(Image: © Nikon)
Step up your webcam game with these handy tips
Working from home has become the new norm for most of us, with meeting rooms now replaced by the likes of Zoom, Hangouts or Skype. But if your laptop’s built-in webcam isn’t up to scratch, you may have been wondering how to use your DSLR or mirrorless as a webcam – and we’re here to show you how.
Of course, you could just buy a standalone webcam instead, but there are two issues with that. Firstly, many of the best webcams are now sold out (although we have a handy feature that reveals where to buy a webcam). Also, many simply can’t match the professional quality or resolution of the camera you already have.
Using your DSLR or mirrorless camera as a webcam isn’t quite as straightforward as plugging it into your laptop, even if Canon recently offered a handy software solution to its US users on this front. But there two main approaches, one using USB and a superior method over HDMI, that are broadly the same for most cameras, which we’ve outlined below.
That said, as that Canon software shows, there can also be small differences depending on whether you have a Canon, Nikon or Sony camera. So we approached each manufacturer to give us guidance and tips relating to their camera ranges, which we’ve included further down this page.
You can jump to those using the menu above, but first here’s the general approach to using your camera as a webcam.
USING YOUR CAMERA AS A WEBCAM: THE BASIC APPROACH
It is possible to use your camera as a webcam via USB without any additional hardware. But software support for your particular camera isn't guaranteed and the video quality will be inferior to using your camera's HDMI output.
Still, if you simply need a webcam for virtual meetings, then it's worth checking the likes of SparkoCam (Windows only), Ecamm Live (Mac only) or vMix (Windows/Mac) to see if your camera is supported and also to find out if the software plays nice with your chosen video conferencing app.
All three of the apps above are paid-for after their free trials, but if the simple approach works for you, then once you've downloaded the software it should just be a case of choosing your camera as the source. In Skype, for example, this can be found in Options, then Video Settings, followed by 'select webcam'.
Canon has also released its own free software for using your camera as a webcam via USB, though it's only available in the US right now – we've included that in a separate section further down this page.
USING YOUR CAMERA AS A WEBCAM: THE SUPERIOR SETUP
While it's possible to use the USB approach above, the better, high-quality method is using your camera's HDMI output.
To do this, you'll need three main ingredients:
- A video capture card
- HDMI and USB cables
- Broadcast software (optional)
To really get the best quality video and sound, some other optional accessories include an external microphone, tripod and lights. But for this section we're focusing on the basics needed to get your DSLR or mirrorless camera up and running as a webcam.
Before we start, it's worth noting that your camera needs both an HDMI output and the ability to output a 'clean' HDMI signal, which means one that doesn't include graphic overlays like your frame-rate and autofocus mode. On many cameras, you can remove these either in the settings or just by pressing the 'info' or 'display' button on the back of the camera.
Ready to get cracking? Here's how to build your setup.
1.) Get a video capture device
If you're going for the HDMI approach, you'll need a video capture card that supports UVC (or USB Video Class). This is the same protocol that allows webcams to work with the likes of Zoom and Skype.
Unfortunately, these devices are in high demand right now. The best option, the Elgato Cam Link 4K, is tough to find, with Elgato telling us that it's selling out faster than it can make them.
If you can’t track one of those down, it’s worth considering alternatives like the Elgato HD60 S+, Magewell USB Capture HDMI gen 2, and Mirabox Capture Card. Here are some of the best deals available right now.
Tracked down a capture card? Now it’s just a case of connecting it to your camera and laptop, using an HDMI cable (this may involve using a HDMI-to-Micro HDMI adaptor) and a USB cable. These will often come with the video capture card, but it’s worth checking before you buy.
Plug the HDMI output of your camera into the HDMI input on the video capture card, then the latter to your laptop via USB. Check the manual of your video capture device to see if you need any extra drivers. All done? Now you’re ready to move onto the final step.
3.) Get it up and running
If you simply want to turn your camera into a webcam for team meetings, then you shouldn't need to install any additional software. Whether you’re using a macOS or Windows computer, your laptop should recognize the camera as a webcam and make it available as an option in your chosen video conferencing app.
But if you’d like to tweak your settings or add some effects, you can use OBS (Open Broadcaster Software), which Nikon recommends as the go-to choice for its cameras (more on that below). OBS is a free, open source app for Windows, Mac and Linux, and includes advanced features like an audio mixer. Some alternatives to OBS include Streamlabs or Xsplit.
How to use your camera as a webcam: bonus tips
Our guide above is the broad approach to using your camera as a webcam, but there some also nuances depending on which brand of camera your own.
So we asked all of the big camera manufacturers for some extra tips based on their camera range – and while Sony and Fujifilm couldn't point us towards anything beyond the tips above, Canon and Nikon did have some extra information, which you can find below.
HOW TO USE YOUR CANON CAMERA AS A WEBCAM
Got a Canon camera and live in the US? You're in luck – Canon recently announced free software in Beta that could let you use your camera without the need for additional hardware.
The EOS Webcam Utility Beta is available right now and works with a wide range of Canon DSLRs, mirrorless cameras and PowerShot compacts. The downside is that it currently only works on PCs running the 64-bit version of Windows 10. Canon also told us that it's only available in the US right now and "will not be supported outside that area".
Still, if you do live in the US and have one of the 25 cameras that the software is compatible with, then the process is pretty straightforward. Just head to the EOS Webcam Utility Beta page, choose your camera model, select the 'Drivers and Downloads' tab followed by 'Software', then choose Windows 10 (x64). You should now see an option to downloaded the EOS Webcam Utility Beta.
Once that's downloaded, you'll just need to restart your computer, plug your camera into your laptop via USB, then choose 'EOS Webcam Utility Beta' in your video conferencing software's settings.
- These are the best Canon cameras you can buy right now
HOW TO USE YOUR NIKON CAMERA AS A WEBCAM
We approached Nikon for some specific advice on how to use its cameras as webcams, and it kindly sent us some detailed tips from Neil Freeman, Training Manager at the Nikon School.
The following tips are great for fine-tuning your Nikon camera as a high-quality webcam – Neil recommends going for a 4K video setting, although it's worth checking that your computer or laptop has the power to handle the processing.
Once you've chosen the video quality (and turned the camera mic off, if you're going for an external microphone), Neil Freeman suggests switching your Nikon camera into manual mode and doing the following.
The best camera settings
"Choose a low ‘f’ number to give you good separation between yourself and the background. An aperture of f/2.8 or f/4 would be ideal for this,' says Neil.
"Set the ISO to 64 or 100 depending on the native ISO settings for your camera and turn on Auto ISO. Your shutter speed will depend where you are in the world but will either be 1/50th or 1/60th of a second. You should also turn-off any power or sleep timers that are set on the camera. Focus the camera using either manual focus or face tracking if you have that feature on your camera," he adds.
Choosing a lens
"This will be determined by the space you have available and the look you want in your broadcast. I would suggest starting with a 24-70mm f/2.8 or f/4 to give you flexibility with the composition and framing of the image," says Neil.
"You could also consider maybe a 35mm or 50mm f/1.8, but you will need to be very accurate with your focusing if you use them wide open. And as with all prime lenses, you need to think carefully about the framing of the image," he adds.
Picking a video capture card
Like us, Neil recommends using the Elgato Cam Link 4K, if you can track one down.
But if you can't find one, there are good alternatives. "I’ve used both the Elgato Cam Link 4K or the Elgato HD60 S+ external video capture devices, which both work well with my Z7,' he says.
And if you can't find those, other video capture cards he recommends include the Magewell USB Capture HDMI gen 2 and Mirabox Capture Card.
Software setup
Although there are alternatives like Xsplit and Streamlabs, Neil is also a fan of OBS for live streaming from a Nikon camera.
"I’m using OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) to process the live video feed from the camera. OBS is a very powerful piece of software which allows you to do a wide range of interesting things such as ‘green’ screen your background," he says.
Sound effects
There's not much point in going to town on the video quality of your streams, only to be let down by the audio.
Neil's setup includes a Yeti USB microphone, the audio signal of which goes into the OBS software to be synced with the video signal. Our best USB microphones guide also recommends the Razer Seiren Elite.
Let there be lights
A DSLR or mirrorless camera's video quality may be great, but it can only work with the available lighting. If you're thinking beyond video conferencing towards pro-level streaming for the likes of YouTube and Twitch, then Neil has some lighting tips for you.
"A main front light to illuminate yourself is essential, a LED light panel with a diffuser works well in this situation. Just make sure the light source is large enough relative to you to ensure there are no harsh shadows,' he says.
"A second light on the background could also be used, as this will add extra depth to the image. If you still have shadows or dark areas in the image, lightning those with small additional fill light is always an option," Neil adds.
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