Elgato Facecam Pro review: a serious Twitch streamer webcam

As you’d maybe anticipate, Elgato goes all out in relation to Facecam Professional specs. Armed with a Sony Starvis 4K CMOS sensor and a premium autofocus lens, this 60fps beast punches more durable than most seize peripherals. Its huge 90° subject of view will satiate streamers and creators attempting to suit extra into the body, and its 10cm to infinity focus vary fits a bunch of situations.

Let’s handle the elephant within the room, because the Elgato Facecam Professional is the scale of 1 in comparison with different webcams. All vital, in fact, as there’s numerous tech squeezed contained in the peripherals hardy plastic shell, however its presence will undoubtedly dominate the highest of your gaming monitor.

Personally, I believe the massive, boxy design of the Elgato Facecam Professional is charming in a approach. It jogs my memory of BD-1, everybody’s favourite droid companion from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, however it does really feel prefer it’s staring into my soul as I write this assessment. Sadly, until I need to banish it from my desk space, I’ll must put up with it peeping at me, because it doesn’t wield any form of privateness shutter or guard. That’s a biggie for anybody who makes use of DIY means to stop cyber snoopers, as this isn’t the form of product you need to stick washi tape onto.

We’ve already lined the truth that the Facecam Professional is a 4k 60fps monster, however it’s acquired a formidable vary of options as well. There’s a cause I hold saying it’s like a DSLR digital camera, and that’s largely as a result of you’ll be able to equally fine-tune focus, publicity, and white steadiness. I’m not saying that is distinctive to Elgato’s expensive peripheral, however we’re speaking about greater than your commonplace slider.

The Facecam Professional’s autofocus choices are price highlighting specifically, as you’ll be able to choose both center-weighted or spot metering. Put merely, the previous makes use of the middle of the body to robotically modify, whereas the latter appears to be like for a selected object on a plain backdrop. This naturally helps forestall any blurry blips brought on by focal automation, and it really works a deal with in follow.

The identical applies to the webcam’s auto publicity settings, that are a godsend when you’re on the lookout for a fast repair. In fact, you too can change to handbook and mess around with shutter velocity, supplied you already know what you’re doing. I really discovered myself dabbling with these settings to get rid of grain in my poorly lit workplace and managed to steadiness issues out a bit. That is fully non-compulsory given how nice the auto modes are already, however with the ability to take the wheel is why there’s a ‘professional’ slapped on the top of the product’s title.

For the worth, you’d maybe anticipate the Elgato Facecam Professional to provide nice outcomes out of the field, however that’s not likely how this stuff work. Similar to an expert digital camera or camcorder, or some other webcam on the market, you’ll have the ability to harness the gadget’s true high quality potential by placing in a little bit of setup effort. Merely put, when you trouble to make sure you’re capturing an adequately lit setting and dial within the settings talked about above, you’ll be handled to incredible high quality that cheaper options can’t obtain.

I’m maybe preaching to the proverbial PC fanatic choir, as seasoned Twitch streamers are probably already conscious of the hassle and craft concerned with the interest/profession. Nonetheless, that doesn’t make it any much less prevalent to say, as you’ll be majorly underwhelmed when you assume this webcam will magically produce professional-grade footage.

Used correctly, the Facecam Professional is sharp, vibrant, and handles lighting successfully, whereas burying that typical grain related to webcams is simple to realize. Admittedly, lots of the webcams I’ve used prior to now are half the worth, however I’ve usually hit a wall by way of high quality, regardless of utilizing ring lighting and different non-compulsory enhancements.

You don’t have to make use of Elgato’s Digicam Hub with the Facecam Professional, as OBS Studio is my private go-to app. That stated, the corporate’s particular software program supplies you with easy accessibility to all of the cam’s bells and whistles, and also you’ll want to make use of it to tinker with automated modes.

Fortunately, Elgato Digicam Hub contains a comparatively clear structure, so that you shouldn’t any bother navigating by way of. When you’re planning on utilizing a third-party app in conjunction, there’s a helpful button that trims off the footage preview, one thing that’ll come in useful when you have a number of home windows purposefully haunting your desktop already.

When you’ve acquired a playful facet, you may additionally vibe with the Digicam Hub app’s choice of AI-generated backdrops. Powered by Nvidia Broadcast, the backgrounds aren’t groundbreaking, however it’ll offer you one more reason to fiddle inside Elgato’s bespoke software program.

As well as, the Elgato Facecam Professional additionally performs good with the corporate’s Stream Deck add-on. That’s maybe an understatement, as help for Digicam Hub helps the app transcend the digital realm and exist on prime of your desk.

You may tweak settings like shutter velocity and ISO by pairing the Stream Deck with the Digicam Hub, and the Audio Mixer mannequin’s dials double up as a approach to make use of the pan and zoom characteristic. I sadly haven’t acquired the interface at hand for testing, however including tactile interplay tickles my mind in the appropriate approach, to not point out it’ll consolation DSLR customers which are used to messing with buttons and dials.

The Elgato Facecam Professional prices $299, so it’s extra of an funding than an atypical peripheral improve. The principle query it is best to ask your self earlier than throwing down that form of money is: “Do I would like a 4K 60fps webcam?” If the reply isn’t any, then there are many different choices on the market that’ll do the trick, like the unique Elgato Facecam.

Let’s simply say you’re already hellbent on selecting up a $300 webcam, do you have to go for the Elgato Facecam Professional? Properly, the quick reply is sure, however provided that you’re not bothered concerning the lack of a built-in microphone or privateness shutter. In any other case, I think about many streamers will probably be eyeing up the Razer Kiyo Professional Extremely in the event that they’re not fussed about 60fps.

In the end, the Elgato Facecam Professional is a webcam constructed with severe streamers and content material creators in thoughts, and pulls severe punches within the premium peripheral ring. You could possibly say it hasn’t acquired a lot competitors but, as even the Razer Kiyo Professional Extremely can’t handle 60fps. Nearer rivals are certain to emerge sooner or later, however for now, your selection of cam kaiju will probably be depending on whether or not you want excessive body fee seize or the delicate extras included with Razer’s providing.

Execs:

• Prime quality, 4K/60fps seize
• DSLR-like tuning expertise
• Nice non-compulsory software program

Cons:

• Lacks built-in microphone
• No privateness filter
• Expensive

The Elgato Facecam Professional is offered worldwide, however solely straight from Elgato itself. Right here is the perfect worth for it proper now: