Logitech 720p Webcam Pro 9000
by Logitech
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List Price: Our Price: $48.66 You Save: $31.33 (39%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $35.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech 720p Webcam Pro 9000
Customer Review: A great webcam!
Summary: 5 Stars
Bought this camera exclusively for video calls on Skype to folks in several small villages in Austria and major metropolitan areas in Germany. Have used this webcam extensively the last 20 months on Ubuntu Linux 8.04, Windows XP, the Windows 7 Beta and the W7 Release Candidate. It perches nicely on a laptop screen during use and other flat screen displays. On a CRT display, it would just "sit' there and could possible slide off. It is very durable. My grandson is constantly reaching for it and knocking it around during Skype sessions.
Software included with the camera provides for streaming and narrating photos in place of your video from the web cam...a very nice feature. This webcam seems to work best with the latest versions of Skype (Vers 4.0 and later) using the SILK codec. The webcam is optimized for Windows allowing for HQ video transmission over Skype. Skype automatically enables the 9000's HQ video capability when network conditions permit.
HQ video over Skype is not attainable with the Linux Ubuntu operating system. In Windows framerates of 30 fps at 640x480 resolution (HQ mode) are attainable both ways if your contact is using the same camera with computers with a dual core processor and both parties are using a high bandwidth internet connection. Even my contacts in Austria claim the video quality to be "like TV" when network conditions permit, although technically speaking, TV is better.
Have recommended this webcam to 5 others who bought it and all are astonished at the video quality. The current Amazon price is less than the $75 I paid for it. Several of those 5 bought lesser webcams to "save" money first and then bought the 9000 anyway. Don't waste your money with lesser webcams. I you want quality video for Skype this is the webcam for you. If you experience difficulties in Skype video calls, it will most likely NOT be this webcam's fault! Network conditions on the internet, your computer and the way your home network is set up if you run more than one computer on the network at the same time will most likely be the culprits.
For now, the webcam works best in XP. In Windows 7, have experienced not being able to show photos in place of video OR audio will drop out when the photos are streamed. This is most likely a driver issue, a Windows 7/Skype compatibility issue that will be resolved in future driver/Skype updates and NOT a problem with the camera. Otherwise, video transmission in W7 is downright beautiful! Get the webcam and enjoy!
Customer Review: Expensive, but you get what you pay for
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I've seen and used various webcams in the past to talk with friends, etc. Normally, the quality is mediocre at best. So, when I saw this webcam, I was dubious. It's expensive and I was afraid it'd turn out to be an expensive piece of junk. I'm glad I was wrong.
A lot of reviewers here have talked about how distance doesn't really make much difference in terms of the quality and the focus. Bold claims; it says this right in the product description. But, it's definitely true. The camera adjusts and I found that the quality was good, whether I was right up in front of the camera or a bit back, like normal users will be. It sat on top of my monitor and while it looked precariously perched, it's actually sitting safely.
The software that comes with the camera works like a charm. While it adds a few different filters (like the already mentioned above fisheye and 50s style), and you can choose to replace your face with an avatar (shark, stick man, etc.) or even add effects like crazy eyebrows or a crown, none of these really mattered to me. I found that the avatars didn't work like they should. Supposedly, you calibrate the camera and it will track your eye movements (winking, closing eyes, etc.), your mouth movements and the way you tilt your head. For me, it worked with the tilting, but the eyes and the mouth had a hard time registering changes. But again, this isn't why I was interested in the camera.
What's nice is that the software quickly interfaces with a variety of talk and IM devices (AIM, Skype, Yahoo) and worked really well. I really liked that the fuctionality was built into the software.
I could go on and on about the features, but you can easily find those above in the product description. I really liked that the 8 megapixel camera took very clear pictures and the size was a nice surprise. You get what you pay for; I said it in my Logitech G9 mouse review and I'll say it here. You can easily find a cheaper webcam but I doubt you'll find one that has the same clarity as this one. For families separated or for simply talking with some friends online, you want a camera that's clear and works well. This is that camera.
Highly recommended.
Customer Review: Poor video; blurry and out of focus... FIXED!!!
Summary: 2 Stars
PROBLEM FIXED:
DISCLAIMER: This is what worked for me. If you try it, and it doesn't work, or you break it, don't blame me.
Ok, after I returned 2 of these webcams, I bought a 2nd Orbit AF, AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME FOCUS PROBLEM!!! It became evident (at least to me) that Logitech is having issues with its webcam Q/A testing.
The fix is to adjust the focus ring by turning it clock-wise a degree or two. To accomplish this:
1. Open up the cam by removing the 2 screws at the back of the housing and gently pulling apart.
2. Remove the black cover surrounding the lens using a small screw driver to pry the 4 clips apart from the back. (the cover has the carl zeiss & 2.0 mega pixel lettering) CAUTION: be VERY CAREFUL removing this cover, the clips that hold it in place are flimsy and could break easily!
3. Turn the focus ring clock-wise a "degree" or two.
4. Test the adjustment before putting it all back together by restarting the Quickcam program and viewing the live video image. The image should be sharp and focused.
5. If further adjustment is needed, gently turn the focus ring until you get the desired crisp, clear image.
6. Replace the black lens cover, and close both halves of the housing. Replace the 2 screws.
I bought the Logitech 9000 to use in tandem with a Logitech Orbit AF. The 9000 and Orbit AF are advertised as having comparable features such as 2.0 megapixels, Carl Zeiss optics and autofocus.
I found the Logitech 9000 to be quite the disappointment; the focus at all distances is grainy, blurry and it appears as though the lens is just a few notches of out finite focus (the manual focus setting does not fix the issue.) I tried all suggestions on the Logitech forums, to no avail. After exchanging and trying out a second one, and getting somewhat similar results, it appears that this cam does not live up to its promises.
In contrast, the Logitech Orbit AF is crisp, clear and superbly focused. I have one set up as a street surveillance cam and it works flawlessly, in all light levels (except at night, of course) and does a great job of recording motion even during storms.
I plan to return the 9000 and pick up another Orbit AF.
Customer Review: Very Nice
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
First of all I must commend Logitech for putting their product in a box that is easy to open, even though it appears to be one of those frustrating plastic clamshells. It isn't. It is very easy to remove the contents and there aren't many anyway - the camera itself, which has an attached USB cable, the software installation disc, and brief but easy to follow instructions.
The software installed smoothly and once you run it, it guides you step-by-step through the setup process. I thought the quality of the camera was good - the default settings it chose seemed to be fine and required no tweaking. Setting up my account was easy, and the process of inviting friends to share with was easy, too. The first "friend" I chose was my wife. I entered her name and e-mail address and the software took care of e-mailing her an invitation to become my "friend."
From her side, she had to click to accept and also to install the vidcam software on her computer. She doesn't have a webcam or a microphone on her computer, just speakers. Once she installed the software (which by the way, automatically detects your speakers, microphone and webcam), she was able to see and hear me on her computer. So we got a big kick out of that.
People who have a different brand of webcam can still participate and it costs them nothing as long as someone who owns the Logitech Pro 9000 model invites them to be a friend.
I was pleased with this product. The picture/video quality is very satisfactory for this type of application, the camera itself seems quite sturdy and is easy to hang on my monitor so that it can focus on me and not be in the way of what is on the screen, and the setup is a breeze. The only negative - when my wife set up the software, etc., she was able to "call" me but from my computer I could not call her because I kept getting a message that she had not yet accepted my friend invitation. I had to reboot the computer in order for that to be updated. Now everything works fine. By the way, I use Vista and my wife uses XP and the software installed without any problems on both.
Customer Review: Great Webcam
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
After spending some time with this camera I really like it. I already had the Quickcam Pro for notebooks and this camera seems to be the same camera in a different housing because everything seems to work and function identically. The camera being able to focus makes a huge difference when compared to cameras I have had in the past; it just makes everything better. The camera also seems to deal decently with lower light levels. The other great thing is that in Windows it just works. I have tried it on XP, Vista 64-bit, and Win7 64-bit RC. I can just plug it in and windows update will get the drivers and it works. The camera works well with Windows Live Messenger and I usually use it with that.
When I got this camera to review for Vine they included a letter asking to specifically highlight the Vid software in the review. I have used the new Logitech Vid software and it is easy to use and works ok. You have to make an account and then login to the server. You then add your friends who have the software and an account or send requests to friends with links to download the software. Once everything is setup when a friend is available you click their icon/pic to call them. I think it would be better to coordinate with your friend through IM on when to run the program for a video conference if it is what you want to use rather than leaving it on all the time. You can leave the program running like a IM program but I personally wouldn't because it seems to be a memory hog. I see numbers ranging from 75MB to 81MB being used in Win 7 64-bit RC with it just sitting there idle in my notification area which seems a bit excessive for something just sitting there doing basically nothing other than saying I'm here and looking for connection requests. They may address this in future revisions of the software so it would be worth checking back in on it now and then.
So to summarize; the camera is worth the price for the hardware alone, the free Vid software works well and if you like it use it but I wouldn't leave it running at this point.