Wansview and other webcams

I just wondered if anyone has experience of Wansview webcams? Reviews of one I've seen are good but they don't indicate reliability or longevity. It seems that there's a world shortage of webcams at present as everyone is buying them to work from home and communicate via Zoom, etc. I was going to buy a Logitech one (I've read that most non-Logitech ones are made by Logitech) but I might have to wait a while. The very common Logitech C270 HD was about £26 before the shortage but Amazon have put it up to £45 in anticipation of new stock arriving next month. Should I steer clear of unknown brands? Any advice appreciated. Thanks. Philip

I just wondered if anyone has experience of Wansview webcams? Reviews of one I've seen are good but they don't indicate reliability or longevity. It seems that there's a world shortage of webcams at present as everyone is buying them to work from home and communicate via Zoom, etc. I was going to buy a Logitech one (I've read that most non-Logitech ones are made by Logitech) but I might have to wait a while. The very common Logitech C270 HD was about £26 before the shortage but Amazon have put it up to £45 in anticipation of new stock arriving next month. Should I steer clear of unknown brands?
Any advice appreciated. Thanks. Philip

Like you I've been looking at webcams and particularly Logitech as they were rated highly by Which?. But they are very hard to come by and the one's that are available have increased in price somewhat. In the end I went for one from a Papalook HD webcam (Chinese I reckon!) A mate of mine had bought one so I could see how it looked.which is alright. BUT, what got me when I read some of the reviews after I got it, was a couple of years ago it was 20 quid - I paid 70 quid. There is obviously a world wide shortage at the moment but paying more money for something that you think gives you better quality may not be there. Another mate of mine who got a different make for 30 quid - you can see the difference. So I'm keeping this one for the time being. I did look at using the DSLR as a webcam but you need something like a Camlink to get the video into the computer. They are on back order as well, my supplier tells me July.

Like you I've been looking at webcams and particularly Logitech as they were rated highly by Which?. But they are very hard to come by and the one's that are available have increased in price somewhat. In the end I went for one from a Papalook HD webcam (Chinese I reckon!) A mate of mine had bought one so I could see how it looked.which is alright. BUT, what got me when I read some of the reviews after I got it, was a couple of years ago it was 20 quid - I paid 70 quid.
There is obviously a world wide shortage at the moment but paying more money for something that you think gives you better quality may not be there.
Another mate of mine who got a different make for 30 quid - you can see the difference. So I'm keeping this one for the time being.
I did look at using the DSLR as a webcam but you need something like a Camlink to get the video into the computer. They are on back order as well, my supplier tells me July.

I had a Wansview security camera (outdoor wifi one). It started fogging up inside every morning, they cleared when the sun came out. Company said I should take it apart and dry it. Unacceptable response, but I did anyway. Still happened. Company stopped replying. I'd never buy anything from them again personally,

I had a Wansview security camera (outdoor wifi one). It started fogging up inside every morning, they cleared when the sun came out. Company said I should take it apart and dry it. Unacceptable response, but I did anyway. Still happened. Company stopped replying.
I'd never buy anything from them again personally,

Thanks for your comments. [link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/wansview-Microphone-Conference-Recording-Adjustable/dp/B086QTK3NL/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3JGGAFCSJBGA6&dchild=1&keywords=webcam&qid=1590334385&s=computers&sprefix=web%2Ccomputers%2C136&sr=1-2]This is the Wansview one[/link] I looked at, but there are other webcams on Amazon that have exactly the same bodywork and their reviews aren't so great. The problem with Amazon reviews is that there are normally written as soon as the item is received; they don't reflect long term use.\ There are some Edis webcams around or about to come into stock; Amazon don't sell them, but companies like Novatech do, so they should be ok. There are some identical looking ones on Amazon but from a company called "Guffo" (!) for nearly a third of the price so I assume they're something to steer clear of. I think Logitech models are due back in stock soon; I'll wait!

Thanks for your comments. This is the Wansview one I looked at, but there are other webcams on Amazon that have exactly the same bodywork and their reviews aren't so great. The problem with Amazon reviews is that there are normally written as soon as the item is received; they don't reflect long term use.\
There are some Edis webcams around or about to come into stock; Amazon don't sell them, but companies like Novatech do, so they should be ok. There are some identical looking ones on Amazon but from a company called "Guffo" (!) for nearly a third of the price so I assume they're something to steer clear of. I think Logitech models are due back in stock soon; I'll wait!

[quote]but there are other webcams on Amazon that have exactly the same bodywork and their reviews aren't so great [/quote] I think most of them are probably all banged out my the same factory in China. I know they're hard to come by, but I use a logitech C920 which could be had for £50 just before lockdown if you shopped around, or £90 if you wanted to pay an extra 40 for the plastic flip down cover. I'd highly recommend it, but out of stock everywhere I think.

Quote:but there are other webcams on Amazon that have exactly the same bodywork and their reviews aren't so great



I think most of them are probably all banged out my the same factory in China.

I know they're hard to come by, but I use a logitech C920 which could be had for £50 just before lockdown if you shopped around, or £90 if you wanted to pay an extra 40 for the plastic flip down cover. I'd highly recommend it, but out of stock everywhere I think.

[quote]but out of stock everywhere I think[/quote] Yes. The basic Logitech ones (C270) are supposed to be available in the next week or so, but I haven't seen a date for the C920. Amazon have increased prizes significantly (or perhaps Logitech have done it for them). The C270 was around £25 before the lockdown; now the Amazon (i.e., not a independent seller) price is £45 for a delivery after 5th June.

Quote:but out of stock everywhere I think
Yes. The basic Logitech ones (C270) are supposed to be available in the next week or so, but I haven't seen a date for the C920. Amazon have increased prizes significantly (or perhaps Logitech have done it for them). The C270 was around £25 before the lockdown; now the Amazon (i.e., not a independent seller) price is £45 for a delivery after 5th June.

A friend and I have been mucking around using our DSLRs as (very expensive) webcams. The software setup is a bit tedious and you are at the mercy of your batteries, but the quality is outstanding :) If you use a Canon, they have released a Beta webcam app, which works. My 6D isn't on the list of supported camera options, but does in fact work. However, it looked like it would only work with wifi, not tethered (although my mate says it does for him). Alternatively, you can run the EOS Utility, and open up the Live View window, then run OBS Studio and set up a source from a window, and go and capture the EOS Utility window - you have to faff around dragging the viewing box with ALT held down to just select the actual camera output and not the rest of the window. Then install the OBS Studio plugin Virtual Camera - when this is installed and running, the output from OBS Studio can be used as a virtual webcam. Select is as your source in Zoom or Skype or whatever, and you have stunning quality video conferencing. The downside of using the DSLR is mainly the size (I'm lucky to have space behind my monitor where I can put a tripod) and battery life - the options for Canon DSLR mains power are very expensive. The upside is the quality. The downside of using OBS Studio is that you have to have 2 extra bits of software running, it takes some time to install and set up, and if you use the EOS window as the video source, this has to be open all the time - if you minimise the window you will lose the video (although it doesn't have to be running topmost). The benefits of using OBS Studio include: - you can have multiple layers, so for instance for camera club Zoom meetings I can have the club logo overlaid on top. - the chroma key (green screen) works MUCH better than the built in virtual background on Zoom or Skype - if you use chroma key, you can have other layers showing either static image (like the virtual background) or video. You could even have the output from another video source, or camera EOS Utlity, beta EOS webcam utility, OBS Studio and the OBS plugin VirtualCam are all free.

A friend and I have been mucking around using our DSLRs as (very expensive) webcams.
The software setup is a bit tedious and you are at the mercy of your batteries, but the quality is outstanding

If you use a Canon, they have released a Beta webcam app, which works. My 6D isn't on the list of supported camera options, but does in fact work. However, it looked like it would only work with wifi, not tethered (although my mate says it does for him).

Alternatively, you can run the EOS Utility, and open up the Live View window, then run OBS Studio and set up a source from a window, and go and capture the EOS Utility window - you have to faff around dragging the viewing box with ALT held down to just select the actual camera output and not the rest of the window.
Then install the OBS Studio plugin Virtual Camera - when this is installed and running, the output from OBS Studio can be used as a virtual webcam. Select is as your source in Zoom or Skype or whatever, and you have stunning quality video conferencing.

The downside of using the DSLR is mainly the size (I'm lucky to have space behind my monitor where I can put a tripod) and battery life - the options for Canon DSLR mains power are very expensive.
The upside is the quality.

The downside of using OBS Studio is that you have to have 2 extra bits of software running, it takes some time to install and set up, and if you use the EOS window as the video source, this has to be open all the time - if you minimise the window you will lose the video (although it doesn't have to be running topmost).

The benefits of using OBS Studio include:
- you can have multiple layers, so for instance for camera club Zoom meetings I can have the club logo overlaid on top.
- the chroma key (green screen) works MUCH better than the built in virtual background on Zoom or Skype
- if you use chroma key, you can have other layers showing either static image (like the virtual background) or video. You could even have the output from another video source, or camera

EOS Utlity, beta EOS webcam utility, OBS Studio and the OBS plugin VirtualCam are all free.