Which webcam is the best for video conferencing?

Experts usually answer the question unanimously with the complicated product name "Brio Ultra HD Pro Business", a webcam from Logitech.

So far, it was far too expensive for private individuals and the home office, as it costs the recommended 240 euros.

Now their street price has dropped below 140 euros and we bought it in December.

Michael Spehr

Editor in the "Technology and Engine" department.

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The webcam has a USB-C connection, comes with a 2.20 meter long connection cable with a USB A at the end. With a clever folding mechanism, it can be easily attached to the monitor. It can be tilted up and down there so that the right viewing angle can be flexibly adjusted. The unit, which weighs just 63 grams, also has an infrared sensor for biometric login in Windows and a stereo microphone. If the camera is to be attached to a tripod, that also works. To do this, you remove the monitor mount, which is attached to a screw thread.

In principle, the Logitech is automatically recognized by the operating system and then loads standard drivers. So you don't have to install any software. Some parameters can be changed in the Windows camera app. But when we launched Microsoft Teams, the result was horrible: a blurry image and you can't change the resolution or refresh rate in Teams.

After some research, we found instructions on how to set it up and use it, which unfortunately are not in the operating instructions. First, load the Logitech Capture software onto your PC. In it there is then the possibility of cranking the resolution up to 4K (at 30 frames per second and 3840 × 2160 pixels), and the image that can be achieved in this way is indeed spectacularly good down to the smallest details. Just not in Microsoft teams, the error is widely known, unfortunately Microsoft does not fix it. The only disadvantage of the 4K resolution is that movements are only reproduced with a serious delay. When it comes to conveying even small nuances in a personal conversation, you are much better served with Full HD. The Brio also delivers very good images in backlight and in dark surroundings.Those called also found the sound recorded by the two microphones convincing.

Logitech Capture also allows the field of view to be selected in three stages: 65 degrees for 1:1 chats with friends, 78 degrees for video conferences with the team and 90 degrees if several people in the room are to be imaged. In addition, autofocus and white balance can be adjusted manually, and you can activate an HDR mode and flip the image horizontally, which makes a lot of sense. Logitech Capture is also able to control a second camera, for example if you want to use the notebook's built-in webcam as an alternative.

In Zoom software and other conferencing systems, Logitech Capture is listed as another camera. So you decide whether you want to use the image delivered directly by the camera or the significantly improved one from Logitech Capture. Although Microsoft Teams also allows Logitech Capture to be selected as the video source, it does not display an image, just a crossed-out camera symbol. So if you use teams, you should wait until Microsoft agrees to fix the bug – or use a different camera. Incidentally, the third configuration software is the Logitech G-Hub, but it is less powerful than Capture.

In the part-time job, the Logitech Brio has proven itself in use with Windows Hello, i.e. the biometric unlocking of the computer by looking into the camera.

This works absolutely without any problems and quickly, you get used to this comfort.