Why Laptop Webcams Suck

[AlexTheGreatish]

I've always assumed laptop webcams sucked because it was an easy spot to cut costs, turns out the real answer is a lot more complicated.

 

More info about the sensor size nonsense: http://dougkerr.net/RDP/RDP_S08_Sensor_Size_V01.pdf

 

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[Tan3l6]

Why do monitor speakers suck?

I mean displays integrated speakers.

[sub68]

Me a camera nerd I am gonna use a DSLR or a mirroless for a webcam with a low apature

[tikker]

Just now, sub68 said:

Me a camera nerd I am gonna use a DSLR or a mirroless for a webcam with a low apature

Not even a camera nerd, but I've repurposed my old 1200D as webcam since it's just collecting dust otherwise. I wish it could do autofocus though...

[sub68]

2 minutes ago, tikker said:

I wish it could do autofocus though...

umm manuel fouces while your in the chair than it should be decent.

 

[tikker]

18 minutes ago, sub68 said:

umm manuel fouces while your in the chair than it should be decent.

 

Ofcourse it is, but still autofocus would be nice.

[sub68]

1 minute ago, tikker said:

Ofcourse it is, but still autofocus would be nice.

true but older canon cameras AF is horrible

[Quackers101]

More like, laptop giants do not bother to get a good camera standard unlike with phones.

Wanting it to be thin and have webcam? then state if that is not "possible" for quality or having or focusing on accessory webcams that can use whatever space they need or maybe even modular? if phones can do it, laptops could too.

[BachChain]

So, in short, it's simply yet another casualty along the road to "thin and light at all costs" with a splash of "100% screen/body ratio at all costs". Who knows, maybe laptops will start getting notches and camera bumps too. Anything to make the number on the box more appealing.

[Nystemy]

To be fair here.

The laptop makers could "just" use a non isometric lens and stretch the optical path out wider, thereby providing more area per pixel. Since an even more rectangular sensor wouldn't really be all that much more problematic.

 

In regards to focus.

One could use a liquid lens, these don't have any internal mechanical parts and rather use two liquids to form a lens. Where the liquids are effected by an electric field. This allows them to cover a fairly impressive range in a very impressive form factor. All though, might be a bit cost prohibitive and it still takes up some degree of space.
Here is an example of a liquid lens:

[Vishera]

It's quite obvious,I don't understand why a video should be made on such obvious thing,

Most manufacturers cheap out on certain components and that's one of them,

Manufacturers usually cheap out on: VRMs,SSDs,RAM,cooling,power supplies/power bricks,cameras,USB ports and more.

 

[Egg-Roll]

It's ok if you dropped it, wouldn't have hurt the camera as Dells craptastic machine is there to softened its fall.

 

5 minutes ago, Vishera said:

It's quite obvious,I don't understand why a video should be made on such obvious thing,

 

Ad income:

 

32 minutes ago, BachChain said:

Who knows, maybe laptops will start getting notches and camera bumps too. Anything to make the number on the box more appealing.

Notches not so much, camera bumps ok as the bump can be in the back vs the front. Last thing you want is less screen real-estate on a laptop.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

this is why i still use an old laptop. yes, it's big and bulky and has chonk bezels. but it has a good webcam especially for the age of the device, i get all the ports i could ever want and even a dvd drive. 

 

i get so frustrated when reviewers complain that devices are thick or heavy or have big bezels and in the same breath wish that ports came back and webcams got better. those things directly contradict. 

[Quackers101]

47 minutes ago, Ashley MLP Fangirl said:

this is why i still use an old laptop. yes, it's big and bulky and has chonk bezels. but it has a good webcam especially for the age of the device, i get all the ports i could ever want and even a dvd drive. 

 

i get so frustrated when reviewers complain that devices are thick or heavy or have big bezels and in the same breath wish that ports came back and webcams got better. those things directly contradict. 

not always, but I do wish they could at least do both.

As they don't have to be "that thin" as some reviewers want them or if it's due to the category of devices are often made to be thin? (like 2 in 1 etc)

At least why do you have to go smaller than an USB port? if you want to be lighter that could be a reason, but sometimes there wouldn't be much of a change for 1-2mm increase to fit an port that is likely used for a lot of other devices. Or having a webcam in something you KNOW will become useless or not implemented good and could just find something better with better mic to attach to it or on the side?

Spoiler

creates a magnetic top screen magnet with exposed connections for a detachable camera with USB-C port cable, connections give power and data to the camera's backside connections , only need 2 wires around the screen to make this usable connected to these exposed pads/connections. with finely adjusted connection success in right orientation to use it properly and can have a little plastic "latch" which can help and/or adjusted to most screens for extra attachment strenght.

 

but then this all becomes a waste of effort

 

Unless they want to sell... "get your 10th accessory here!"

[crism]

@AlexTheGreatish

thank god for the huge red arrow in the thumbnail image or else I wouldn't have known this video was about laptops

 

[bredy]

Why not just ditch webcams entirely? I know a lot of people who never use it anyway and uglify their laptop by taping the webcam off.

[Quackers101]

2 hours ago, bredy said:

uglify their laptop by taping the webcam off.

another standard that should be a standard, physical kill switches for microphones and cameras.

Some have this or various methods to block it, some just have their own webcam cover.

[williamcll]

Nah just use your phone and route the camera feed to your computer through wifi.

[The student]

On 7/7/2021 at 7:04 PM, Tan3l6 said:

Why do monitor speakers suck?

I mean displays integrated speakers.

Monitor speakers are often not front facing as a minimal design is the standard, there are of course exceptions, but that is the general rule. This also is one of the reasons why apple laptops have good speakers as they are front facing. General quality and focus is important as well and TVs also have varying quality of speakers; My old Nad 32" inch TV was ordered with detachable side mounted front facing speakers that were great as expected of an hifi manufacturer of Nads calibre. Also pc displays generally are in a competitive price sensitive market were price a low price and high quality display is favoured over other features including speakers.

[The student]

Link to mentioned laptop

This laptop has a detachable camera allowing a thicker sensor to be used without compromising thickness in the same way I hope more manufacturers utilize this solution. This webcam is only 2 Mpx, but maybe it could be improved with tighter integration with the laptop which could result in better image and a smaller form factor. What I propose is using a phone camera module that directly connects to an integrated image signal processor or DSP