PC camera with fixed optical zoom

[rleonar5]

I have a media center PC connected to a TV in my living room.  I would like to use it for things like Zoom.  If I place a camera above the TV, I occupy only a tiny space in the camera's FOV.  Digital zoom doesn't help (since it's basically just cropping the image and results in the image looking super pixelated).

 

My current solution is to place the camera on a card table in the middle of the room when I'm using it.  However, I would like to find a better solution.

 

It seems like the only option is to buy a camera with optical zoom.  However, most cameras with optical zoom are designed for conference rooms; they are very expensive and come with a ton of features that I don't need.  I don't need features like motorized zoom and motorized pointing, since I will always be sitting in exactly the same place when using the camera.  Does anyone know where I could find a camera with a fixed 3-4x zoom for under 200USD?

[Coolmaster]

You can use your phone camera as a webcam with most video meeting apps.

 

Also you can just buy a 4x zoom lens that's not part of a webcam and put that infront of your webcam.

[Action_Johnson]

I use my DSLR, looks amazing and just plugs in with USB. 

[Spindel]

Not the cheapest but the best option is to go for a mirrorless camera and get a lens that suit your needs.

 

If we look at micro 4/3 systems the camera housing can usually be gotten for cheap. What costs money is the lenses, and even some of those can be ”cheap” but the quality usually is reflected in the price. But for streaming purposes you probably get away with a cheap lens anyway.

[unsorted]

There are some video cameras that allow streaming for use as a webcam. I know that Panasonic made some, but I'm not sure if they were cheap. The manufacturers don't make it easy to search this feature.

 

Panasonic's LUMIX streaming software only works for its latest batch of expensive LUMIX cameras, so that's useless. https://www.panasonic.com/global/consumer/lumix/lumix_webcam_software.html

 

Maybe third-party offerings are available that do it unofficially?

 

Canon's webcam software supports 40 cameras:

https://www.panasonic.com/global/consumer/lumix/lumix_webcam_software.html

 

You might be able to find a cheap used Canon camera & set-up a small tripod and do that.

 

Nikon also makes their software for use with a smaller range of cameras:

https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/products/548/Webcam_Utility.html

 

Sony has support for a decent amount of Sony cameras:

https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/webcam/en/download/

 

Maybe the video camera route is the cheapest. Or maybe not? I'm not sure. Sony / Panasonic / Canon  might offer some cheap video cameras that allow use as a webcam.

 

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Peripherals