Microsoft LifeCam Auto Focus Webcam, 720P
Last updated: September 20, 2022
This webcam swivels 360 degrees to easily capture all the action. The solid aluminum build makes it lightweight without sacrificing durability. Autofocus and a 720p sensor ensures that you record plenty of detail, and a built-in stereo microphone provides impressive audio.
We looked at the top Webcams and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Webcam you should buy.
Product Details
Key Takeaway: This webcam has an aluminum body that makes it durable without weighing it down, making it easy to maneuver and use.
In our analysis of 23 expert reviews, the Microsoft LifeCam Auto Focus Webcam, 720P
placed 5th when we looked at the top 13 products in the category. For the full ranking,
see below.
From The Manufacturer
720 HD video chat – For a true HD-quality experience. Auto focus – Images stay sharp and detailed, even close-ups. High-precision glass element lens – Provides sharp image quality. TrueColor Technology with face tracking – Automatically controls exposure for bright and colorful video. 360-degree rotation – Rotates halfway in both directions for an all-around view. Wideband microphone for premium sound recording – With noise cancelling technology, helps improve speech quality for crystal clear audio.
Do more together in HD, with Skype certified HD LifeCams from Microsoft. 720p sensor captures true HD quality video at up to 30 frames per second.
With Auto Focus and high-precision glass element lens.
ClearFrame Technology delivers smooth, detailed video, even in low light conditions.
Expert Reviews
What reviewers liked
The Cinema's most notable feature is that it rests on a swivel. This allows users to turn it around a full 360 degrees. It's easier to rotate 180 degrees in either direction, as the cord twists too. It is long and includes a built-in wrapper to keep everything tidy.
It has a solid aluminium body – the only Microsoft webcam to do so – making it light weight yet durable.
Its autofocus system was excellent, and the device's built-in stereo microphone gave top-notch results even over the din of a particularly noisy PC. It's brilliant for video conferencing, and if you regularly upload video broadcasts of your musings, its 720p 16:9 video output will give work a top-quality feel.
The LifeCam uses a nice design that focuses on keeping things compact. It looks cool and is much less clunky. The body is made of an aluminum barrel that is both attractive and sturdy. The flexible stand is rubberized for improved grip and it works well with any display.
What reviewers didn't like
Microsoft's webcam isn't easy to mount. You have to find the right angle for the bendable arm so that the foot on the end hits the back of the display. I couldn't get it to be steady. It would come undone as soon as I went to rotate the camera.
There’s still some noise present, especially if your subject isn’t brightly-lit, but again it’s less than you might be used to. The only caveat with this is that it takes a second or two to refocus each time.
720p too large to stream but that's not really the cameras fault.
I expected a standard plug-and-play installation but things weren’t so easy. On one test computer, I got the normal response, with no installation necessary, aside from Windows 7 figuring out the device. On a second Windows 7 system, the cam tried to install the software, without putting in the CD.
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