Equipment Review: Webcam Showdown Logitech Brio vs Apple Studio Display
Lyric Kinard 
You might be amazed at the difference an external webcam can make in the quality of your broadcast.
Most of us don't really need a webcam for live teaching because the built-in cameras on any laptop or desktop computers work wonderfully well, at least if the device was built in the past 5 years or so.
In 2022 I replaced my decade-old Apple desktop with the big fancy new Mac studio and display, expecting to be wowed by updated webcam technology. Sadly, I wasn't wowed.
It was a perfect excuse to try out the Logitech Brio Webcam. I had seen how beautifully it performed during David Owen-Hasting's Guest Seminar (available in the College of Continuing Education Seminar Archives - well worth a look!)
Logitech Brio 4k Webcam $134 USD on Amazon in 2023*
Needless to say, I WAS WOWED! Without changing anything else at all, the quality is WAY up. Same lighting. No added microphone!
Plug and Go!
One of the beauties of this highly rated webcam is its plug-and-go simplicity. Seriously - plug in the cable and turn it on, and you are set. If you are a Zoom teacher, you simply choose the up-caret (^) in the control bar next to "video" and select the Logitech as your input camera.
The computer mount is easily adjustable and comes with a camera cover. You can remove the mount and use the built-in 1/4" thread to mount the webcam onto any standard tripod or holder.
Logi Tune Software
Use the Logi Tune FREE downloadable software (available here for Mac and Windows) to customize and adjust all sorts of settings such as Field of View (90°, 78°, 65°), Zoom, Color Adjustments, and Autofocus. My favorite is being able to adjust the screen so that you look like you are further up or down or to each side without moving the webcam. My camera mounts a bit higher than eye level and when you are teaching it's more friendly to look like the camera is right at your eye level.
Lights?
If you haven't purchased studio lighting and are planning to use the Brio Webcam, I would hold off and test the device first. The lens brings in so much more light that most of the time I don't need to use any additional studio lighting. It's amazing.
Summary ✩✩✩✩✩
This device gets a solid five stars! For the price, it is a very useful and valuable piece of equipment.
The quality of camera doing Zoom calls or screen recordings is phenomenal and might save you the need for extra mounts to get the camera positioned perfectly. It might also save you the need for additional lighting.
If you don't want to use a smartphone or tablet as an overhead camera, an extra Brio Webcam mounted on a holder and cabled into your computer is an excellent option.
Logitech Brio 4k Webcam $134 USD on Amazon in 2023*
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Categories: : Equipment Review