Webcam Tuning Software

[Dagny Westall]

Changingyour webcam settings may feel like an obvious solution, but both Windows and Mac devices actually make this a lot harder than it should be. Windows-based PCs and laptops come with a preinstalled app that can be found by simply searching for 'camera' in the lower-left search bar of your desktop, but the changes that you can make on this are restricted to adjusting your camera resolution and enabling anti-flicker features.

It's still important to understand that these changes can also have an impact of course. When plugging in your webcam for the first time, it should default to the highest available resolution, with the standard options being 720p or 1080p. The resolution of your webcam should be clearly displayed on the product box, alongside the maximum achievable frames-per-second (or FPS) that the camera can capture.

Generally speaking, your FPS is more important than your resolution when you get over 720p as it affects how smooth your video quality looks. Even a HD broadcast will look terrible if the footage stutters on the screen, so make sure your webcam is set to the highest FPS if the option is available.

If OBS doesn't suit you then we can also recommend using either Webcam Settings Tool (free) or the official Windows Webcam Settings app ($4.99, around 3.50 / AU$6.50) from the official Windows app store if you're using a PC. For Mac users, you can download the macOS Webcam Settings app from Mactaris through the app store for $7.99 (around 5.50 / AU$10.50).

There isn't a right or wrong way to make the adjustments on things like hue, saturation or contrast so have a play around until you're happy with the results. You won't be able to force the camera into a higher resolution than it can organically kick out, but color correction and crisper lines can make a world of difference,

For those who use work-mandated devices and can't install external programs, you may find you're unable to try the above suggestions without requested installation permission from your administrator or IT team. If making adjustments to the hardware isn't feasible then don't despair, as there are other changes you can make that should Improve your video quality.

If you've ever hunted for webcams on sites like Amazon, you'll have noticed that many cheap options are advertised with the same 1080p / 30FPS resolution and framerate as more expensive cameras from the likes of Logitech or Microsoft. So this surely means you're getting the same quality for less, right?

This sadly isn't usually the case, as there are many other factors that make a webcam objectively 'good'. One of the things that prominently affects how your video quality looks is the sensors used by the camera to detect light and movement.

If you've ever noticed a static-like background in your footage that makes you and your surroundings look grainy, chances are the sensor in your webcam is struggling to detect a subject to focus on due to low light levels. Introducing more lighting into your setup will usually greatly improve the overall quality, but it isn't as simple as turning the lights in your room on.

Overhead lighting isn't the best choice as it doesn't effectively light the front of your face. The best, and thankfully free solution is to position yourself in front of a well-lit window if possible. Natural daylight offers optimal lighting that illuminates the entire model (that's you).

If you work outside of daylight hours, or placing a desk in front of a window simply isn't an option then there are still steps you can take before you need to resort to installing professional lighting to get the most out of your webcam.

Placing two table lamps on either side of your desk will illuminate your face from either side rather than directly. Avoid using just one source of artificial light if possible as being lit from only one angle will usually be too harsh and create a 'white-out' effect where your features are too bright to see in the footage.

Plain white paper or kitchen towels can be placed in front of lights that are too bright to diffuse them, or alternatively, you can shine them against a wall to 'bounce' the lighting back less harshly.

If you happen to have the cash, then investing in some studio lighting will greatly improve even the most expensive webcams like the Razer Kiyo Pro or the Logitech StreamCam. You can find plenty of ring lights from brands like Neewer on Amazon, or if you're looking for a seamless lighting kit that will work with streaming setups, Elgato sells its own ring light as well as key light panel options that communicate with existing Elgato software to be controlled remotely.

Just because you're the focal subject of your footage, doesn't mean you should neglect what's going on behind you. What's going on behind you can also affect the quality of your webcam, as well as the general feel of your presentation.

Where we advised sitting in front of a window for some natural light, please make sure you don't have another window or active light source located behind you when you film as this will throw the webcam sensor off. The more attention you bring to just yourself as the subject, the better the webcam can concentrate on making you look clear and in-focus.

Equally, try and film with a tidy or professional background environment. Having your device on a desk or table at eye level will look better than calling with a laptop on your lap while you sit on the couch. We understand this can't always be helped if you don't have the luxury of a permanent desk setup, but keeping a still, eye-level placement will prevent your webcam from having to adjust to rapid movement.

Speaking of movement, make sure nobody else is in your environment behind you walking around, or any other form of motion that could distract from you as a subject. Not only is this more work for your webcam sensor, but it will also distract other people watching your broadcast. Sit as still as possible to make sure you're not creating unnecessary work for your device.

Jess is a former TechRadar Computing writer, where she covered all aspects of Mac and PC hardware, including PC gaming and peripherals. She has been interviewed as an industry expert for the BBC, and while her educational background was in prosthetics and model-making, her true love is in tech and she has built numerous desktop computers over the last 10 years for gaming and content creation. Jess is now a journalist at The Verge."}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Jess WeatherbedSocial Links NavigationJess is a former TechRadar Computing writer, where she covered all aspects of Mac and PC hardware, including PC gaming and peripherals. She has been interviewed as an industry expert for the BBC, and while her educational background was in prosthetics and model-making, her true love is in tech and she has built numerous desktop computers over the last 10 years for gaming and content creation. Jess is now a journalist at The Verge.

In my robotic vision project, I need to detect a marker of a moving object but motion causes blurring effect in the image. Deconvolution methods are quite slow. So I was thinking to use a higher fps camera. Someone said I don't need higher fps, instead I need shorter exposure time.

OpenCV's Python Interface cv2 provides a method to change the settings of camera but it does not include "Exposure Time" or "Shutter Speed" settings. I'm also afraid that webcams don't even support this kind of settings.

However this parameter is not supported by all cameras. Each camera type offers a different interface to set its parameters. There are many branches in OpenCV code to support as many of them, but of course not all the possibilities are covered.

But this retains its value for current video session only. That means you have to start video preview first and then set this property As soon as VideoCapture is released, the exposure value is restored to default.

Is there any way to adjust the exposure of the webcam when streaming? I have a couple of LED spotlights on my extruder so I can see what is going on but they are too bright for the cam.. I can physically alter the circuit and add a higher value resistor to reduce the light output but I would rather not go that route if I don't have to.

I don't think I could say it any better than Gina did. If you are using one of the webcams made for the Raspberry Pi then it includes an exposure setting which may be set in octopi.txt here if you're using the OctoPi image.

Logitech cameras all support different subsets of UVC controls. The C270 does allow for manual exposure control via UVC, so you may need to use v4l2-ctl to set parameters or set them in mjpg-streamer's coniguration. Not sure if the octopi.txt settings will work for UVC cameras or not.

I'm going down to build something anyway, and I've got 2 of those C270's, so I can experiment.

Are there 2 of those octopi.txt files ? Cuz I'm only seeing one, and everything in it looks commented out with a # in front of every line

Thanks Dave! We get spoiled with Googles ability to find things even if the search terms are not correct.. Did not find that post when I was searching for this prior to posting.. I will get this completed today and post a before and after pick If that is allowed on this forum.. don't recall seeing any attachments so far..

You can disable rendering and stabilization, and still use Octolapse to apply the camera settings if you don't want to create a timelapse. You could even create multiple profiles to use in different lighting conditions.

Actually the solution Dave provided works but not as he has described it in his original post. I have gotten my cam configured really well now but am waiting on a print to get it setup to apply the setting on startup. Once I have that complete I will update Dave's post with a summary of what I have done.

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