With the number of webcams on the open market today, it can be hard to choose the best camera in terms of overall performance and value for money. The Microsoft LifeCam Cinema HD Webcam can help take the pain away from these decisions.
This is a webcam that has an intense quality and a ton of features, all packed into a camera that can fit into the palm of your hand.
The main feature of the Lifecam is that it offers a maximum resolution of 1280x720p at a rate of 30 frames per second. While this does not sound like much, it is quite speedy. It is not practical, or really even possible to use this resolution on a chat program, but it can be used to make some very nice videos.
Other features of this camera include a noise cancelling microphone which offers crystal clear audio during online conferences, auto focus which gives great clarity without needing to adjust a focus ring, a high quality glass lens that reduces blurs and clearframe image technology that gives a smoother, superior picture, even in low light conditions.
The LifeCam is a small (the overall length being less than two inches) lightweight package with an aluminium body and a flexible rubber foot that gives great purchase on desktops, monitors and even laptop lids. The cable is quite sufficient to reach most required positions.
While in use, we found we could not video conference at the highest resolution. This may have been due to our internet restrictions as high speed broadband is not available here. We found that chatting at 640x360p offered a great experience. The built-in microphone was able to pick up everything we said, although without the noise-cancellation feature enabled we could hear a faint whine. The Lifecam worked well in low and normal light conditions, but like most cameras there was a little washout in highly lit areas.
We enjoyed the plug-and-play experience and the software suite was easy to navigate.
The only issue you may have is the minimum hardware requirements. Compatible with all versions of Windows from XP forward, you will need a MINIMUM dual-core processor at 1.6 GHz, 2 GB of RAM and 1.5 GB of hardware space. While most computers these days offer this, anybody that is a little way behind on technology will find it hard to use the LifeCam.
Overall we found the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema HD Webcam to be a fantastic camera. It sits well in its pricing bracket and well ahead of its competitors. This is a web camera worth owning.
Rating – 9 / 10
 Pros:
- Pricing
- HD
- Small
- Great Audio
Cons:
- Compatibility with dated PC’s
