Microsoft H5D-00014 LifeCam Cinema Webcam - Black/Silver

* PhysicalThe device is a circular tube of the dimensions of a bigger cotton reel. It feels to the touch well-made. When it is used the webcam can become warm to the touch.* InstallationIf you require guidence, for setting this up, i suggest YouTube. Eventually, you will find a useful video to look into. This is done by downloading and installing the webcam driver software first and then plug - and -play the camera into a convenient USB 2.0 and above the port.* How it performsWhen the device is set up properly and working with services such as SKYPE or ZOOM, the picture I am told by others who view my connection, proves to be very detailed, bright, and attractively clear with fluid motion and no trace of blocking. The microphone, I am told by others I have a video called, is very clear and free from distortion. This is helped by a BB connection of 68 Meg / Second.* Changing camera settingsThere are two ways to access the settings to control this camera. The first is to enter the search bar on the bottom left of the desktop screen with 'Microsoft camera', and press return to get the panel with basic settings. Select 'pro options' to get most of the setting control.The second method is when online and running the Zoom application. Select your small camera video image with your mouse, left-click to select it, and then right-click to access the options it holds. There are more options here available than in the previous way. I had issues with the Zoom image temperature being red-shifted. I selected a change in the video setting and left Zoom and then reentered Zoom to apply these changes. It worked. A Zoom member had difficulties with his online resources, I am able to reduce the data settings of my camera to help the user to see my connection.If these two methods cannot fix your problem, such as extreme red-shifted colour balance, may I suggest the free utility OBS Studio? The videos to use this is on Youtube and it's a free application. Choose the Windows version. Look at the YouTube videos as to how to use it. It helped me. Just a tip. Some bulbs using folded tubular construction can take time to reach their designed operating light output. If you give the lights illuminating your computer 20 minutes or so, the issue can clear itself and the colour balance can be restored.This view of its fine performance is in part due to my ISP download speed of 58 Meg / Sec, including a NordVPN.* SummaryOverall, I rate this webcam device. This device works with a desktop of Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit. And is well worth the money. In closing the device works very well and I am pleased I bought this webcam from Amazon.co.uk. If you're concerned with remote viewing through your webcam, might I suggest you rotate the camera and turn it away from viewing you when it's not using it? It's likely your antivirus utility - such as AVG - will let you know if the camera is being used for video or sound by those you've not initiated the connection. This will protect your video and sound connection if it's being hacked by scammers.* As of 09 March 2024This is just a quick update that this device seems to be still working well. I join a Zoom group for around 90 minutes most Mondays. Its video and audio are still working as designed. The colour balance can still be off, but trying again at a later date is acceptable. The colour temperature of these tubular lights can take 20 minutes to return to their designed brightness and related colour temperature.* As of 11 June 2024My LifeCam Cinema HD device has received and benefitted from a recent driver update. The image is sharper. The contrast is better too. This driver update, just installed, is from 2016! So why has it been hidden away all this time to date, I do not know why.* As of 30 May 2025Zoom issues new applications to handle its traffic every few weeks. Sorry if it's obvious. But I didn't know this until a few months ago. To do this, make yourself an account with Zoom. Then log in. Find the correct Zoom for your equipment. Mine is 64-bit for Windows 10. Download it. Go to your Downloads folder and click on it. it will initiate. It waits a few minutes until your camera shows up in a panel on your monitor. It's good to test that both your camera vision and sound are working, then log in to your Zoom meeting and your chat.

Running on Windows XP SP3.The first thing you are going to look for on a webcam and the image quality. Well, the image quality is extremely good, it films in HD without any problem and the low light capability is truly excellent. I can use nothing more than a string of fairy lights as illumination and you will still have a very usable picture for webchat type applications...obviously if you are filming video the better the lighting the better the end result. That is an extreme example, under almost all natural and artificial lighting conditions you will get a very clear image.The microphone is very clear and quiet, although it may pick up things like the computer fan as it's sensitive! It is tuned for voice recording, so if you are producing podcasts and you need full range audio maybe this isn't for you as it rolls off below 200hz. But for anything vocal, webchat etc, it's really designed with this in mind.Shooting 720p the camera is widescreen and it has a nice wide image angle, perfect for showing a little more of the room or perhaps if more than one person is chatting, families etc. However, if you zoom in you can produce a tighter image if you wish, although doing so will reduce the resolution you can shoot at.There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing off this webcam so take a look. The official Microsoft UK video was filmed in very good lighting as naturally they want to show it off to it's best abilities, and indeed in good lighting it really gives an excellent image, but it works very well in lower lighting with minimal visual noise even in quite dim conditions. I can't really compare it to any other cameras in the price range as I haven't used them but I'm extremely happy with my purchase.The only reason I haven't given it a 5 star rating is because the auto white balance can go from very blue looking in sunlight to slightly too warm under electric lighting and might need a little manual adjustment. Also the autofocus sometimes takes a little while to shift from a normal image to an item placed closer to the camera, esp under less than amazingly light. But the fact it can shift from a normal wide angle to a macro shot at all is great. I can hold up a page of text to the camera when using Skype (obviously the quality you get here is dependent on the speed of your net connection) and the other person can clearly read the text, so you get an idea of the crystal clear quality.The only other slight let down is the software is very basic and requires an internet connection to download. I would have liked something that had a little more control when it came to recording video clips.But overall this is a very good webcam for the price. The image quality is great, up to 720p HD for video and 5mp for still images. It copes well with a range of lighting conditions and the audio is crisp and clear.For a mid priced webcam you will get a significant improvement on most laptop webcams and lower priced models, my previous webcam cost around £15 and there is no comparison. If you regularly use Skype or some other form of webchat software I'm sure you will be really happy with the quality on offer at this pricepoint.

Next day delivery which was superb as it came one day early. Well done Amazon.The camera; Very well made in aluminium with a glass lens. I plugged it into USB 3 ( it is backwards compatible so it will work with USB 2) and it was recognised immediately and found the drivers from Microsoft and loaded them.I am running this on a win 7 64 bit, 3.4 Gig CPU and 8 Gig ram.It works flawlessly at HD 720 providing your graphics card and monitor are compatible. If you can't get HD 720 then it's likely your graphics don't support it.It doesn't have an on off switch so to speak, however I have it set to let software take control of it. This means when I'm not using it, I close skype and the camera shuts off. I also use a language program online and sometimes I have to speak the word, when the program asks the word the camera comes on (mic only), I speak the word and it goes off again when I've finished speaking. I don't have to touch it and it is a bonus as it isn't on all the time.I am in awe at the quality of this camera, the pic quality and the overall build of it. The mic is superb, but remember to set it up with your computer sound mic settings to get the best from it.The mount is a rubbery compound and you just bend it round to fit your monitor, and it stays put (normal use, maybe not frantic gaming but a bit of blue-tac will solve that lol).They are a steal at this price, normally going for nearly twice the price, even on the notorious bidding site we all know and love/hate.I highly recommend this and if problems arise, short of it being faulty, check your computer spec's and set it up accordingly.