Logitech 720p Webcam Pro 9000
by Logitech
|
List Price: Our Price: $48.91 You Save: $31.08 (39%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $30.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
|---|
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech 720p Webcam Pro 9000
Customer Review: Top of the line
Summary: 5 Stars
The Quickcam Pro 9000 is probably the best webcam on the market, and Logitech has done a great job making it both high-quality, and easy to use. Granted, the camera is one of more expensive out there, but you'll be getting your money's worth.
Unboxing:
When you first get the box home you'll be able to see the camera sitting at the very top of the box encased in plastic. The box opens from the bottom, and all of the packaging slides easily out. Inside you'll find: the camera, installation Disc, a quick start guide, and an "Important Information" slip. The quick start guide will walk you through the installation in 12 easy steps in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, as well as providing support numbers should anything go wrong. The Information slip has some FCC warnings, and Warranty Information inside. No true "manual" but I hardly read those anyway. The camera itself was still inside it's plastic enclosure, and once that was removed, the camera easily came out.
Craftsmanship:
The camera itself seems very sturdy. All of the hinges seems strong, and have a very stiff rotation, something thats nice considering that this will be sitting on top of my monitor. On one half you have the camera, with a small button which takes pictures automatically, on the other side you have a microphone. Everything seems to be of the highest build quality, and I would fully expect this thing to last for a very long time.
In terms of setup, I messed around with a few different configurations to see what was the best way to actually set the camera up. Logitech has made a nice system to use the camera on top of monitors. A small catch sits on the front of the monitor, while the hinged leg props it up to the proper angle. Even with my hefty 2" thick monitor, I found that the camera sat stably. I also tried to use the camera as a stand, and attempted to use it sitting on my desk, this did not go so well. A combination of the single leg, and the bulging camera made almost every setup on my desk unstable. The leg does not have enough width to keep the camera from falling over, and even when I tried using the camera to stabilize against the desk, the bulging camera caused it to still tilt slightly. In the end I had to resort back to the standard top of the monitor setup, a tad bit disappointing, but absolutely nothing deal breaking.
Software:
Just as a test, I plugged the camera right into my system, just to see how well it works as a Plug and Play. At the time, I am running Windows 7, and found that within a moment, my camera was up and ready to use. Starting up Skype to double check, the camera was indeed working. I then unplugged it and decided to run the instalation disc to see what it included. The disc came with drivers, Logitech Webcam Software, and a program called Logitech Vid (essentially Logitech's version of Skype). The included software was excellent, far exceeding my expectations. The Webcam Software will be your main way to access anything to do with you camera. That includes settings, camera, video, video effects, as well as links to programs (like Skype, GMail video, video editing software, and even YouTube). I was overall impressed with the ease of use of the software, as well as the many settings that can be changed. Also a fun side note is just how fantastic the video effects are.
Logitech included effects that change the way the video outputs. The video filters will pinch, twist and warp the video like a fun house mirror, as well as invert colors, or posterize the image, something Mac's have done for a while with photobooth. However Logitech has also included filters that go a bit further then that. The first one adds props to the image, such as add glasses, hats, eye patches, and other fun things to whomever is in the frame. Also added are Avatars, which tracks your facial movements and transfers those movements to a 3D character, such as a shark or a stick figure, then overlays that character over the video, making it seem like the avatar is the one making the video. And the last filter Logitech added is one that cuts your eyes and mouth out of the video and places them on a still image, such as the Mona Lisa. The result is a talking, blinking Mona Lisa. I should mention that some of these filters worked best with one person, centered in the shot, with good lighting. They did work with multiple people, but the camera had a little bit of a hard time deciding who to put the props on, or where the face actually was. However in the end, It still worked fantastically well. These are great little toys, and I enjoyed messing around with all of them, especially with friends around.
Image Quality:
This is where Logitech really hit the nail on the head. The image quality is astounding. You can take up to 8MP images, and 720p video captures. The images were sharp and clear, and the video was excellent. Color-wise, Logitech also exceeds expectations. Colors were clear and vibrant, and thanks to some clever software, lighting was always just right. The images were also always in focus. I really couldn't ask for anything more from a webcam. Logitech also allows you to manually adjust the color levels, brightness, and focus on your own, but the software did such a great job, I found it wasn't really necessary.
On skype I found that I came through great. I was told the video looked great, and there was no choppy image. Also, Microphone quality was up there, they had no problem hearing, or understanding me on the other side of the line.
Conclusion:
Overall Logitech impressed me. With such a high price tag, my expectations were admittedly very high, but they managed to meet every expectation, and in certain areas exceed them. Image quality was top of the line, video capture was excellent, and build quality was impressive. The software was where Logitech really surprised me. rarely do the manufacture's put so much effort into making a satisfying software suite. This will be one of the few that I will use on a day to day basis. In the end, if you can afford the price tag, and really want the best from your webcam, Logitech's Quickcam Pro 9000 is the best choice.
Pros:
+Video/Image Quality
+Build Quality
+Great Software
+Sturdy Stand
+720p Video Output
+Built in Mic
+Looks Nice
Cons:
-Hard to stand up on a desk/table top.
Customer Review: Great Webcam, Great Software, Dead-Simple VIdeo Calling
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I'm primarily a Mac user, but also run Windows Vista through Boot Camp or VM Fusion.
How does the WP 9000 work on a Mac? Meh. Its meant for Windows. While you can use it on a Mac, the functionality is limited. You don't get any of the lighting, filter or auto-focus effects. It will do basic image capture in most Mac programs that can use the built in iSight, including Photobooth, Quicktime and iChat. Strangely, though, it won't capture video in iMovie. You're better off spending a few extra bucks on the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro for Mac (Black)
On a Windows machine, though, the Webcam 9000 shines. I've used a lot of webcams. Up till now, my favorite was the Logitech Quickcam Orbit AF. The form factor is neat and the video is pretty good.
While Logitech says the WP 9000 and Orbit AF both have two megapixel sensors, the video from the WP 9000 seems superior. I don't know if its performance is enhanced through a better sensor in the WP 9000 or if its software-based, but the WP's video and still pictures seem crisper, more colorful and more detailed. The autofocus is also improved. I've never found it to work correctly on the Orbit AF, with the new WP 9000, it's spot on.
Best of all, the WP 9000 shoots gorgeous HD widescreen video. According to Logitech's specs, the Orbit AF's video tops out at 960 by 720 pixels, the WP 9000 goes all the way up to 1600 x 1200. That gives you a bigger, sharper and higher-definition picture that sets the standard for modern webcams. It's equivalent to 720 video, which is the lower of the two HD standards (full HD tops out at 1920×1080 pixels; I don't think any webcam comes close to that, though).
The WP 9000 ships with the terrific Logitech software suite that lets you adjust a number of attributes (exposure, white balance, focus), or gives you the choice to use Logitech's proprietary technologies like RightLight to do the work for you. On the WP 9000, these automatic settings work great.
At the moment, Logitech is putting a heavy push on its new Vid video-calling software/service combo. Vid lets you make unlimited free video calls to other Vid users. Set up is extremely simple and it installs when you run the webcam's operating software (although Logitech also politely, and appropriately, gives you the option not to install the Vid software).
During the installation process, you're prompted for your email address and a password. You're also given a chance to take a picture of yourself with your newly installed WP 9000 for your profile. That's it. No account name, no forms to fill out, no credit cards to bill. Vid is the simplest service to sign up for you'll ever use. It's certainly much easier to install than Yahoo, MSN, or Skype, and it asks for a lot less personal information, too.
Logitech says they developed Vid because webcam purchasers were reporting too many "what's next" moments after installing their webcams. They say their users were put off by having to download and install other video calling services.
I bet they're right. I MIGHT be able to talk my mother through installing a webcam, but downloading and setting up Skype and getting it all to work together? Not so much. Vid is a very good solution to those who want the easiest integration of webcam and video chat software. Of course, it doesn't have the ubiquity of Skype, MSN or Yahoo, but it is dead simple.
Vid is free to use if you have a compatible Logitech camera, or if you've received an invitation from someone who owns one. Otherwise, at this time, it's limited to a 30 day trial period. That seems like a pretty generous policy to me. Logitech wants to encourage people to buy their cameras, but if you do, and want to chat with someone who has a built-in or other company's webcam, you can give them a free pass to the service.
BTW: I installed Vid on my Macbook using OS10, and it worked perfectly. Vid found the built-in iSight camera and used that for the video. On a test call, Vid worked perfectly. I couldn't find a setting on the Mac or Windows versions of Vid to increase the resolution, though. It looks like it's limited to SD, probably for bandwidth issues.
Another BTW: I installed the WP 9000 on Windows Vista running in VM Fusion. No driver or other problems at all.
So, if you're looking for a compact webcam for Windows that has excellent performance, truly useful and fun utilities (my kids loved using the built-in filters to put cartoon hats and mustaches on each other's videos) and a goof proof bundled video-calling service, just click "Buy Now." In my experience, Logitech makes great hardware and I've had excellent customer service from them. I don't think you can go wrong with the WP 9000.
Scott Sherman, author, Lambda Literary Award Winning Best Mystery, 2009, First You Fall: A Kevin Connor Mystery
Customer Review: Fantastic Webcam!
Summary: 5 Stars
I spent a lot of time deciding which webcam to buy and very glad I chose the Quickcam Pro 9000. I read all the reviews and weighed them against a few things. One being my computer which is a 1 1/2 year old IBM laptop that has had major problems since about 6 months after I bought it. Installing new hardware or software always makes me nervous but I do backup everything on my computer weekly at this point for fear of the blue screen of death (which I've gotten a few times already). Next I was thinking about how this webcam would function for me using Sightspeed. Though there were many good reviews, there were also some negative ones but compared to the other webcams out there I felt it was worth a shot.
Here is what I have experienced....
(I have an IBM Laptop running Windows XP using Sightspeed)
I downloaded the software and had no problems whatsoever. Next I downloaded Sightspeed, again no problems whatsoever. I plug the camera in and made the necessary adjustments for my particular environment (i.e. lighting, sound, etc.) What I found out very early on is the following, although the Rightlight technology is FANTASITC in regards to preserving and providing the perfect amount of light, it also does something else. It will cause ghosting as well as reduced sound quality. So, although it looks nice, it does not work well for me. So, I unchecked the Rightlight box and wow what a difference. ABSOLUTLY NO MORE GHOSTING. My image obviously was darker but by adding in my own light i.e. turning on more lights or opening the blinds, that was quickly alleviated. Sporadically I will get an echo even if I have the echo cancellation on and the background noise suppressed but have found that the echo is directly related to my celing fan being on and or my air conditioner noise - once I turn those off the echo is gone. Obviously if they need to be on, then I just adjust the volume on my computer, the camera recording volume and the volume on sightspeed and it's no longer bothersome. I should say I only use the webcam to have videocalls with family and friends, I don't use it for instant messaging or chatting or any of those other things. My 4 year old loves it and he does video calls with his preschool friends and his Nana and like any 4 year old he's hopping all over the place and still the webcam works great, always following and focusing on his image.
My only complaint about it would be that it doesn't come with a case and they don't make one for it. If they made one, I would be happy to even pay extra for the case. So, I'm trying to find a "gadget" type case to keep this webcam and my card reader in as I don't want the lens getting scratched when it's not on my computer. Other that that, I love it and it works great for us. But if you are expecting perfection, then I would suggest not buying a webcam because you will be dissapointed as nothing is perfect. I do know a lot of people have a problem with this camera with Skype, my recommendation would be to try this camera with Sightspeed, you will be VERY happy you did. Sightspeed is just awesome!! I personally have not used Skype with this camera so I cannot attest to how it functions on Skype. I should say, I have absolutely no affiliation with Sightspeed whatsoever but have had and continue to have such a great experience using this camera with Sightspeed. I would recommend anyone having issues with this camera on Skype to try it with Sightspeed before returning it but be sure to remove Skype from your computer first or you will have a conflict between the two programs and that's a whole other issue.
One other comment...My husband has the Quickcam Pro for Notebooks (running Windows XP using Sightspeed on his IBM laptop) and that too works great though I think this one has better optics. His is MUCH smaller and comes with a case which is nice because he takes it with him on business trips. So if you are decided between these two and you travel a lot for business I would choose the Quickcam Pro for Notebooks, it works exactly the same though as I said a very slightly lower quality to the optics but not something that would deter me from purchasing it - this size and case are much more convenient for travel.
I highly recommend the Quickcam Pro 9000 but again like any technology it depends on your specific computer set up, the service you use and how they function together. I do hope this review is helpful in making your purchasing decision. I think if it's compatible with your system and you expect something fun to use, that works very well but isn't perfect, you will be extremely pleased!
Customer Review: Grandma and Grandpa Love It!
Summary: 5 Stars
We bought this webcam as an upgrade from the really inexpensive bottom-of-the-line Logitech we picked up on Black Friday and we're very glad we did!
The old one wasn't horrible. We used it almost exclusively for Skyping with Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) once our son was born. The picture quality wasn't great, but you could tell who you were talking to and the microphone worked pretty well. The big problem was movement. As soon as you started moving, the picture would stutter. If you moved your hand across the front of the webcam, you would see the hand move about 6 inches at a time, then pause, then repeat. That worked OK while our son was very little and didn't move around much, but now that he has gotten to the age where he can roll over and start crawling, it just wasn't cutting it. Grandma and Grandpa were really starting to miss out.
I wasn't sure if the problem was the webcam itself, the USB 1.1 port on my 5-year old laptop, our internet connection, or some combination of the 3, so I was leary about spending a lot of money on a replacement. I didn't want to buy a more expensive webcam only to find out that the webcam itself wasn't the problem. So I checked out almost all of the webcams out there and after reading all of the really good reviews for the 9000, I figured I'd give it the first shot. I wasn't sure if all of the fancy terms like Carl Zeiss optics, RightLight2, and AutoFocus made that much of a difference or just added to the price, but I wanted to find out.
Turns out, this little guy delivers on every front. We didn't tell my parents that we had purchased a new webcam and when we did our first video call with the 9000, they were blown away. They said it was like watching a DVD. You can move around almost as fast as you want and the picture won't stutter at all. Everything was crisp and focused. The RightLight technology works great. Our basement has some very uneven lighting (some very bright recessed lighting, a big glass patio door, and a ceiling fan light) and on our old webcam, things were either washed out or too dark. With the 9000, everything looks exactly like it should, all they way from the front of the room to the back. The microphone works like a pro too. It picks up the noises my son makes and at the same time it also picks up what my wife and I are saying even though we sit further away on the couch.
The only small problem we've encountered when using Skype is that if you zoom in during a video call and then try to zoom back out again, you won't get as good of a picture as when you started. I'm not sure what causes that problem, or if there is a way to fix it, but it can be avoided by not playing around with the zoom during the call. We just move the webcam closer to our son or vice versa if we need to and it works out great.
In fact, it works so well that we actually use it instead of our video camera when we're shooting a video that doesn't require you to walk around much (i.e. putting our son in the high chair and taping him while he eats). It's a snap to turn those videos into movie clips since the file is being captured directly on the computer. No need to hook any wires up to the camcorder or worrying if the camcorder battery is charged or if there is a tape in the camcorder.
The adjustable stand/clip that comes with it can be manipulated into just about any position to fit your need. We've used it in a variety of places because we can walk around with it when it's connected to the laptop, and I don't remember ever having a problem finding a place to attach it.
So, if you're in the market for a quality webcam for video calls and even for capturing videos, go ahead and give this one a shot. Grandma and Grandpa will be glad you did!
Customer Review: Incredibly easy to use and high quality -- glad I took the plunge
Summary: 5 Stars
If I could give this product six stars, I would. I've purchased a couple of webcams over the years. All turned out to be just hard enough to use and just low enough quality that they eventually went in a drawer. Then, three weeks ago, before a trip to India and China, I decided to give webcams another try so that I could stay in touch with home. Based on Amazon reviews and previous good experiences with other Logitech products, I purchased a Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks for my laptop and a Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 for the home computer.
Both cameras are beautifully designed. The notebook version is very small (even smaller than it looks in the picture) and takes up about as much space than my mobile phone in my briefcase. Both units fit onto the monitors very easily (the Notebook version clips on, while the 9000 just sits on top of the monitor with a counterweight in the back). Installation of the software was a breeze -- took just a few minutes and installed without a hitch.
The real news for me, though, is the Logitech Vid software. At first, I didn't load the software, because it wasn't on the CD (I had to download it). However, after trying video chat on gmail (which was a bit confusing and kept crashing my computer), I downloaded the Logitech Vid software on both my laptop and my home computer. It's incredibly easy to use. All I had to do was register an email address on each computer, after which call from system to system was as easy as clicking on the picture of the person on the other system. No exaggeration, it was easier than dialing a phone number.
For the last two weeks, I've used the Logitech Quickcam to call home nightly from both India and China, using the regular internet access from the hotels. The process was incredibly simple -- a few seconds after clicking on the icon for the other computer, I was connected with home. The video quality was excellent, even in very poor lighting conditions, and the autofocus worked very well to keep us both sharp. The audio quality was also very clear; in fact, it was clearer than phone calls back to the States.
Given that calls back to the States normally cost $1 to $3 a minute from Asia, I figure I made back the cost of the cameras in a single trip. Since the video calls involved no incremental cost, I was able to talk as long as I wanted. Also, being able to see the family, rather than just hear them, was huge.
In a nutshell, I couldn't be more pleased. I promptly bought two more cameras for someone who works for me and also travels a lot internationally. I'll soon be ordering a camera for the grandparents; installation and use was simple enough that I'm confident my 80-something parents will have no problem setting it up and using it.
As I mentioned at the outset, I've tried webcams several times before, without success. Maybe they've simply gotten better since the last time I tried, or maybe Logitech finally cracked the code of extreme ease-of-use combined with very high picture and sound quality. In any case, the outcome was a true blessing for me when traveling internationally. I highly, highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants to stay in touch with family and friends who are far away and who wants a solution that's as easy as (or actually easier than) a phone call. I couldn't be more pleased with this product.