We’re starting to see a new trend of consumer webcams that eschew microphones entirely, putting the focus entirely on video. This makes sense, because most webcam microphones are mediocre at best. We first looked at the Dell UltraSharp Webcam, a 4K camera that can capture razor-sharp video under the right lighting conditions. Now it’s Elgato’s turn with its first webcam, the Facecam. Like the UltraSharp, the Facecam has a high price of $199.99. It’s only 1080p, but it can still record a good picture if you’re lit up just right, and it offers manual exposure controls that other cameras lack. Unless you have the right lights, though, you’ll likely have to choose between a soft or a noisy picture. For the price, the Dell UltraSharp Webcam and our Editors’ Choice, microphone-equipped Razer Kiyo Pro are better performers.Boxy and Solid The Facecam is a slightly chunky, rectangular black box, with the front panel a deep, curved recess that holds the 24mm f/2.4 (full-frame equivalent...
The Elgato Facecam is an ambitious webcam that has no microphone, but offers the unique benefit of manual exposure control. You'll need to take time to set up good studio lighting for the best results.
Manual exposure controls; Good picture with the right lighting
Expensive; Video suffers in difficult lighting; No microphone