And with an uptick of Covid-19 cases this winter, coupled with a phased distribution of coronavirus vaccines, those who can telecommute will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. A Gallup poll found that two-thirds of U.S. employees working remotely would like to continue doing so.
If you want a good quality image and decent audio at an affordable price, Logitech’s C920 and C920S models are widely considered the best bang for your buck.
Stock is limited, but if you can find it for under $100, grab it — the C920 is the standard model while the C920S has a privacy shutter that I definitely recommend using.
If you like the idea of built-in lighting but don’t want to spend much, there are quite a few off-brand webcams on Amazon you can grab at relatively lower prices. Razer’s Kiyo webcam is designed for video game streamers, contains a high quality camera and a built-in ring light to make you look your best, if you’re willing to pay a little extra for lumination.
GoPro also has similar software, as does budget tech brand Wyze, so check what you have lying around — you may already have the gear you need for those face-to-face video calls. Some cameras use cheap plastic lenses with narrow fields of view, which will make the video look smudgy and cramped. Ideally, you want a camera with a wider aperture (i.e. f/2.0 instead of f/2.8) a glass lens, and a field of view above 65 degrees. Finally, some webcams have extra features like built-in lighting, a privacy shutter to keep the lens covered when you aren’t using it, or detachable cables.
None of these are strictly required (after all, you can light your face with a desk lamp and cover your webcam with tape), but they are nice to have.
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