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Web Cams Buyers Guide

Sending Images at Ease

Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds and with the invention of webcams sending images has become easier than it has ever been. Webcams can be used for several purposes like transferring images to a webpage, organizing a video conference, etc. Hence, if you are planning to invest in a webcam, you can rest assured that you will be using it to a great extent. However, prior to buying a webcam you need to spend some time in research and consider various factors in order to strike the best bargain.

Uses of the webcam

As already mentioned, the webcam can be used for various different purposes. Hence, before you buy a webcam for yourself, you need to understand the various uses that you are going to put the webcam to. You could choose to use the webcam to maintain a video journal or share special events with the family members or friends who are miles away. Webcams are also used for the maintenance of security in the office, broadcasting videos, virtual tours, etc. Buying a webcam will become more convenient for you if you know what exactly you are going to use the webcam for. Different kinds of webcams will be required for different purposes. Webcams required for a video conference will not be the same as that required for office security.

Quality

While talking about the purpose for which the webcam will be used, you must consider the quality factor too. In fact, these two factors will go hand in hand. The quality that you would need in a webcam would depend on the purpose for which you are going to use your webcam for. If you wish to use the webcam for sharing images with friends you do not need one with an excellent quality. However, if you need your webcam for video conferences, you would perhaps require better quality.

Types of webcams

There are various types of webcams available in the market these days. Your requirements would dictate your choice of webcam. Among the various types of webcams you will find the likes of dedicated webcams, security cameras, camcorders, megapixel cameras, integrated cameras, etc. A dedicated camera is of the simplest variety and is easy to use. Security cameras and camcorders promise to cater better quality images and operations. An integrated camera is a webcam that performs without any extra software. Megapixel cameras are high tech webcams that provide excellent quality.

Software and wireless connection

Webcams, besides the integrated variety, require additional software. Software like an encoding program at the sender's terminus and viewing applications at the receiver's terminus are the ones that are generally required for image transfer in case of webcams. The Internet solution that you are looking at depends on the quality and the rate of transfer that you require or aim for. A higher quality and faster transfer will definitely require an Internet connection with greater bandwidth. Hence, for better quality you could opt for broadband instead of dial up. Your webcam should be suitable for the kind of Internet connection you are opting for.

Other factors

There are various factors that need to be borne in mind prior to purchasing a webcam. Some of them have been discussed above. There are many others but two more of the important ones are resolution and frames per second. The resolution of an image is calculated in terms of pixels and mega pixels. Higher resolution ensures higher picture quality but in case of webcams the resolution should not be too high, as it will only reduce the transfer rate and not result in better quality picture. Frames per second would dictate the speed at which the video flows. A video is made up of several single images and so this number is important. Higher frames per second would ensure a smoother flow of images in a video. Keeping these factors in mind will aid you in a good buy.

Key Features

Key Features   Interface Type   Video Capture Resolution   Still Image Capture Resolution		With over 300 web cams on the market, key features such as Interface Type, Video Capture Resolution & Still Image Capture Resolution are important factors when buying. These features not only effect the performane and quality of the web cam you choose, but also the price. Shown below are price guides for a selection of web cams focusing on the key features: Interface Type, Video Capture Resolution & Still Image Capture Resolution.

Interface Type USB ? USB 2.0 £18.00 LAN (RJ-45) ? Wireless - IEEE 802.11b ? Wireless - IEEE 802.11g £97.00 Wireless - IEEE 802.11b £139.00 Wireless - IEEE 802.11g £288.00 * USB 2.0 £41.00

Video Capture Resolution 640 x 480 ? 352 x 288 ? 176 x 144 £13.00 640 x 480 ? 352 x 288 ? 320 x 240 ? 176 x 144 ? 160 x 120 £17.00 320 x 240 £35.00 640 x 480 £43.00 352 x 288 ? 176 x 144 ? 352 x 240 ? 176 x 120 £274.00 * 640 x 480 £43.00

Still Image Capture Resolution 352 x 288 £16.00 1280 x 960 £35.00 640 x 480 ? 320 x 240 ? 160 x 120 ? 1280 x 960 £69.00 320 x 240 £851.00 * 640 x 480 £25.00

* Taking into account all current web cams on the market the most desirable would be a web cam with USB 2.0 Interface Type, 640 x 480 Video Capture Resolution and 640 x 480 Still Image Capture Resolution.

Price Guide

Min    £6.84 Avg    £91.21 Max    £850.29		Web Cams cost anywhere from £6.84 for a basic web cam with few features to around £850.29 for a fully featured web cam.

Brand Guide

Popular Brands     Trust     Philips     Creative     LABTEC     Axis     Logitech		The most popular web cams brand is Trust. The most expensive web cams brand is Canon. If you're looking for a bargain then look out for Sweex branded web cams as generally they offer the cheapest web cams.