Despite being a computer programmer for... longer than I can now apparently remember, I have never been someone with much desire to be on the leading edge of computer technology. Let somebody else try it out, help work out the bugs, and come up with a convincing argument for why I need such and such a thing, and I'll THINK about it... for a few years. Thus, I was late to get on the Internet, late to buy a home computer, and laughed out loud at the thought I might ever want or need a web cam... until now.
As a still camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 can take better pictures than my old and long gone digital camera, though at maximum resolution you'd better content yourself with emailing them one at a time. However, it is not a complete substitute for it because even with a very long extension cord that desktop will get heavy in a hurry.
As a video camera, the QuickCam Pro 9000 is truly amazing! At maximum resolution people only familiar with older generation web cams will be openmouthed with astonishment, and viewers of the resulting videos will be able to make educated guesses about their dental health. It has a "Face Tracking" feature that can be set to follow one face or multiple faces and will do so quite well no matter how the subject(s) move, though the resulting video is not recommended for anyone susceptible to motion sickness.
In short a person who did not think he needed a webcam now wonders how he ever did without it.
Defects? Well, the software that comes with it is more than a little buggy; you WILL want to download the latest software from their web site, which cleared up my problems. I also don't like the fact that you can select only a single image size for both still and video because only the three smallest image sizes work for both still and video. If you select any of the five larger image sizes for taking still photos, you will have to reset it for taking videos and vice versa, which since the newest version of the software finally saves my settings between runs, is more than a little annoying. (Note: the latest version of the Logitech software has added two more video image sizes: 1.3 and 2 megapixels, leaving only the three largest image sizes as still photo only.)
A nice accessory would be a tiny protective carrying case because it is small enough to haul with you on trips. The original package will do the job, if you opened it carefully enough, but it is too bulky to fit well in a suitcase.
Note: a more expensive Mac version (apparently because certain features available to PC's in software must be replaced by hardware) is now available: Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro. Word is that there is some cross-compatibility, but I wouldn't count on it. Purchase the one that is compatible with the machine you will mostly be using it with. Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000 - Web camera - color - audio - Hi-Speed USB
I was really impressed with the excellent video quality, as are all my friends that I video chat with. Plus, it is very easy to use. The instructions tell you to install the software before using the camera, but I found you can skip the software and plugin the camera and it works right way. The software does have some good tools though. I really like the clamp/stand. It is versatile and I can attach the camera to my 22 inch monitor, my 10 inch laptop, or stand it up on a desk or table top. Highly recommended.
This is model 960-000050. Amazon also sells same item as model 960-000048 for a lower price. Logitech tells me they are identical. Buy the lower priced model 48, why waste your money on this duplicate model 50? I don't know why Amazon offers two models when the manufacturer says they are the same.
Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 (Black)
I bought two of these units from Amazon.com and had one sent directly to my daughter abd her family. The cost of air travel was too much for us to be with them during the holidays, and I thought it would be an acceptable substitute.
I was pleasantly surprised. It was an unbelieveable substitute! The cameral almost installs itself and immediately gives clear pictures. On our first trial run we had all of the bells and whistles figured out and on Christmas day we shared present opening almost as if we were there. Picture and sound are excellent. It comes with Skype! We love that too!
Caution - You are buying an automatic camera for around $80 so don't get too tricky. It handles brightness, focus and sound well but if you angle the camera downward, put it in a dark corner or stand far away (15+ feet?), you are going to notice a loss of quality, and if you do, don't complain. The instructions are very clear and the camera performs much better than anyone should expect.
First of all I never write reviews period. I got this out of the box and it was extremely easy to install. Next, The camera itself was absolutely amazing. It will record in upto 2 Megapixels definition which is 100x more than any person could want. The video for my webpage is crystal clear. If you would like to see it in action go to [...] it is worth seeming in action. - Quick Cam - Webcam - Logitech - Photography'
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