Logitech 720p Webcam Pro 9000
by Logitech
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech 720p Webcam Pro 9000
Customer Review: Great Webcam
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
After spending some time with this camera I really like it. I already had the Quickcam Pro for notebooks and this camera seems to be the same camera in a different housing because everything seems to work and function identically. The camera being able to focus makes a huge difference when compared to cameras I have had in the past; it just makes everything better. The camera also seems to deal decently with lower light levels. The other great thing is that in Windows it just works. I have tried it on XP, Vista 64-bit, and Win7 64-bit RC. I can just plug it in and windows update will get the drivers and it works. The camera works well with Windows Live Messenger and I usually use it with that.
When I got this camera to review for Vine they included a letter asking to specifically highlight the Vid software in the review. I have used the new Logitech Vid software and it is easy to use and works ok. You have to make an account and then login to the server. You then add your friends who have the software and an account or send requests to friends with links to download the software. Once everything is setup when a friend is available you click their icon/pic to call them. I think it would be better to coordinate with your friend through IM on when to run the program for a video conference if it is what you want to use rather than leaving it on all the time. You can leave the program running like a IM program but I personally wouldn't because it seems to be a memory hog. I see numbers ranging from 75MB to 81MB being used in Win 7 64-bit RC with it just sitting there idle in my notification area which seems a bit excessive for something just sitting there doing basically nothing other than saying I'm here and looking for connection requests. They may address this in future revisions of the software so it would be worth checking back in on it now and then.
So to summarize; the camera is worth the price for the hardware alone, the free Vid software works well and if you like it use it but I wouldn't leave it running at this point.
Customer Review: The best webcam out there. Period.
Summary: 5 Stars
Logitech competes with itself. Altough webcams are near commoditity items these days, Logitech keeps raising the bar. With th QuickCam Pro 9000, they have produced an affordable, very high quality webcam that could make web conferencing an everyday, comfortable reality.
There are only a few facts that matter about this product:
1. Lens resolution is tack sharp.
2. Autofocus works very well.
3. Audio from the built-in microphone is astounding.
4. The stand is easy to configure, stable and holds it position.
5. The Logitech software is less buggy than in the past.
Each high-end iteration of Logitech webcams has gotten better. I want to say this one is truly superb but fear that people might think I am just blowing smoke.
My hair is thin an unruly. With the QuickCam Pro 9000, every blowaway strand is visible onscreen. (There goes my old-age career in Hollywood.) The autofocus is exactly that: autofocus. No need to involve yourself in the process. Compensation for varying lighting works well and works automatically. Color rendition is excellent.
The audio quality is, in my opinion, spectacular. On my middle of the road laptop, the audio was surprisingly full and rich, not at all the somewhat tinny sound associated with earlier Logitech and other webcams.
The camera mount is a no-brainer and requires no concious thought to set up.
The Logitech software is less buggy than in the past. It installed under Vista Ultimate with only one error: the special effects wouldn't load, which is no great shakes for me.
By the way, always make sure that you download the latest software from the Logitech website. Never use the CD provided. It is always behind.
The results this webcam delivers are so good that I suspect many people will no longer feel any hesitation in videoconferencing as a substitute for travel or face-to-face meetings. With adequate bandwidth, the visual quality is high, the audio superb and the frame rates high for a more lifelike appearance.
Whether you want to confer with your colleagues, friends or staff or just want to see the grandkids, the QuickCam Pro 9000 is everything you could ask for.
Jerry
Customer Review: A vast improvement over the laptop cam
Summary: 5 Stars
My laptop has a built-in camera, but since the laptop is across the room and connected to a flatscreen, I wanted a portable webcam that I could center above the TV for Skype calls. When I first launched Skype, the video picture was dark, and way off center. It took me a minute to realize that I needed to select the camera I wanted to use, since the default was the laptop camera. I found the pulldown menu and selected the Logitech 9000. WOW! What a difference. I suddenly had a tv studio in my living room! The software allowed me to adjust for light, although the auto adjust feature worked fine. I could also zoom in, tilt and pan the image using the video control panel. Note that this camera does not have a PTZ motor and does not physically move. This is all done with the image by the software. If you are sitting close to the camera, those features would be more limited. The nice thing about this is that I can sit on the sofa across the room and zoom in for a better picture to my video callers. I even tilted up and zoomed in on the people in the kitchen with amazing clarity. I haven't had a chance to test the audio quality of the built-in microphone from across the room, so I don't know if I will get a room echo or clear sound. I have used the camera and mic on my office computer, up close, and it worked perfectly. In fact, the person I called commented on the sounds of me shuffling papers, drinking an ice tea, and typing on the keyboard, so the mic picks up everything.
In addition to being a great camera and microphone, the Logitech software comes with a number of fun animated avatars, (such as an alien, a cat, and a robot, etc.) you can use if you don't want your face to be on camera. The camera software will analyze your facial features and then impose them on the avatar so that it moves when you do. It's not perfect, but it is a funny effect when you talk, blink and tilt your head to make the animation move. Kids will love it. You can also use any number of supplied images in place of your face, or add your own. I dropped in the classic 1950's tv test pattern as a test and it works great. These gimmicks will be fun for a while, but as video calls become more typical in our household, I'm sure this quality web camera will become valuable asset.
Customer Review: Great investment!
Summary: 5 Stars
Recently bought this webcam after starting to use Skype. My brother-in-law had purchased an HP webcam at Bestbuy and at the time I was so impressed by the picture we got, I immediately got online to research webcams. Based on reviews on [...] and here on Amazon I purchased this Logitech cam that day, received it 2 days later. Setup is extremely easy EXCEPT, I must say, for putting the camera on the monitor. Nowhere are specific direction given for it and to me (and several family members) it just wasn't obvious - there's no clip, you kind of have to just prop the swinging arm up in back into what seems like a pretty tenuous balancing act. I found it surprising I could find no mention by anyone on the internet on how to do it! Maybe I'm just dumb. Anyways, in terms of functionality, picture quality, ease of use...all rate A or A+. Was just talking to my sister-in-law on Skype last night, and now the picture from their webcam is obviously NOT very good, quite fuzzy, and the microphone apparently doesn't work well so they have to use a separate microphone! Additionally it is difficult for them to access the controls whereas the Quickcam utility is very easy to use, and the ability to manually control everything from brightness to contrast, etc. is very useful. Did not really understand in my research, or care, about the avatars and other special graphic effects, but in fact those have been very fun and everyone has enjoyed them immensely. Picture quality is so good that I was able to hold up architectural plans(which contain small font and fine lines) and explain in detail about possible additions to our home. That was so cool! Microphone quality is also excellent, picks up my husband's voice from the next room. So last night, during our conversation, my brother-in-law went and ordered one for themselves online and will be returning the HP camera! My mother-in-law was also impressed with the quality and will probably be getting one as well.
Update (1/2/11): Now not only do I own this webcam but, based on seeing the images from mine, also my husband, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother. Now we all see each other in high-quality video on Skype!
Customer Review: Just about perfect for a PC add-on webcam -- now with Logitech Vid
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
The new Pro 9000, released in July 2009, has some tweaks that makes it different from the older QuickCam version, even though both products share this page. (If you are considering buying this, make sure you read the recent reviews.) First, the back lighting option is built into the camera and therefore doesn't require driver software. You can choose to make RightLight automatic or on demand. Next, the older version worked best on Skype, but this one has the same refresh rate no matter which video calling program you use. Third, Logitech Vid software, competition to Skype, is included on the driver CD. Last, this new version can adapt to Widescreen format. You do get the same quality video when recorded directly on your computer no matter which device you use.
Within minutes of installing the software for the Pro 9000 on my PC, I was able to snap photos, record video, add special effects, and video calls, either using the included Logitech Vid software or Skype. The menu controls are intuitive, and the video/photos are good quality for a web cam, with great auto focus and automated "back lighting" that brightens video taken in a dark room. It sits easily on top of a full size monitor or a laptop screen.
I see only two drawbacks: one, there is no shutter to keep the webcam closed when not needed, and two, if you have a Mac, you cannot use all the features since Logitech does not have Mac drivers for it. You can plug the camera into a Mac as an "unknown device" to use for video calling. This last issue really bugs me about Logitech, that they seem to ignore Mac customers. They do, however, provide great products and driver software for Windows machines.
-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann