COVID-19 has affected all spheres of our lives. It has caused shortages in the medical sectors with health workers lacking enough PPEs, ventilators, masks, and oxygen tanks. Businesses have had their supply and distribution chains severely impacted with the stay-at-home and social distancing measures put in place. That has made webcam a must-have tool for people staying at home.
As more and more people protect themselves by following the above-mentioned public health measures. All of a sudden, the demand for the internet, especially unlimited and fast broadband, has skyrocketed.
On the other hand, the increased need to make video calls has made people need better webcam qualities. Sure, laptops these days come in-built with webcams and microphones, but they are not exactly the best video recording hardware in the market.
You have to find a perfect spot with good lighting for a good video calling experience. Sometimes these spots might be located outside your house. As most people in urban areas live in apartments and flats where buildings are so cramped up together that natural light is often lacking.
Use Canon Camera as Webcam
What if I told you that you could use a professional-grade camera as your webcam? The canon camera to be precise. Well, these professional cameras not only do video recordings in the highest resolutions but also have the capability of shooting great videos in low light conditions.
So your problem with low-lighting conditions inside your home office will no longer be a problem, especially if you are using a Canon camera as your webcam. Well, this tip is hardly new news, as people have been able to use professional-grade cameras for a long time now.
Related: 5 Best Webcam Security Software
However, they have been using them thanks to additional hardware and premium third-party software. At this time, if someone tells you that you can use your Canon camera lying around somewhere around the house, but you will need to part with some cash to get the necessary hardware and software. That might be less than ideal; I mean, the money taps are not flowing as they use to before COVID-19 pandemic screwed everyone’s incomes.
Canon releases FREE bespoke Software
Well, Canon has released a bespoke software that will enable you to use its cameras as a webcam, although with some caveats:
* The software is still in beta stage, so some kinks here and there are expected.
* The software only works with PCs running the 64-bit version of Windows 10
* There is a limited version of Canon cameras that work with the software; DSLRs, mirrorless, and PowerShot Compacts
* The software is currently only available to Canon camera users in the U.S.
So if you have a Canon camera somewhere around the house, there is no need to bother yourself searching for the perfect spot to take your video calls. If you live in the U.S. and the version of Canon camera you own is supported. Go ahead and have a professional-grade camera as your webcam for your Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Skype calls.