Which video conferencing camera / webcam are you using for M1?

[CoffeeMacBook]

Hey everyone,
quick question. If you're working in office or perhaps at your home office, aside from the built-in webcams on the M1 Laptops, which web camera or video conferencing devices are you using? Which one would you recommend?

I'm looking for some 4K alternatives, but Logitech seems to offer little support for the M1's. I've been scouring Logitech's community support forums and it seems that they've taken 2 year-ish to update software support for Monterey. Having searched alternatives for the past week, I just can't seem to find anything that might work seamlessly.

The general recommendation for great video quality is a camera + capture card setup, but I'm looking for a more compact solution. Overall, I'm concerned about software compatibility and whether the devices on the market have enough support for the M1.

I see articles about using your iPhone as a capture device, and that's something I'm open to trying but I'm also wondering if anyone has tried this setup? Was it feasible in the long run? It seems like a headache to setup.

Do you think it's possible that the rumored consumer tier monitors Apple is purported to release will include built-in web cameras? I wonder if Apple's attitudes towards high quality image captures has changed over the course of the Covid lockdowns? Espeically for their non-iPhone non-iPad product lineup.

 

[michalm]

I'm doing mostly Teams/Zoom meetings, so nothing advanced. The way I do it is to join from my phone first for Audio/Video and then join from my device as a secondary device for video consumption & screen sharing.

I do have a nice iPhone holder directly behind my mac, and the results are such, that people believe I'm in the office (virtual office background) - the iPhone 12 camera is that good.

I have tried using stuff like Camo, but found it to be too much hassle for my basic needs (and requires SW and I like to run a lean machine).

All in all, even though my setup is very basic, on teams/Zoon the results are praised by the others on every single meeting.

 

[Hexley]

You can use your old Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic and other brand's point & shoot, DSLR & mirrorless as a webcam.

You can see a sample of the video image quality on YouTube from multiple YouTubers for Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm & Panasonic cameras.

Or better yet search for your digicam's model # used as a webcam.

They will produce far superior image quality and audio quality than any smaller image sensor and cheaper lens webcam built-in or separate.

Wish these camera companies allowed for this as early as 2007 as it would add utility to their 1 trick pony.

Quantity and quality of the light and how it is positioned when used with the webcam will help further.

Even when I have this gear I still do not use them as webcams as I turn the video off to save bandwidth for other people with lesser internet connections. What's important to me is the speaker's words and the visuals (power point) they want to convey