Webcam Recommendations?

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Megadave - 05 Feb 2008 06:25 GMT

Since iSight is iGone - what recommendations does anyone have for a
WebCam that'll work on Leopard on a Mac Pro?

Thanks in Advance..

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The System Has Failed

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Jim Redelfs - 05 Feb 2008 15:37 GMT

> Since iSight is iGone - what recommendations does anyone have for a
> WebCam that'll work on Leopard on a Mac Pro?

I have been researching this very topic.

Logitech has a full line of webcams that SHOULD work with Leopard.

My Linux-using friend just purchased a top-of-the-line Logitech webcam. It
works just fine. The "value-added" stuff that comes on the included CD is
useless, though. It's written for Windoze. We haven't tested it yet but I
assume the same webcam will work on my system.

I was in a Houston Apple Store a few days ago and discovered a Logitech webcam
*for Mac* on their shelves. I searched the Logitech website and couldn't find
it. Perhaps it is too new. My guess is that the only thing that makes this
particular item Mac-compatible is that Logitech has ported the value-added
software to Mac OS X. That's pure conjecture, though...

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:)
JR

PowerMac G4 MDD 1.25 SP
Mac OS X 10.5.1

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Howard Brazee - 05 Feb 2008 16:09 GMT

On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:37:32 -0600, in comp.sys.mac.hardware.misc you
wrote:

>Logitech has a full line of webcams that SHOULD work with Leopard.
>
>My Linux-using friend just purchased a top-of-the-line Logitech webcam. It
>works just fine. The "value-added" stuff that comes on the included CD is
>useless, though. It's written for Windoze. We haven't tested it yet but I
>assume the same webcam will work on my system.

My Logitech camera works with iChat but I don't see that Photo Booth
can find it on my iMac. I haven't tested with anything else yet.

The booklet tells about all the things it can do with the Windows
software that I can't do though. (zooming, etc)

>I was in a Houston Apple Store a few days ago and discovered a Logitech webcam
>*for Mac* on their shelves. I searched the Logitech website and couldn't find
>it. Perhaps it is too new. My guess is that the only thing that makes this
>particular item Mac-compatible is that Logitech has ported the value-added
>software to Mac OS X. That's pure conjecture, though...

That's what I want - OS X software. If they have it for one camera,
it should be available for more.

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Jim Redelfs - 06 Feb 2008 18:04 GMT

>> I was in a Houston Apple Store a few days ago and discovered a
>> Logitech webcam *for Mac* on their shelves. I searched the
>> Logitech website and couldn't find it. Perhaps it is too new.
>> My guess is that the only thing that makes this particular item
>> Mac-compatible is that Logitech has ported the value-added
>> software to Mac OS X. That's pure conjecture, though...

> That's what I want - OS X software. If they have it for one camera,
> it should be available for more.

Well, get ready to grab your ankles...

I just stopped at Omaha's Apple Store and found the aforementioned Logitech
webcam for $140!! ...and the camera itself isn't Logitech's best.

If, indeed, there IS software included that will run on the Mac, for THAT kind
of money, it had better be rock-solid, perfect in every way and is NOT some
kludge/PORT from The Dark Side.

For probably $40 less, I can get Logitech's BEST webcam that should work on my
Mac. I can live without the software. Sheesh!

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JR

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macbearps@gmail.com - 23 Mar 2008 17:39 GMT

Typical of Apple Stores to carry ONLY the absolute high-end ULTRA-
VISION UVC compliant Logitech Model. I'm trying to maintain a list of
truly Mac compatible plug'n'go UVC standard-based webcams at
http://www.mac-compatible-webcam.com/ - There's some reasonable
Macintosh choices at the low-end including a dirt-cheap Kinamax UVC
cam that can be had for barely more than $10+shipping - impressive
image quality tho the analog microphone don't work on mine. Someone
ought to B*tch-Slap Logitech's webcam engineers and marketing dept.
Their camera line is a mess of sensors, part #'s, product ID codes and
bad product labeling. Someday soon, any cam that isn't UVC compliant
and labeled as such deserves to be tossed in the scrap heap.

> I just stopped at Omaha's Apple Store and found the aforementioned Logitech
> webcam for $140!! ...and the camera itself isn't Logitech's best.
> For probably $40 less, I can get Logitech's BEST webcam that should work on my
> Mac. I can live without the software. Sheesh!

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Centurion - 09 Apr 2008 23:34 GMT

> Typical of Apple Stores to carry ONLY the absolute high-end ULTRA-
> VISION UVC compliant Logitech Model.

Hrm. I bought a Logitech Quickcam Pro9000 for my Intel Mac Mini
(10.5.2) the other day for AUD$95 and it just worked straight off the
bat without any jiggery-pokery. Not sure if that camera fits into the
"high-end" of your spectrum, but I figured it was worth mentioning.

I've used it in iChat and Skype without any problems. The only thing
that doesn't "work" is the auto-focus as it is software driven and not
ported to Mac. However, everything beyond about 8 inches from the lense
is perfectly in focus - so not really an issue.

Just my 2 cents worth :)

Cheers,

James

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Mr. Uh Clem - 10 Feb 2008 22:23 GMT

> Since iSight is iGone - what recommendations does anyone have for a
> WebCam that'll work on Leopard on a Mac Pro?
>
> Thanks in Advance..

I was looking around Best Buy the other day and did not see any
Logitech models that (on the boxes) claimed to be USB Video Class.
It is almost as if Logitech tries to keep it a secret...

I did, however, see a couple models from Creative which proudly
proclaimed their UVC support on the front of the packages,
- Live! Cam Optica Pro
- Live! Cam Video IM Pro

The Creative web site includes UVC in the product features table
which lists 3 UVC models:
http://us.creative.com/local/1/promo/findyourlivecam/welcome.asp

I've also seen a Rocketfish UVC webcam there, although the
last time I looked, I did not see one of their's marked UVC.
But there is this on their web pages:
<http://www.rocketfishproducts.com/pc-35-3-rocketfish-notebook-web-camera.aspx>
Looks like they have a Mac driver.

I'm interested in getting a cam for our Mac Mini. Anyone have experience
with the Creative or Rocketfish cameras? (or others)

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Clem
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over."
- Fudd's first law of opposition

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brownkowing@gmail.com - 25 Mar 2008 03:35 GMT

> I was looking around Best Buy the other day and did not see any
> Logitech models that (on the boxes) claimed to be USB Video Class.
> It is almost as if Logitech tries to keep it a secret...

I just experienced this about two hours ago at Circuit City. Of
course, the service-bots had no idea if the products supported UVC.

> I'm interested in getting a cam for our Mac Mini. Anyone have
> experience with the Creative or Rocketfish cameras? (or others)

I walked out with the LIVE! CAM Video IM Pro for about 59.99$ with a
mail-in rebate of $10. I bought it because the packaging explicitly
stated "Supports UVC"

Without any additional software - I fired up iChat and could see my
mug staring back at me. FYI, I'm on a PB 12" with 10.5.2 (without the
Leopard Graphics Update).

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Mr. Uh Clem - 05 Apr 2008 17:37 GMT

> I walked out with the LIVE! CAM Video IM Pro for about 59.99$ with a
> mail-in rebate of $10. I bought it because the packaging explicitly
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> mug staring back at me. FYI, I'm on a PB 12" with 10.5.2 (without the
> Leopard Graphics Update).

Interesting. I *think* I saw that model at Best Buy yesterday
for US $18.xx! Not a sale price or anything, that I could see.
Hmm, the BestBuy.com site shows what looks like that model at
$49.99. Model: VF0410, SKU: 8540402 I wonder what I saw. I'll
have to go verify it on Monday.

So it worked well with iChat and I take it Photo Booth? If so,
and the price is <$20, it is certainly a no brainer!

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Clem
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over."
- Fudd's first law of opposition

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Howard Brazee - 07 Apr 2008 15:42 GMT

>So it worked well with iChat and I take it Photo Booth? If so,
>and the price is <$20, it is certainly a no brainer!

I can't make Photo Booth select my webcam - it always selects my
iMac's webcam.

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Mr. Uh Clem - 08 Apr 2008 04:41 GMT

> Interesting. I *think* I saw that model at Best Buy yesterday
> for US $18.xx! Not a sale price or anything, that I could see.
> Hmm, the BestBuy.com site shows what looks like that model at
> $49.99. Model: VF0410, SKU: 8540402 I wonder what I saw. I'll
> have to go verify it on Monday.

Duh! They were all gone today. Never occurred to me that those
Windows users might snap the things up while us Mac users mulled
things over. :p There was a hand written label on the shelf
for a VF0410A, at $50, so I'm guessing I missed a closeout. :/

Interestingly, the low end there is now a Dynex model for $40.
UVC compatible and lists OS X as a supported OS.

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Clem
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over."
- Fudd's first law of opposition

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Mac Forum / General / Hardware / April 2008

Webcam Recommendations?