iSight also comes with a clear plastic tube as a protective travel case, not unlike a travel toothbrush case.
Currently, iChat AV is limited to one-on-one sessions. Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, due soon will offer video conferencing with up to 3 other users. Also, the iSight can be used for other things. The latest iMovie supports the iSight as a video capture device. It's also a handy, quick tool for taking a low quality still image in a pinch.
The iSight is not cheap at $150, and it's currently Mac only. At this point, the iSight should probably be cheaper, preferrably at the magical $99 mark. This would make it more of an impulse purchase for many people. And while it does work well, I'd love to see Apple at some point follow Sony's lead, and consider building a quality web cam directly into the top of a laptop screen. The iSight may be small and beautifully designed, but it still looks a little funky sitting on top of my PowerBook.
Overall, the iSight is a very nice web camera, one of the best. Being able to video chat hasn't changed my life, but it has improved it in small, enjoyable ways. While traveling, it was really nice to be able to video chat with my wife. Seeing and hearing her at the same time really made the experience more real. I also used it to give her virtual tours of places I'd stayed at too. It's a useful tool as well, when collaborating with someone over the internet. Being able to immediately show someone something while chatting across the country is very handy. Whether for work or just to be social, it's nice to be able to make the experience a little more human.
Video conference easily over broadband Internet 640 x 480 resolution with 24-bit color at 30 frames per second Built-in noise-suppressing microphone I...More at Amazon Marketplace
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