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Laptop webcams are fine—until you see what a DSLR can do. Crisp video, better lighting, and pro-level quality make it hard to go back. Once I started using my DSLR as a webcam, I never looked at grainy, washed-out video the same way again.
1Nothing Beats the Quality
Webcams have improved a lot, but even the best ones can’t match the quality of a DSLR. If you knowwhat to look for in a webcam, you can find a decent one—but a DSLR still delivers sharper details, better lighting, and pro-level video.
The biggest reason behind that is sensor size. Regardless of the resolution, your DSLR (or mirrorless camera) has a much larger sensor than your phone or USB webcam. As a result, the image from a 1080p DLSR looks way better than that from a 4K webcam.
2No Worries About Lighting
One of my biggest gripes with PC webcams, especially the ones integrated into laptops, is the terrible dynamic range. If you’re sitting under direct light or in a room that’s too dark, your image can look blown out or too dark. If you want aprofessional look in your video calls, you must get the lighting just right. It’s also one of the reasons why you shouldconsider using an external webcam.
With a DSLR, you can handle various lighting conditions without sacrificing image quality. While good lighting enhances the final look, I’ve found that even just my monitor and a desk lamp are enough to keep my video calls looking sharp and professional.
3Video Calls Look More Professional
If you need to attend multiple video calls a day, having aDSLR as your webcamis the best way of making your image look much more professional.
Now, that’s not to say you should go out and buy a DSLR as your webcam, but if you have one lying around, you should consider using it. With little to no work and a few cables, you may really change the way your video calls look.
4Depth of Field Control
Another reason is control over the depth of field. If you’ve been using the background blur features on Google Meet or Zoom, you’d have noticed that they aren’t exactly great, and the blur doesn’t look natural. That’s because software can’t properly emulate depth of field blur. Video call programs separate the subject from the background and blur the latter.
Depending on how good your device is and the background blur feature in the video call program you use, this can result in shoddy background blur. With a DSLR, you have the ability to control your depth of field or the natural background blur you get when looking through a camera lens.
So, if you’re a teacher who needs both yourself and a board behind you in focus when on a call, you can do so by simply adjusting the aperture on your camera. If you’d rather blur your background out, dial down the aperture to a lower value and get that smooth bokeh effect.
The blur results largely depend on the lens you’re using. However, even basic kit lenses like the 18-55mm lens you get with most DSLR bodies will provide better background blur than what Google Meet or Zoom might provide.
5More Control Over The Final Image
Finally, you have a lot of control over the final image you present. Does the image look too dark? Dial up the ISO. If you want the background to be slightly more in focus, dial up the aperture. If you want an entirely different look on your camera, you can use OBS to apply filters and LUTs to your webcam.
By tweaking camera settings, you can quickly fine-tune the image you’re getting without having to move around or blast yourself with lights from every direction. If you have a home office and usually take calls from a desk, you can get a consistent-looking image regardless of the time of day.
Using a webcam as a DSLR can be slightly challenging, given you might have to use a capture card or specialized cable to get the camera up and running. However, it’s a one-time hassle that can massively improve video call quality and give your old camera a new lease on life.
