eMeet C980 Webcam

I am a fan of Microsoft and Logitech web cameras. However, their cameras tend to get quite pricey, especially as you require more features. What I was looking for is a camera for use in our family room, hooked up to the TV for a full-room video conferencing solution between the grandparents and grandchildren. As such, a privacy cover was an important purchase decision because we do not want people to unknowingly spy on us.The features I was looking for were:- Privacy cover- Cost around $50- Multiple microphones for better sound pickup- Noise and echo cancellation/reduction- Plug and play compatibility with Windows 10- 1080p or better video quality- Wide angle lens to cover the entire room- Mountable on top of the TV- Good, low-light performanceAfter searching Amazon and reading countless of reviews, I bought this camera as it hit every requirement.PROS- Every bullet point listed above- USB powered- 4 microphones- Windows 10 detected the camera right away- Power On LED indicator- Camera-in-use LED indicatorCONS- Unknown brand/manufacturer. Company debuted at CES in 2018 with a goal to provide AI-assisted, enterprise video conferencing solutionsI tested the camera by hooking it up to a Mini PC's USB port. The computer is located right under the Samsung TV and connected via HDMI.Skype and Facebook Messenger calls went perfectly well, and both parties were able to talk with each other with no issues. We all sounded loud and clear, though I had to significantly lower the TV volume in order to minimize echos heard by the other side.Overall, this camera accomplishes exactly what I was looking for.

I have had this camera for close to 7 months. It was easy to install, and I use it daily for Zoom calls. I have had issues with freezing video, but after I unplug and plug back in everything is fine. Overall the video quality is very poor. I am very overexposed (I look like I am glowing) and grainy. I have tried multiple workarounds and software settings to improve the image to no avail. It was a fair price, but the quality has not been good. BUT... Customer Service was awesome. They were responsive and wanted to make sure I was happy with my purchase. After some troubleshooting, they refunded my money after 7 months.

The good: The camera is plug-and-play. It provides a clean wide-angle view, and the mount allows you to position it on top of your computer or monitor, as well as on a standard tripod. For the price it's a decent value.Be aware: This camera is at its best in somewhat lower lighting conditions. It doesn't have good dynamic range . . . and don't think about using it outside in sunlight, even on a cloudy day. Bright whites wash out and blur even under normal inside lighting, and the color balance leans to blue . . . very blue.That being said, for Webex and Zoom meetings this has become my camera of choice . . . and I have several.

For the price average video quality no software available to adjust brightness / focus / etc. / full auto mode only. In my use - application it is washed out due to existing backlighting in the room. Focus at 15 ft. seems fairly soft as it is also fixed. I call via skype to my home and monitor audio / video inside a room at each end of house. I was using a cheaper older cam $60 had lower resolution 720 P maybe quality of it's vid about he same as this new cam. This cam does give a larger image in shot just not a clear as the webcam other room with a slightly newer $90 HD webcam. I should have stuck with another well know brand . . .

UPDATE:I've had this camera for about 2 weeks, and in the last few days, the webcam freezes my computer screen. I know it's the webcam because I unplug the USB cord and it works again immediately.Prior to that, the sound kept dropping and I couldn't be heard in my conferences. I tried deleting all drivers, plugging and unplugging, restarting my computer, and using it on different machines.I was so proud of the enhanced video quality I got for the first week, but now it's just not working, and SURPRISE! It's no longer for sale on Amazon. I will be returning mine for a refund.If you have the opportunity to buy this camera, don't. It's defective.---Pros:- Plug and play on a Windows 10 laptop- Better picture quality by far than my laptop's built-in webcam- Mic works great- Light and portable; easy to move from my desktop to my laptop if I need to travel or work in another part of the house- Clamp base has a port for screwing into a tripod so you don't always have to position it on your monitor or laptopCons:- No software or drivers exist that I can tell, which is frankly bizarre. The packaging doesn't include a disc, and the eMeet website doesn't offer any such downloads- Camera is EXTREMELY light sensitive! The highlights of your face will be blown out if your computer is set up less than 4 feet from a light source (like a window or lamp)- So here's the catch: Since there's no software that comes with it to configure the brightness/contrast/etc, you'll need to use an external program to do this. I bought a copy of YouCam 9 for about $35 on sale, and it provides all the adjustments I needed to make the picture look good. You will likely need to do the same, so just be prepared to spend a little extra time & money setting it up.- Finally, this camera's manufacturer touts 1080p picture quality — and of course they use beautifully lit, crisp photography for their marketing — but honestly, I was expecting more. At full screen on my laptop, I can see all kinds of grain and noise. My computer SAYS it's set to 1080, but I'm still suspicious.Bottom line:If you're using this to work from home or chat with friends and family members, it's a decent buy. Just be prepared to spend a little extra to fix the brightness issue.If you're planning to use this for streaming or vlogs because you thought you were actually getting a professional quality 1080p camera, well... you're not. Save your money and invest in a DSLR, camcorder, or GoPro.