Does anyone use a video camera instead of a webcam? I am looking at trying it, was wondering if you guys have any recommendations, and also what software do you use.
Thanks!
(PS did search, didn't find anything much on this topic)
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Does anyone use a video camera instead of a webcam? I am looking at trying it, was wondering if you guys have any recommendations, and also what software do you use.
Thanks!
(PS did search, didn't find anything much on this topic)
I used a video camera years ago when i dabbled in camming while still a full time student. Like 2004-2005 ish. I had an S-video card installed installed in a desktop computer. The S vid cord connects the video camera to the computer. The quality was crystal clear. This was so long ago tho. Todays webcams are such high quality they even broadcast hd. I don't see the need to trouble with a video camera unless you want super high res recordings of your show
I use this camera and don't use any special software. You'll just need firewire and USB cables to hook it up to your laptop or PC and you're golden, ;).
I bought a nice HD one with zoom and a remote and my viewers hated it! The picture was super clear but I just felt that it shows too many flaws, and I don't care how perfect your skin is, if you have a really clear HD camcorder it's going to show every tiny flaw.
I did love the remote and tried to use it for awhile but what made me quit using it is that I made a lot less money than with my beloved Logitech 9000.
^^^ yup ... I'm glad that I 'retired' from webcam before the advent of 1080p HD ... because a video resolution that high also shows every skin blemish, every wrinkle, every ingrown pubic hair etc. This is actually becoming a major problem for the porn industry in general ... because nobody is 'perfect'. As HD plays a greater role for webcams, the same problems will undoubtedly arise.
In the 'good ol days' the best that could be achieved without a video capture card and analog camera i.e. early Logitech QuickCam was maybe 480x320 at 12 frames per second. Today you can get 720p HD out of many < $100 webcams ( see 'what's changed with webcams' thread ). So unless you're shooting for true 1080p HD resolution, or remote pan / zoom / tilt control of your camera by your customer ( which as LaurieLegs points out can be a mixed blessing ), the earlier approach of using a dedicated video capture card and a separate analog camera aren't needed any longer.
How did your viewers hate the one with the remote? I am just very curious. I have an awesome pan/tilt videocamera with remote and I just ordered firewire today. I am DYING to use the remote. It seems so much easier and convenient, and I see a plethora of the top girls on SM use a remote for zoom. However-- I have a laptop, not a desktop. I am not sure if that will hinder it at all, I think i read somewhere that you should not use a laptop?...
Oh. . and one other thing =). Is there anyway to get a remote with this one? that seems SUPER easy and handy to use for shooting content AND webcamming! So much easier than doing all that fancy tech stuff that I don't know how to do with me EVI. Super cheap too! That sounds fabulous!
^^^ you can actually add remote pan / tilt to any webcam and remote pan / zoom / tilt to any camcorder pretty cheaply these days ...
Just sharing my own personal experience. My HD logitech makes me lots. I judged mostly by the money. Anything that cuts my pay in half I don't need!
but yes they hated the higher resolution. They are there to get off and see something pleasant that will turn them on, not to see every vein and bruise and pore that might be showing.
That trackercam may be a good solution though. I've been meaning to look into getting that set up for myself.
^^^ TrackerCam actually offers pan / tilt bases that exactly match the LogiTech 9000 and C910 ... since neither of these cams offers a standard 'tripod' mount capability ...
Thanks for your input, ladies!
This is the pan/tilt I currently use and LOOOOOOOOOOVE it. I hated the one I got from Trackercam (find in the below quote) after two of them gave me so much grief. They just swing too fast and have a silly brain of their own, lol. I can't live without my remote controls for zooming. Please, note that you can find the same X10 pan/tilt on ebay but those are cheaper and directly from the manufacturer for smaller typical webcams.
OMG. . thank you soo much girlies! I'm psyched. ,. I've been searching for an easy way to get a videocamera and a tripod other than trackercam (worked SHIT for my friend). .
I'm soo excited to try this now. This is the thread I've been looking for since I started in the biz. :D