Logitech QuickCam Messenger
January 2003, $50
Not a bad little camera, but I was a bit disappointed in the image quality, which was just about the same as the QuickCam Pro purchased 4 years earlier. I do have to admit that the old camera cost 3 times as much, but still, we've had 4 years of technology since then. While not as good as some of the other low cost cameras, this one is reliable and commonly available. It is a good camera if your budget is limited.
The image is a bit washed out. Tinkering with the contrast and brightness controls I was able to improve the image but it is necessary to change the settings every time the lighting changes. So I used basically auto settings for the tests.
Incidentally, this is the camera which has been included for new subscribers to Comcast a year or two ago. I am finding them popping up in a lot of free webcam included type offers.
Product Specifications
- High quality CMOS sensor
- Video Capture: Up to 640 x 480 pixels, Video format: AVI
- Still Image Capture: Up to 640 x 480 pixels, Image Format: JPEG, BMP, TIF, PSD
- Interface: USB 1.1 compliant
- Frame Rate: Up to 30 frames per second
- Field of View: 38 degrees horizontal
- Manual focus
- Built-in mic
- Thin 1.8m USB cable
- Software Included:
- Live video enabled Yahoo/MSN Messenger, Logitech IM Video Companion
- One click video e-mail , Web Album Creator
- Video Broadcasting , Web Cam Broadcasting
- Logitech Desktop Messenger for automatic updates
- ImageStudio on CD-ROM, QuickStart guide
Minimum System Requirements (PC)
- Windows XP, ME, 2000 or 98
- PII 400MHz, Celeron, AMD Athlon proc (500MHz or higher rec)
- 64 MB RAM
- 200 MB free HDD space
- Available USB port
- CD-ROM drive, 16 bit colour display adapter,
- Windows compatible sound card & speakers (full duplex sound card rec)
Screen shots of camera configuration settings
Advanced
Device
Pluses
- Fairly good quality image
- Works fairly well in low light
- Inexpensive at $50
- Twain driver works well and is stable
- Familiar Logitech eyeball shape
- Nice base which stays put where you place it
Minuses
- Poorer quality image than I would expect
- The default software installs huge quantities of stuff with no choice of components (Note: the software version I downloaded from the website now gives you a custom install option where you can choose not to install the extra software)
- No tripod mounting hole. Only works with included stand
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