What can you do with a webcam? After the pandemic, the interest in webcams has increased drastically and many users are not happy with the one that’s on their laptop or desktop. Apple, for instance, has ways to allow you to use the rear camera on the iPhone as webcam while using a Mac. But what if you want a solution that’s restricted to the webcam. We have been using BenQ IdeaCam S1 Pro for a few days and it’s one of the coolest options we have seen in a long time.
Most laptops come with built-in cameras that are low-res or can’t be used as a standalone webcam. But a USB webcam can provide better quality and additional features like autofocus for video calls.
The BenQ IdeaCam is a flexible solution we have been looking for. It’s obviously a webcam that can be mounted on a computer. But you can take it off and use it handheld or put it wherever you want using the mount, even on a tripod.
One of my favourite features of the webcam is the macro lens, which comes in the box. Once you attach it to the camera, you have a 15x macro, allowing you to zoom in on details. It helps while showcasing something to a large gathering online. For example, a teacher can use it to show an experiment. Or an engineer can use it to zoom in on the components on a motherboard.
There is also a remote control or puck which can be used to do things like zoom in and out by simply spinning it. This is a helpful feature when you don’t want to use the keyboard. Besides zooming, you can push a button to get a freeze frame.
Another great way to use the webcam is by mounting it on a laptop and then tilting it forward by 90 degrees. The webcam will reverse the image and show what’s on the desk. You must be wondering what happens to the keys on the laptop. Well, you can place a board on top of the keyboard and showcase whatever you want on top of the board. By going into the portrait mode, a ring light comes on and that helps if you’re under uneven lighting.
The webcam itself is built around a Sony 8MP CMOS. It offers 3,264 by 2,448 pixels and that produces pretty dense and high-quality images. The noise-cancelling microphone on the device is of high quality and sound is captured well.
BenQ didn’t stop at that. There is the EnSpire app. With the app, you can control things like white balance, brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness. You may even dial down the resolution to save bandwidth.
There are a couple of quibbles. Instead of USB-A connectivity, the entire thing could have been USB-C. Second, the webcam runs on batteries.
Otherwise, this is a perfect standalone webcam that will help you frame yourself properly so you’re looking into the camera, as opposed to presenting strange angles from your laptop. BenQ IdeaCam S1 Pro (Rs 19,990) is one of the most video-friendly tools in the market.