The 10 Best Video Conference Webcameras: Buying Guide

Webcams are more than just a work tool. They’re a way of improving internal communication and connecting you closely with other members of your team through a screen. Just a simple look, nod, or facial expression can convey a message, and having proper video conferencing software that captures your audio and video in high-quality can take your business relationships to the next level.

10 awesome webcameras to consider for your next video conference

Here are some of our favorite video conferencing cameras available on today’s market. While we’ve attempted to provide a wide range of manufacturers and pricing options, all of these options share one key feature: they’re well worth the money.

Logitech Brio 4K - best webcam for conference calls overall

We've been fans of the Logitech Brio 4K video conferencing camera for a long time and it's easy to see why. Priced at $269.99, this webcam is easy to use with intuitive presets. You can modify everything from the frame rates to the angle of your shot with the advanced settings panel. The Logitech Brio 4K uses HDR technology to automatically adjust to any lighting environment. The 4K resolution delivers detailed videos, and it boasts facial recognition features for effortless access and security. This one can be great for video conferencing for education, like streaming videos for e-learning platforms.

Pros of the Logitech Brio 4K webcam:

• Captures truly high-quality images
• Supports biometric face recognition for Windows Hello
• Great audio quality

Cons of the Logitech Brio 4K camera:

• It’s expensive for a webcam
• Quality of the clip and some parts of the camera don’t match the price
• Doesn’t have optical zoom

Razer Kiyo - best webcam for under $100

With its built-in, circular ring light equipped with 12 powerful LEDs, the Razer Kiyo is probably the best option on this list when it comes to illumination. Pricing starts at $99 and its unique lighting design provides a flattering view of your face during calls, and you can further hone your visual appeal with adjustable intensity and daylight adjusting tools. The camera itself is no slouch either, capturing video at an impressive 1080p resolution and 30 frames per second. If you’re on a tight budget and are happy to settle for a tiny bit less, a 60fps at 720p option is also available. Pair it with a video conferencing background to really shine.

Pros of the Razer Kiyo camera:

• This webcam with ring light offers superb image quality even with poor lighting
• Highly resistant due to lens Gorilla Glass
• Great audio quality and noise reduction

Cons of the Razer Kiyo webcam:

• It needs a USB 3.0 port (faster transfer rate)
• It’s larger than most webcams
• Poor autofocus functionality

Elgato Facecam - best quality camera for gamers and streamers

This webcam is great for gamers, streamers, and content creators. It’s a small camera that streams in 1080p at 60fps—most standard cameras have a max of 30fps. Pricing for Elgato Facecam starts at $169, making it much more affordable than a DSLR camera. This webcam includes a Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor for better light capturing, helping you be always properly lit even in low-light conditions. Plus, the Elgato Facecam has 8 built-in lenses that serve different purposes like maximizing sharpness and preventing lens flares. This one is also a great webinar webcam.

Pros of the Elgato Facecam webcam:

• Is the best price-value solution for streamers in the market
• It’s really easy to mount over your computer or where you prefer
• It’s really light and portable

Cons of the Elgato Facecam web camera:

• Doesn’t have a built-in microphone
• Works with USB 3.0 and it’s not compatible with all computers
• Doesn’t have HDR

Anker PowerConf C300 - best video conference camera for group meetings

This 115-degree wide-angle conference room camera that streams at 1080p at 60 fps is great for meetings with a group of people in the room. The Anker PowerConf C300 comes with a built-in microphone and is only $129.99. It’s compatible with Windows and Mac, and is highly portable. This conference room camera comes with an attached clip to easily mount it over your computer. It also comes with two privacy shields to block the lens when you’re not in a meeting.

Pros of the Anker PowerConf C300 webcam:

• Its very-wide angle makes it one of the best conference room webcams in the market
• Has a great light enhancement in poorly lighted rooms
• Great built-in microphone

Cons of the Anker PowerConf C300 camera:

• The angle can be too wide for individual use
• Some users reported bugs
• It’s not compatible with all versions of Windows and Mac

Meeting Owl Pro - best team conferences camera

If your heart is set on getting the absolute best in video conferencing technology, no matter the cost, it’s hard to beat the Meeting Owl Pro for performance, versatility, and ease of use. This sleek device offers every feature you could want from a video conferencing camera, including a 1080p resolution; 360° rotation capability; 360° tri-speaker; automatic focusing and highlighting tool; automatic volume equalizer; and more.

The dreaded “can-you-hear-me-now” pre-meeting hassle is eliminated by the camera’s 8 smart microphones, which can pick up any voice within an 18-foot radius. Even the setup is a snap. This UBS video conference camera requires no installation—just plug in the USB, and go. All of this doesn’t come cheap, though; the newer Meeting Owl Pro retails at $1,000, while the original Meeting Owl is available for $800.

Pros of the Meeting Owl Pro web camera:

• Crisp and noise-free audio
• 360 view that offers a great panoramic view of the room
• Autofocus on the person who’s talking

Cons of the Meeting Owl Pro camera:

• It’s quite expensive
• It might not be the best video conferencing camera for personal use, but is one of the best webcams for conference rooms
• User interface is not flexible for customization

Poly Studio P15 - best video conferencing equipment for personal use

If you’re looking for a web camera with high video quality (1080p), that’s also easy to set up, and perfect for individual use. Then, the Poly Studio P15 is the right choice for you. This camera starts at $381 and it was designed to stick right on top of your monitor and replace your incorporated laptop webcam. The Poly Studio P15 is not as small as other webcams, but its horizontal design makes it highly portable. This webcam with a microphone and speakers has a noise-canceling feature that improves the quality of your conference calls. The integrated webcam speakers can be used in meetings or at any other time.

Pros of the Poly Studio P15 camera:

• It’s both a camera and a speaker
• It streams video in 4K
• Users can block the camera by twisting the lens

Cons of the Poly Studio P15 web camera:

• It can be heavy for small laptops and users may require to get an additional stand to mount it
• Color saturation on video is not high definition
• It doesn’t have optical zoom

Microsoft LifeCam Studio - best quality webcam for color and lighting

The LifeCam Studio is intended for professional use, and looks like it, with a rather industrial design resembling that of a CCTV camera. The LifeCam’s video resolution can be set at 1080p for a high-definition, widescreen experience, or at 720p, which can help bandwidth-limited calls flow more smoothly and cleanly. The LifeCam Studio also boasts a built-in microphone; a 360° rotation capability; and Microsoft’s patented TrueColor system, which automatically adjusts to provide the optimum light and exposure settings while users are filming. You can pick one up for $99.95. Read more about the best lights for video conferencing.

Pros of the Microsoft LifeCam studio webcam:

• This wide-angle conference room camera has the ability to move 360° without having to move the computer
• The clip and tripod mount make it easy to attach the camera wherever you want
• Great video quality

Cons of the Microsoft LifeCam studio camera:

• It’s bigger than most webcams, which makes it less portable
• The camera can record at 1080p, but video conferencing platforms like Zoom require extra steps and a bandwidth of at least 3mbps to stream in HD. Livestorm supports 1080p setups via a video encoder
• The autofocus has some issues

Dell UltraSharp Webcam - best 4K video conferencing camera for PC users

If you’re looking for a 4K webcam that can improve your teleconference game, then the Dell UltraSharp Webcam might be your best choice. You can get this webcam for less than $200. The Dell UltraSharp Webcam allows you to customize your settings. Also, its 4K Sony STARVIS CMOS ensures your face is always in high quality even in poor lighting situations. This USB web meeting camera is a plug-and-play solution that requires no installation. If you have a monitor, this might be your best option.

Pros of the Dell UltraSharp Webcam:

• Offers AI auto-framing to always put you in the middle of the screen
• It’s really easy to set up and customize
• Has a magnetic mount for your monitor and tripod

Cons of the Dell UltraSharp Webcam:

• It’s too heavy to mount it over a laptop screen
• Doesn’t support Mac users
• Unlike other webcams, this one doesn’t have a built-in microphone

Mevo Plus - best portable webcam

If looking for something in the $500-$600 range, the Mevo Plus is a great mid-priced webcam that’s especially great for travelers. This small-but-mighty device can stream video to Facebook Live, YouTube, Twitter, and more in 1080p HD, from virtually anywhere, thanks to its Wi-Fi and LTE capabilities. For basic video conferencing, all you need is an Android phone (version 6 or higher) or an iOS (version 9.3 or higher); you can also access extra features with an optional $180-per-year subscription plan. As we said, the Mevo is perfect for jet setters and frequent flyers, as its mobile editing suite allows you to zoom, pan and cut on the go; and at only 2.5 inches tall, it won’t take up too much room in your carry-on.

Pros of the Mevo Plus webcam:

• It’s a high-quality camera that captures 1080p video
• Small and portable, has a simple video conference setup
• 150-degree angle makes it perfect for video conferencing meeting rooms

Cons of the Mevo Plus camera:

• Hidden extra fees to get access to all features
• Connecting to some video conferencing apps might require a workaround. It’s not the best camera for Zoom meetings
• It’s more expensive than most webcams.

Logitech Rally Bar Mini - best webcam setup for motion tracking

If you’re the type of person that thinks better when standing up and walking around the room, the Logitech Rally Bar Mini is the best camera for you. Its lens uses AI to pan and tilt and follows the speaker so you can always be on screen while moving around the room. The video resolution of this camera is 4K and the image resolution is 3840x2160 pixels. The Logitech Rally Bar Mini is not cheap ($3,050), but the quality and features make it a worthy solution for video conferencing rooms. Also, camera placement for video conferencing is something you’ll need to consider to ensure panning and tilting functionality can happen properly.

Pros of the Logitech Rally Bar Mini web camera:

• Doesn’t require a laptop or computer to work, can be connected directly to Microsoft Teams
• Built-in video conferencing microphone that captures user’s voice as they move through the room while canceling the echo
• The motion tracking is accurate and the lens moves quietly

Cons of the Logitech Rally Bar Mini camera:

• It doesn’t have the best webcam setup since the camera placement for video conferencing is permanent, it becomes less portable
• It doesn't have a shutter or a lens cover
• It’s more expensive than other similar cameras

What should you look for in a video conferencing camera?

When looking for a video conferencing camera, you need to consider the image and audio quality, frame rate, field of view, and whether you need advanced features like motion tracking.

The resolution (image quality)

For those who are totally new to the wonderful world of video, the “resolution” is the number of pixels that appear on the screen. The higher the resolution, the clearer—and more professional—the video will appear. Generally speaking, 720p (“p” meaning “pixels”) is thought to be a good, high-definition resolution; 1080p is even better; and 4K the best. With that said, though, we recommend taking your bandwidth into consideration before springing for a 1080 or 4K video conferencing camera. If your internet connection isn’t very reliable, you might be better off settling for a lower resolution, with less interruptions, than a stuttering high-def model.

The software you use also plays a huge part in how your camera will perform. You’ll need to get a secure video conferencing software that allows high quality webcams that stream in 1080p to 4K.

The frame rate

The “frame rate” refers to the number of frames that appear per second of video. The higher the frame rate, the more smoothly the movements will flow in the final product. Most movies and TV shows are shot at 24fps (“frames per second”), since this is believed to be the frame rate that most closely mimics real-life movements. However, if your budget is rather tight, and all you’re planning to do is some basic video conferencing, a 30fps or 60fps camera should suit you just fine.

Movement tracking

A movement-tracking webcam, also called an auto-tracking camera, is one that can swivel to focus on whoever’s moving or speaking during a video. Though this feature is especially helpful for those who have to move across a large space as they speak, like university professors, movement tracking is most commonly used during remote meetings to keep the camera pointed on whoever holds the floor. This can help meetings feel more organic, as viewers will see a “close-up” view of one speaker at a time, rather than a zoomed-out view of the entire room. However, if this feature is important to you, just be sure to do your research; some cheaper models can be frustratingly slow to track, causing more issues than they solve.

The field of view

For the majority of remote employees, a camera’s field of view isn’t a major consideration—let’s be honest; the less your coworkers can see of your possibly-less-than-sparkling home office, the better. However, professionals in certain industries might benefit from a full-view or panoramic option. For example, if you were leading a remote gym class, you might want your students to see the entire room you’re training in for a truly immersive experience. Like everything else on this list, it all depends on your individual needs.

Smart lighting (“highlight active participants”)

Lighting is usually one of the less-considered aspects of video conferencing which is a shame, because good lighting can do a lot to help inspire confidence in you and your business. While one of the best ways to improve your lighting skills is to study up on it, a smart lighting webcam can help by automatically balancing harsh shadows and brightening dark exposures. Video cameras with a “highlight active participants” feature can even keep the spotlight on whoever’s speaking/moving at a given time, just like the movement tracking feature mentioned above.

Audio and webcam speakers

Audio quality can be just as important as video when it comes to web conferencing, if not more so. A good video conferencing camera should come with a microphone that helps filter out background noises, so your voice can come through clearly without being impeded by traffic/barking/your neighbor’s lawn mower. Additionally, you should have good webcam speakers, so you can hear your meeting guests just as well as they can hear you.

Completing your video conference setup

Owning a great video conferencing camera is just the first step for hosting a quality meeting or webinar. You also need a simple, powerful free video conferencing software you can rely on. A good and more complete alternative to Zoom is Livestorm. It enables companies around the world to design, create, and implement world-class video communication strategies. Watch this product demo to learn why over 3,000 companies trust Livestorm to host their webinars, employee onboarding, and online meetings, and check out our blog for more tips and tricks designed to help you succeed in the world of remote business.

To go further onthe subject read our what is video conferencing guide.

Frequently asked questions about the best video conference cameras

Which camera is best for video conferencing?

If you’re looking for a camera that improves your video conferencing experience, you should consider one of these options:

• For less than $200. The Anker PowerConf C300 is a great option for team meetings. It comes with a built-in microphone, streams 1080p at 60 fps, and has a 115-degree wide-angle that captures a group of people with the same camera.
• For more than $200. The Mevo Plus can be your best option for hosting high-quality meetings online. It also has a very wide angle, which is great for team meetings, and it’s really lightweight and portable.

What is the best webcam for Webex meetings?

The best cam for Webex meetings depends on your personal preference and budget, but the Elgato Facecam or the Poly Studio P15 can be great solutions. These cameras are perfect for individual use, capture high-quality video, and have autofocus features.

What is the best webcam for Zoom meetings?

Zoom doesn’t support all webcams. That’s why the Razer Kiyo might be the best webcam for Zoom meetings. It’s compatible with the platform, it costs less than $100, and it has a built-in light ring that increases the quality of your video. The Razer Kiyo also captures video at 1080p and 30 fps.

Can CCTV cameras be used for video conferencing?

You can use a CCTV camera for video conferencing only if the brand and model of camera that you have supports it. Some CCTV cameras can be used as webcams but lose features like motion tracking. For further information, you should consult your particular model’s manual.