Best 4K MJPEG webcam on the market, cuts with Sony mirrorless cameras, 1080p HDMI only
Please note: a bad lens will still look bad on a good camera. The UVC webcam controls (i.e. Video In Config options in OBS) work better than any other webcam I've tested, but sadly it doesn't save your settings, which increases manual labor. Other webcams have AI face detect auto exposure. I bought four of these, two C/CS Mount and two M12 mount models, these images are taken with a 1/1.8" 10-50mm f/2.8 C Mount zoom lens, which has really good bokeh for this size sensor. The 1/1.8" 5-12mm f/2.8 C Mount lens is also a must-buy. For fisheye lens you may need to buy an M12 version of this camera.. The widest shot is 4K, then 1080p cropped in on 4K, then 540p upscaled to 1080p.
You'd be hard pressed to notice it was MJPEG. The colors are great and I don't notice any JPEG noise. The auto-white balance was off, but when corrected it could cut with my Sony cameras better than any other webcam I've found. Sadly the HDMI isn't 4K NV2, it's 1080p YUY2 but it looks excellent and you're probably better off with a production video switcher. You may be used to having to config each camera before using them so one size doesn't fit all.
The problem with laptops with limited USB ports is you can only have one MJPEG and one YUY2 or NV12 device on a almost all USB hubs, (I've ran one MJPEG, one NV12, and one YUY2 webcam on a laptop docking station but not with all docking stations), so you can use a 1080p YUY2 HDMI capture card and the 1080p MJPEG on one USB hub and control the both with the computer, which reduces wires. That is super cool and maybe better than an IR remote. If you power the USB device by hub then it's easy to control in OBS.
I'm a compute engineer and have tested a lot of USB 3.0 webcams, and I'm 100% sure that companies are selling you fake USB 3.0 devices with slow USB PHY controllers that don't even run full USB 2.0 speed, you can tell because the colors are washed out and there is MJPEG noise. This webcam doesn't have that and you will be hard pressed to tell the difference between this an 4K NV12. MJPEG can be good if the USB PHY controller runs at full USB 2.0 speed.
JPEG can actually be lossless but it will be larger than a PNG file, which is basically what YUY2 is. By my calculations USB 2.0 MJPEG is a 1-to-5 ratio compression to PNG. When I converted a 5.03MB 4K PNG to JPEG with default xnShell settings, it was 534KB, a 1-to-9.4 ratio, and by using more bits you'll get less JPEG noise. I'm pretty sure that SHOULD lower latency too but I have to check that.
I do wish it came with a hot shot mount on the top. Who doesn't want a bubble level?
AskJoe.TV
★★★★★
This is such a great camera!
This camera far exceeded my expectations for multiple reasons.
First, the most important thing is that picture quality is simply amazing, especially at this price range. The other great thing is that it works as a USB Webcam (UVC) or as an HDMI camera... or both at the same time. That's very rare. When in USB mode, you just plug it in and you don't need any drivers or software.
They offer two manual focus lens options, with traditional rings for aperture, zoom and focus. Another great thing is that the lens itself is removable, so you can actually change it after you purchase it.
Just for kicks, I even tried it with an adapter that lets me use Canon EF lenses, and the results were simply amazing!
Dave Cooks
★★★★★
This is a really nice camera
(Edited review)
My troubles with this camera were my own fault. I gave this another try with good lighting and spent more time adjusting the zoom, focus, and exposure and I have to say this is a GREAT camera! I love the fact the focus is fixed. I will be using this as a top-down camera for unboxing videos and reviews.
Windows 10 pro identified the camera and installed the drivers without an issue.
OBS saw the camera and displayed the picture with no problem.
I also connected it to my television via the included HDMI cable. NOTE: You have to connect the USB to power the camera and see the HDMI signal.
I can recommend this and will likely order more of these cameras!
Lake Life 2018
★★★★★
Love the new camera with removable USB3 and HDMI Connection. Some issues for everyday cam
ELP 4K USB HDMI USB Camera Manual Zoom Webcam Variable Focus PC Camera Mini Close-up Camera for Computer H.265 Telescope USB Security Camera 8mp IMX415 Industrial CCTV Camera (5-50mm 10X Zoom Lens)
I love ELP, this is my 4th camera from them, and easily the best in terms of performance and picture quality. I use these for video web reviews primarily. This has really nice 4K image and with USB-C and HDMI connectivity it gives me a lot of option on how to capture images.
I will caution that when I tried to use it as my "every day" "all day" work webcam, I had some issues. It would get a little warm, and lock up and I would have to pull the USB-C and re-start it. Sometimes it would provide a very purple image. So I stopped using it for my all day work webcam, and use it occasionally for my video reviews (which is what I got it for in the first place).
So I don't recommend it for a 10 hour day camera, I think it is great for occasional use.
The picture quality is the best I've tried from ELP and I like that the lenses can be swapped around between the different cameras from the.
E
EvilSkink
★★★★★
Outstanding zoom
This camera requires manual adjustment, but has incredible zoom. The clarity and sharpness of distance objects is beyond anything I expected and it shows in high def real time. No delay or pixel drag. Overall an amazingly powerful camera for capturing work up close, and far away.
