My new camera setup

Logitech Brio 4K Camera with light ring

I recently upgraded my camera setup for the spring semester. No, I did not add any more monitors. I am still at eight. I did consider adding an iPad as an additional touch display through the OS X "Sidecar" feature, but ultimately decided against it--for now.

I am now using the Logitech Brio 4K camera. This model has been around since 2018, but it is the best web camera on the market, short of an DSLR. It is also massively backordered, due to the pandemic. I was able to obtain one from BestBuy.com.

The image quality is fantastic. And you can zoom in and out to get just the right angle. Here is an interview I streamed over Skype:

And here is a recording I did locally, without any compression:

Alas, Zoom still compresses the image quality to crap. See the brief clip of me here:

Regrettably, my students will see the poor image quality on Zoom. But I will simulcast my classes this semester over YouTube at full 720p. (I am not confident my bandwidth can handle 1080p or 4K without buffering issues).

The Logitech camera also comes with Logitech Capture software. It allows you to seamlessly switched between the web camera, and screen sharing. I need to experiment with it a bit more for class. If my plan works, I will never have to click the "screen share" button in Zoom again.

Comments

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

Cool setup. What is your Chaturbate handle?

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

His Chaturbate handle is RabbiHarveyWeinstein.

[santamonica811]

One of the *very* rare VC situations where the original comment was really funny...and the response post was equally funny.

[Hendo]

"...massively backordered..." ???

It's currently in stock and available at Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama, and New Egg.

I agree that it's a great camera. I got mine early in the Fall, and I use it for my lectures and other teaching-related video, as well as faculty meetings, office hours, etc. I haven't bothered with a ring light, because the camera is so good that the video looks fine in almost all circumstances, and it's also relatively easy to correct the white balance if you look a bit too warm or cool, depending on the light source.

[santamonica811]

I suspect that it was backordered when Josh tried to find it, and supply has now caught up to demand. I don't really fault Josh for not checking the current situation before posting...that's the job for editors (it's what law student research assistants are there for, in the alternative!). 🙂

[KAW]

I recently got the same camera. Love it! I found it on Amazon

[Dr. Ed 2]

Two suggestions:

1: It's a general "no no" to have anything "growing out of your head" -- as the two pictures behind you are. They are at the exact wrong height and really ought not be there at all. (Look at TV Newscasters.)

2: Likewise, the "Talking Head" format dates back to the 1960's -- it isn't used anymore. Look at your TV newscasts -- the camera is further away from them. That's something I'm noticing about Zoom in general -- in real life, we would NEVER be that much "in someone's face" (unless we wished to provoke a fistfight).

I don't know if you can adjust this with a lens (you ought to be able to) but if we are seated and listening to someone speak, we are used to at least 6 feet of distance.

Look at it this way -- the TV companies have spent a LOT of money trying to figure out how to make their newscasters look credible, and this is what they have done toward that end.

[Commenter_XY]

I hope your Mother does not see your hair Professor Blackman!

[Orbital Mechanic]

I haven't seen Mr. Blackman on camera before.

Dayum, dude. You is really white. You're in Texas, right? Go out and get some sun.

[Dan Schiavetta]

Looks like a gun. No wonder it attracted Josh.

[Stephen Lathrop]

Ring light puts unnatural looking catch lights in your eyes. Distracting. Avoid close-ups.

[nicmart]

Everything a lawyer does is fascinating. Absolutely everything.

[DaivdBehar]

This is useful information, Josh. Ignore the immature commenters.