We all love technology and our own personal devices, but none of us expected to have to rely on it quite so dramatically for work as well as play until the coronavirus pandemic hit.

• Webcam Settings for Mac OS X and Microsoft LifeCam Studio, Manual Exposure Mode, Aperture Priority Mode, Exposure Time, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Sharpness, Auto White Balance Temperature, Manual White Balance, Auto Focus, Manual Focus, Zoom, Pan, Tilt, Power Line Frequency 50Hz, 60Hz and Backlight Compensation.
• Windows 10 has an app called Camera that lets you use your webcam to record videos and take photos. You can use the Windows 10 Camera app to snap a quick headshot photo for use as an account photo on your computer, Facebook, video calls with Skype, post videos on YouTube, livestream on Facebook and complete a variety of other video-based activities.

Get help, training, and support for your PC accessories.

Now our devices are our lifeline to our professional lives as well as personal, and apps like Zoom have become necessary for morning status reports and evening catch ups with wine. Part of this ‘new normal’ means there might be a few parts of your home tech set up that need upgrading.

You may have found that not all laptop webcams are created equal. /folder-protector-638-serial-key.html. And let’s not forget that if you use a PC monitor, it might not have a webcam at all. Either way, if everyone else’s stream is crisp and bright but you look like you’re in a dark, buffering dungeon then you need to consider a standalone webcam.

Webcams built into laptops aren’t always the best quality - even Apple’s brand new $1,599 MacBook Air has a low-res potato of a camera. So don’t feel like it’s so 2002 to buy a webcam. They can be relatively inexpensive but dramatically improve your working from home set up, making you appear better presented and more professional.

Most webcams also have microphones. Some laptops have bad placement of their built-in mics, meaning even if your webcams image is good, the audio might be subpar. If you don’t want to wear headphones on video calls, then a webcam with a mic is a way to fix bad audio.

Here are our picks of the three best webcams for PC and Mac.

Logitech C920S HD Pro

RRP: $169.95 @ Logitech

Buy it through Amazon here

This webcam is pretty much the best in the business. It is marketed towards video game streaming as it can stream at both 1080p and 720p, but this also means that it has excellent video conferencing abilities.

Its higher price is down to its video quality chops, widescreen 78-degree field of view that can fit two people in and its premium clever features like HD autofocus and light correction. The latter ensures your image will look as good as possible even in dim light settings.

The webcam is compatible with PC and Mac. and will play nice with Skype, Zoom and FaceTime, and others. The two mics and adjustable arm ensures you will look and sound great too and it even comes with a tripod if you don’t want to clip it to your computer. If you want the best all-round webcam, this is it (the similar Logitech C920 is slightly cheaper and just as good for video calls too).

Logitech C270

RRP: $69.95 @ Logitech

Buy it through Amazon here

Logitech is a trusted brand of ours and this is the best cheap webcam you can get right now. We wouldn’t recommend spending less, even though those products exist. The C270 doesn’t have any bells and whistles but nor does it need any, as it nails the basics.

Compatible with PC and Mac, it’s the definition of ‘plug and play’. It captures 720p at up to 30fps, meaning it’s more than adequate for casual and professional video calls.

Microsoft Lifecam Studio Mac Too Bright Settings

It has light adjusting capabilities and comes with a clip that can fix to any laptop lid or monitor’s edge. Unless you want super high definition streaming, this webcam will do you just fine.

Microsoft LifeCam Studio

RRP: $110 @ Officeworks

Our third pick is this superb webcam from Microsoft. It’s a tad bulky and looks like a CCTV camera atop your computer, but it’s well-priced when you consider the features.

It has a 1080p HD sensor with autofocus to ensure you’re always looking your best. Its software, like the Logitech C920 series, has colour correction tech to ensure video is always bright and good looking in challenging lighting conditions.

This webcam is only compatible with PCs, and won’t play nice with Apple Macs. If you really want to use the 1080p setting then you’ll also have to have a pretty good Internet connection. It’s a good option if you need to record video for work at high quality but can then sub in as a lower-res video calling camera.

Looking to upgrade your work from home setup in other ways? Check out our guide to the best wrist rests here.

Microsoft Lifecam Too Bright