Top 9 webcams for all your video chatting needs

We are always getting questions about which webcam should be used for video chatting, which has the best quality, which is the cheapest, which one looks the best and so on. Well, the answer is not that easy, as it really depends on a lot of different factors and various webcams could be right for certain people, while other webcams will be better for other people.

So in order to try and help everybody out, we researched and examined a lot of different webcams in the last few weeks and we gathered a list of the best 9 web cameras you could get for your video conferencing needs. If video chatting is your thing (and it should be) – you should check this list out.

The cheapest one – Labtec Webcam 1200

This camera from ‘Labtec’ is probably the cheapest you’ll get new at amazon.com, which is suitable for the most common operating systems. It has really just very basic video features, but it does the job. You have to focus manually, but this shouldn’t be a problem for you. The resolution during a video session is only 352 x 288 pixels which is low. Also the frame rate of 5 frames per second is quite bad too. But what did you expect for ten dollars?!

Price: $9.99 @ Amazon

The most expensive one – Axis 0304034 Q1755 60Hz with PoE Midspan

This battleship from Axis brings near enough everything. The network camera delivers footage with a proud resolution up to 1920 x 1080 pixels (HD). It’s equipped with a 10x optical zoom lens (auto-focus) and a built-in microphone. The camera comes with automatic day/night functionality and has several intelligent video capabilities such as motion detection, audio detection and a tampering alarm. In addition, it includes a Gatekeeper functionality which automatically zooms in when there is activity in the scene, and then zooms out after a preset time interval. This one is probably too good for the private use. It’s designed for casinos, airports and other security related issues. By the way there is a discount if you buy a bundle of ten

Price: $1,546.49 @ Amazon

The value for money – HP KQ246AA 8.0MP Deluxe Webcam

This light-weight webcam especially designed for notebooks comes with an integrated wide angle microphone. The sensor delivers videos with a maximum resolution up to 1280×1024 pixels at 7,5 fps and 640 x 480 (VGA) at 30fps for smooth motion. For sure it has auto-focus and additionally three quick-launch buttons on the top. This well designed camera is versatile and able to fit the depth of several different screens (not only notebooks screens).

Price: $24.40 @ Amazon

The best designed one – IPEVO Point 2 View USB Camera

The “Point 2 View” (P2V) looks like a desk lamp but it’s not. It doesn’t just have a pleasing design but also the mounting is well conceived. Due to the flexible and elegant long-neck weighted stand you can have unique perspectives and even close-up videos with a minimum distance of 2 inches. This macro mode is perfect for documents, art pieces, homework and many more. You can switch between continuous or single-click auto-focus. Snapshots can be taken easily with an extra button on the top. You are free to hold it like a pen or attach it like a normal web cam on your screen with the universal monitor clip which is also included. The resolution is amazing (1600 x 1200 pixels) and still smooth. Plug-and-play works for both PC and Mac. The package ships with an additional monitor clip which fits to any kind of flat screens. The included software controls the web cam fully and provides additional functions like full-screen presentations etc. Sometimes the continuous auto-focus in combination with a lot of movement in the background, acts strange but the single auto-focus works perfect. All in all thumbs up!

Price: $68.68 @ Amazon

The 3D one – Minoru Webcam USB 3D

“Minoru” means “reality” in Japanese. It seems to be the first and only 3D webcam and it works quite simply. The device has two lenses and the software produces a red and cyan anaglyph image on the fly. The 3D effect is visible for anybody who is wearing ordinary 3D glasses otherwise you’ll see a blurred image. The package includes five paper 3D glasses for you and your friends, so this won’t be a problem. The Minoru has also ears which means, that a microphone is built in. It fits to any kind of screen because of it’s clever design. Also you are able to switch to 2D mode, if your opponent does not have glasses at hand. This is also a serious web cam in the 2D mode. By the way this web cam chat works well on web cam chat sites as well (but please wear the glasses reversed). Do not expect a 3D experience like you will have in a 3d-cinema, but still a very nice gadget!

Price: $89.95 @ Amazon

The Bluetooth one – Ecamm BT-1

The one and only Bluetooth webcam is called BT-1 and works only on Mac OS X 10.5 or newer. The plain designed web cam can be placed up to 30 feet around your computer. This means you are quite independent from your computer. So you can move the webcam in the room. This might be very interesting if you want to show your chat partner your new flat etc. or if you have a conversation with your family. The range depends on the strength of you Bluetooth device. A Bluetooth range expander improves the range a lot. Unfortunately the maximum frame rate of 15 fps is not as smooth as other web cams. The resolution of 640×480 pixels is acceptable. The box which has a size of a shirt pocket includes also a stereo microphone which has an over-average quality. The built-in battery works for about 4 hours and can be charged with a normal USB cable. A deep hit is the price…

Price: $149 @ bt-1.com

The best suited for laptop – Logitech Webcam Pro 9000

This smart webcam from Logitech has a Carl Zeiss lens which improves the image quality obviously and a video resolution up to 2-mega-pixels, which is the best on the market at the moment. Additionally you can take photos with a resolution of 8 MP. The universal monitor clip makes this camera suitable for notebooks and desktop monitor. The installation process is dead simple. The software includes a few improvements such as automatic lightning adjustment. Please download the latest drivers, because the software they deliver on CD is bad. All in all it’s impressive for the money!

Price: $65 @ Amazon

The one even my father can operate – USB Retro Web Cam

This retro cam is dead simple. No buttons, no adjustments, no nothing. Looks like the vintage SLR your father had years ago. For Mac and PC no drivers needed. Simply plug and play. Unfortunately there is only a manual focus, but your father probably can handle this like he did before with his first camera.

Price: $29 @ brando.com

The weirdest one – The USB webcam Rocket Launcher

This is not an ordinary web cam it’s an interactive toy. It’s a remote rocket launcher with an attached web cam for better aiming. For sure just harmless foam rockets being fired, so nobody gets hurt. You can move the tower remotely in all directions. This could be more of a nice gift than a gadget for yourself, because who buys a weapon which fires on yourself? Unfortunately you have to use the Windows MSN Live Messenger, otherwise the remote control abilities won’t work. Then it’s just a normal web cam with an average resolution. Think also of the possibilities to pan the web cam remotely.

Let the (geeky) office war begin!

Price: $49 @ thinkgeek.cm

The reader one – that means you!

That’s it! Do you own any webcam that could be added to the list? Let us know about it in the comments below. We’d love to hear about other any great webcams that we’ve missed and our other readers will definitely want to know about them. So don’t be shy, tell us what webcam you are using and if you are satisfied with it.