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Recontech · Mar 14, 2007, 01:42 AM

I'm looking for a good webcam to buy for iChat AV. My 360 X-box vision cam works great but I want something that will be mountable on my powerbook.

What would you get and why?

dylanw · Mar 15, 2007, 01:15 PM

There's a big list of USB cameras on the macam site which lists several UVC cameras which should work OK under 10.4.9. It lists a bunch of Logitech cameras that should work, and which would certainly be much more powerbook-friendly than the XBox camera. I think I've heard of some issues with regard to Logitech's UVC compliance, so if you decide to try it, it might be worth it to get one from some place with a good return policy.

I was delighted that with 10.4.9, the XBox camera I bought on a whim last month seems to work properly, and it actually kind of matches the styling of my iMac.

Rev2Liv · Mar 16, 2007, 03:57 PM

I like the Logitech QuickCam Ultravision since it uses a glass lens and is one of the few webcam's out there that can mount onto a 30" cinema display Webcams > QuickCam� Ultra Vision

rajeshr · Mar 16, 2007, 07:07 PM

How do you find the sound quality on the Quickcam Ultravision?

I'm looking for something to mount on my 23" ACD - my other choice is the Logitech Quickcam Fusion. It's on sale right now for about a third of the price of the Ultravision (C$70 vs C$200).

bballe336 · Mar 16, 2007, 08:01 PM

I bought an iSight when they first came out. I know it isn't cheap nor is it USB but it works very well and has amazing image quality.

Rev2Liv · Mar 16, 2007, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by bballe336

I bought an iSight when they first came out. I know it isn't cheap nor is it USB but it works very well and has amazing image quality.

Well, the iSight's are even MORE expensive now. On eBay, going rate for an iSight is above the $129 original price.

-Bn

rjt1000 · Mar 17, 2007, 11:39 AM

Here is a list of UVC webcams excerpted from the Macam list above:

Creative Live! Cam Optia
Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks Pro (new)
Logitech QuickCam Fusion (new)
Logitech QuickCam Orbit/Sphere MP (new)
Logitech QuickCam Pro 5000 (new)
Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision
Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000
Microsoft Xbox Live Vision (Xbox 360)
Pico Instruments iMage

Anyone who has used one of the above, could you post a short review: specifically whether they work with iChat in OS 10.4.9 and with Skype 2.5 for Mac?

Rev2liv: have you tried out the Logitech QuickCam Ultravision & does it work with iChat and Skype?

Hopefully Apple will eventually come up with a list of UVC webcams known to be compatible with iChat and the new 10.4.9 OS update.

MichiganRich · Mar 18, 2007, 09:44 PM

I just bought the QuickCam for Notebooks Pro and it does indeed work with iChat AV and Skype. It's pretty sweet actually, I had been thinking about going for an iSight but now I'm glad I held off. BestBuy had it for $50, and it came with a $10 gift card. I think it's awesome. The video is much better than some of the other cheaper ones I tried (and returned). My friend said the audio quality was just as good as the internal mic on the PowerBook, if not perhaps a little better. The thing is tiny and has a spring clip on it so it attaches to the PB lid and doesn't weigh it down (trying to keep that 4 year old hinge working well :-).

Thats my short review. I really like it. Thanks to Apple for the software update to finally give us some options for iChat!

Rev2Liv · Mar 19, 2007, 12:25 AM

The UltraVision definitely works in Skype and iChat AV, but end users report that the color tone is funky and i haven't yet found a way to adjust it. It may just be the lighting in my home affecting the ability of the webcam to render color.

The ultravision is about the same size as the iSight but mounts transverse on top of the monitor creating a minor eye sore.

Mr_E · Mar 19, 2007, 08:55 AM

I picked one up Friday for $40. As I'd heard, it work great after the latest OS update. Tested in Skype and iChat.
I'm just using a bluetooth headset for the mic, but I'll probably pick up a cheap stand-alone mic later.
I even matches the resst of my setup.

A little funky with photobooth.

rjt1000 · Mar 19, 2007, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_E

I picked one up Friday for $40. As I'd heard, it work great after the latest OS update. Tested in Skype and iChat.
I'm just using a bluetooth headset for the mic, but I'll probably pick up a cheap stand-alone mic later.
I even matches the resst of my setup.

A little funky with photobooth.

Thanks for the info, but which cam are you referring to?

Mr_E · Mar 20, 2007, 09:07 AM

sorry, was talking about the x-box cam, which it seems you have.

How about this?

Live! Cam Optia - Stylish and feature packed in one neat package!

Any camera that is "Vista Certified" should also be USB Video Class certified, which will work. Thats's the key, it must be UVC - it will usually specify it's "driverless" on the box.

bdaul · Mar 22, 2007, 01:32 AM

http://www.human-landscaping.com/tes...tech-shot.tiff

I see all these notes about the latest Ultra Vision working well with MacBook Pro 10.4.9 OS. The above picture is from the webcam...looks like the viewer has taken LSD. I see no controls to change camera settings.

The image is from iChat.

ALSO...should I be able to use the Ultra Vision with iMovie? iMovie doesn't give me the choice of iSight and USB connected camera...JUST iSight.

HELP!?!?

Thanks, --bill

CharlesS · Mar 22, 2007, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_E

Any camera that is "Vista Certified" should also be USB Video Class certified, which will work. Thats's the key, it must be UVC - it will usually specify it's "driverless" on the box.

I don't think so - Logitech's cheapest webcam, the QuickCam Chat, says it's Vista Certified on its product page:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/pr...ONTENTID=11635

However, Logitech's support page for UVC specifically states that it is not UVC-compliant:

http://logitech-en-amr.custhelp.com/...p?p_faqid=5336

It's kind of discouraging, because all the UVC-compliant cameras seem to be almost as expensive as the iSight used to be. The cheapest one I've been able to find so far has been the Xbox one. Does anyone know if that camera's quality is any good (at least, better than that screenshot of the UltraVision above)?

bohdanz · Mar 23, 2007, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_E

I picked one up Friday for $40. As I'd heard, it work great after the latest OS update. Tested in Skype and iChat.
I'm just using a bluetooth headset for the mic, but I'll probably pick up a cheap stand-alone mic later.
I even matches the resst of my setup.

A little funky with photobooth.

What bluetooch mic are you using?

I can't get my Motorola bluetooth headset to work with Skype no matter what I've tried.

Thanks in advance for your help.

sherman94062 · Apr 10, 2007, 09:28 PM

I have the same problem getting iMovie to recognize the Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision, anyone get this working? Note that the camera works fine with iChat ...

ErinJ · Dec 18, 2007, 11:15 AM

I am thinking about buying one of the cams from the site below. Any suggestions on the best one? They seem to be cheap and I am going to purchase my HDMI, and Optic cables from them so before I order I thought I would ask.

Webcams - In-Stock - Quick Shipping

Thanks in advance,

DocMacPS · 04:14 AM

10 months have passed since the original posting here. Identifying UVC compliant Apple Macintosh compatible USB webcams remains a pain. Logitech continues to utterly confuse the marketplace with dozens of cam variations only a few of which are UVC, and ONLY discerned by the model and PART # of very select models.

I'm trying to maintain a SHORT list of It-Just-Works UVC models here at: http://mac-compatible-web-cam.com/ - as well as address common questions & problems especially with folks running multiple chat apps at a time, having more than one camera, etc.

Maybe the uptake of Microsoft Windows Vista PC's this Xmas will finally kick Vista's driverless support of UVC cameras to the bigger marketplace - and Macintosh users on Tiger 10.4.x and up will eventually benefit from more than only a half-dozen CLEAR-CUT UVC cams to choose from.

Samiz32 · Jan 7, 2008, 02:28 PM

someone please help meee!
i have no fancy words to ask this question in, and i dont know all that much about this stuff but..
i have a Macbook, i want a webcam to work with my msn. i have the Mercury version, but the picture on the built in cam isn't brilliant. i want a logitech one, but do any of them work? if so which ones!
Thankyou!

JoshuaZ · Jan 7, 2008, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Rev2Liv

Well, the iSight's are even MORE expensive now. On eBay, going rate for an iSight is above the $129 original price.

-Bn

I sold my original iSight for $220 a few months ago.

I remember buying it the first week it came out. Never thought I would get so much for it on eBay.

You can't beat the quality of an iSight though. Apple made one heck of a webcam. Only reason I got rid of mine was because my new Macbook Pro had one built in.

Cold Warrior · Jan 7, 2008, 10:07 PM

Check out macam as a way to use 3rd-party webcams with your Mac. I've seen it allow Skype 2.7b to use a Logitech Quickcam Express (a low-quality webcam) for video chat. I don't know if macam will work with MSN to allow other webcams.

macam 0.9.1 - MacUpdate

Macam's website has a list of camera compatibility. Again -- not sure how MSN will work with macam & other webcams.