Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910

Webcam

By Siobhan Keogh, Auckland | Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Logitech's C910 webcam is one of two we have had in our test centre that can record in full HD. The Microsoft LifeCam Studio, which we reviewed earlier this year, was also capable of 1080p recording – except for the fact that the included software wouldn’t allow you to make use of a higher resolution than 720p. Fortunately, the C910 doesn’t have that problem – you can record in full HD straight out of the box, and it looks glorious.

The C910 features a Carl Zeiss lens and autofocus, which makes the quality of the recording just brilliant. The camera is capable of adjusting exposure to suit your lighting conditions – it lets more light into the sensor if you are sitting in a dimly-lit room, and less light if there is plenty available. If you don’t want it to automatically adjust, you can turn off that setting, along with a multitude of others. Just about everything is adjustable through the C910’s software, including colour intensity, brightness, contrast and white balance.

The autofocus can also be turned on and off, and you can use a slider to manually switch the camera from macro to wide mode, or anywhere in-between. On top of that, you can check a box that says ‘Follow my face’ and the camera will automatically zoom in on your face when it is in shot, no matter what direction you move in. This feature doesn’t just work with Logitech’s recording software, but with the C910’s Skype plug-in as well.

When testing the device, we were also able to apply a number of effects to video using the included software – these effects could be turned on and off while the camera was still rolling. It is possible to apply film grain, put a crown on your head, or have a CGI alien superimposed over you. The effects are something kids might have fun with, but they might not be as useful for grown-ups.

The C910 also comes with a number of apps, most of which are useful for uploading videos to social networks. Logitech doesn’t host your videos for you, so you have to upload to YouTube before you can tweet your latest video blog to your followers, but the apps are quick and easy to use nonetheless. More interestingly, there are some downloadable apps. One is a facial recognition app that can log you into various accounts after recognising your face and there are also more traditional programs on offer, like basic video editing software.

Video and still image quality was very good with the automatic light adjustment switched on, even in dim lighting. It can take images up to 10MP, and they do come out nice and clear. The only qualm we had was with its clamp/stand – it is hardly a clamp at all. While it might fit on the top of a monitor, it is never going to hold onto the top of a laptop, unlike Microsoft’s LifeCam that could clamp onto just about anything.

Of course, spending $170 on a webcam is just not necessary unless you’re really in need of high performance. The C910 is top-of-the-line as far as webcams go, so it is overkill if you just want a camera to Skype with. If you are a keen video blogger, though, you will find plenty of things to love in this webcam. Logitech C910 webcams are distributed by Ingram Micro, Dove Electronics and PB Technologies.