Logitech 720p Webcam C905
by Logitech
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List Price: Our Price: $38.94 You Save: $61.05 (61%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $29.99 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech 720p Webcam C905
Customer Review: Logitech Webcam Pro for Notebooks
Summary: 4 Stars
The Amazon website uses both the old name of "Quickcam Pro for Notebooks" and "Webcam C905". These webcams are not the same product. The Webcam C905 looks the same, but electronically is an updated version of the Quickcam Pro for Notebooks. I have both webcams and in practical use after many hours on Skype, I am unable to perceive a difference.
Even though the Webcam C905 will function w/o installing the Logitech SW, I strongly suggest that the purchaser download the updated installation software from the Logitech website "lws110.exe". The newer software has updated features as well as Logitech VID, the Logitech answer to Skype, Windows Live, and any other VOIP software. I still use Skype. The newer software will function with the older "Quickcam Pro for Notebooks". The installation process with the latest software is simpler. I recommend a reboot after installation.
In use, the video from either webcam remains very sharp and clear, much better than webcams built in to the bezels on later laptops or Netbooks. The Rightlight technology was excellent and remains excellent even though it is listed as improved. The microphone in the webcam is better than built-in microphones.
One negative comment is the mounting clamp for the Webcam which remains the same. The webcam is very compact to travel with, but the clamp is somewhat touchy when installed on the lid/screen of the laptop for positioning because of the stiff USB cable.
On a slight negative note, I have observed that the latest version of Skype _very_ ocassionally has problems obtaining video from the Webcam C905. A reboot solves the problem. I never had those problems with the "Quickcam Pro for Notebooks". It seems to be related to a feature that Skype has which allows switching back/forth from the Webcam to transmitting a live image of the users Windows desktop (very useful for remote debugging).
In my opinion, although I was hesitant about upgrading from webcams that functioned very nicely, I can recommend the Logitech Webcam C905 as a valid replacement for the QuickCam Pro for Notebooks.
Customer Review: Pixelation on the Go
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Logitech makes good cameras - there is no denying that these days - and the notebook camera is a great piece of merchandise for anyone needing a laptop view of the world. That seems a good thing, too, especially since the world is becoming more compact and everyone wants everything on the fly. I've personally owned two cameras on my personal computer before this and, to put it bluntly, I've always thought they stunk. The way the pictures intertwine, the way the grain bleeds into the background; everything that was promised seemed to be compromised and then some. And then I got my laptop camera and was surprised, pleasantly, by what it had to offer.
While there are flaws in the presentation of live video (as mentioned by other reviewers), Logitech does a great job with what they say they will deliver. The sound connected to the camera is great, the video itself is great when you find something you want to showcase and farm the image somewhat (or just want to chat a bit), and the ease of learning the product makes it all the more worthwhile. After having the product for minutes I figured out how to use it, and there were enough things to do with it to make it fun as my wife and I explored what it could do. All f this is done at an economically advantageous price to the consumer, too, with a camera that keeps growing on me.
Included with this is also a stand (shown in the photos), a novel concept that really makes a difference when you have to decide between hooking something to your computer or letting it set casually beside you, and it also comes with a carrying case. The stand went from novel to useful pretty quickly, the case turned out to be big enough to protect the camera while allowing it to be carried with ease, and the product something that really is what it says it will be.
Overall, I've been really pleased.
Customer Review: Very Good WebCam
Summary: 4 Stars
Installation of the software and (3) drivers seemed relatively quick. Image testing is very succinct although the microphone test is also strictly visual. I installed Skype afterwards and the two products interact quite well. Skype permits an audio feedback test of the microphone which showed it appears to work quite well and the sound is very clear and distinct even speaking from a distance.
The software includes sophisticated video and audio auto correction capabilities which can be optionally disabled or manually adjusted. There is an undocumented button on the web cam itself (as in the software) which allows you to take "snapshots" automatically creating a jpg image.
Both a colleague of mine as well as myself experienced a situation where the software for this product suddenly caused the PC (XP Pro) to reboot without a warning or blue screen. This may have been an interaction with Skype but it was a rare occurrence. Somewhere in the driver is a stop code which shouldn't be there.
While stressing the product's software based zoom feature at full zoom and maximum resolution, the image becomes quite poor. Still, under normal use, the image is quite good.
Although the product name implies it is for notebook computers, it works well on any type of PC. What probably constrains it to notebooks is the short 3 ft USB cable and a holding stand that comes with the product which is just tall enough (11 1/2" lens height) to clear the open cover when placed directly behind it. Ideally, the clip on the web cam would attach to the cover itself so you do not have to take the stand with you when traveling. Fortunately it attached OK to my notebook but it doesn't appear to be a universal design. There is only a vertical swivel to adjust for the open cover angle.
The installation CD contains, in pdf format, the manuals of all the Logitech web cam products. You can browse through them to determine if you bought the right one! The manuals themselves do not contain much useful information.
Customer Review: Good gadget for communicating over the Web but beware short USB cord
Summary: 4 Stars
Our children and grandchildren live in Utah and we rarely see them so we made arrangements this year to "visit" via Webcam at our local daughter's home on Christmas day. We got sick and didn't make the trip, so we bought this Webcam after Christmas to see and talk to them from via home computer.
Logitech, a trusted name in the electronics industry, has produced a pretty good little gadget that's easy to install and use, assuming you download and use the same messanger service as your visitors. That's not hard, of course. We use Yahoo! messanger.
The Carl Zeiss Optics picture quality on this cam is OK but no great shakes. People can be a little fuzzy or distorted unless they sit quite close to the cam and color isn't always true. The sound is similar and there can be a delay between people's moving lips and what they said to you depending on traffic on the Web at the moment, according to our grandson who is a former computer and electronics salesman and tinkerer. He helped us buy and install this cam.
The cam comes with some features my wife and I may never use. One is a feature to change your appearance. You can direct the software to tell your visitors you look like a shark or a bunch of other things.
The one thing you need to beware when purchasing is the short cord from the cam to the USB connection on your computer. I haven't measured it but it appears to be only 30-36 inches. If you want to move the cam around the house when you talk to people or for any other reason, you'll need an extension.
We did not buy ours through Amazon but we should have; we paid almost $100 compared to the price cited here. All things considered, this does the job for us, the relatively high cost we paid didn't break us, and it is simple to install and get going with it. I'm sure this will give us months, perhaps years, of satisfying connections to our kids and grandkids five states away and who knows who else in the future? For these reasons, I'd recommend this for anyone considering such a purchase.
Customer Review: We have been using this ever since we got it, very, very pleased
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This has been an excellent addition to a laptop or notebook computer (we tested it on a couple of them just to make sure there was consistency; there was).
It was VERY EASY to set up and I consider myself somewhat "challenged" when it comes to these things. But from start to finish, using the CD that came with the QuickCam, it was a very logical and intuitive process. Simple steps, quick installation. Major plus there!
Not only that but the options for video and still pictures are excellent, as is the AUDIO - the audio on the Opticam even has a higher volume than my laptop settings and I am trying to figure out how to use it for a supplementary speaker. Is that possible? I'll have to see.
Now that a popular auction site offers video options, I may use this for some of those auctions and it would be a snap to use on other sites. The stand that comes with the Opticam makes shooting at face level very easy and you can see yourself on screen so you can adjust your pose to fit the screen. Saving videos or still photos to a library is simple too.
The camera can be removed from the optional stand and set in the middle of the computer screen if you wish.
One caveat: Although there is an autofocus feature, you will get out of focus if you get too close to the camera but you can QUICKLY see this on screen and correct it. I am thoroughly thrilled with with little, very PORTABLE Quickcam Pro!
My 15 year old was thrilled with this as well and it was all I could barely get him to stop taking videos, experimenting with various features that can be added to videos such as special effects and more. So it has the Seal of Approval from him as well.