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Totally agreed. My old NEX-5 doesn't work with this new Sony software, and I was thinking about getting a new interchangeable lens camera mostly for webcam use.

Totally agreed. My old NEX-5 doesn't work with this new Sony software, and I was thinking about getting a new interchangeable lens camera mostly for webcam use. I think the right prime lens with a huge aperture could go a long way to making me look more presentable in video calls. In this environment it's an investment in your appearance, similar to buying nice clothes, a gym membership, etc. Unfortunately there's very little information out there about things that are relevant for this application like resolution of HDMI out, ability to disable onscreen displays, latency, autofocus performance during HDMI streaming, overheating during continuous use, speed/convenience of power-on sequence, etc. Does anyone here have a setup with an interchangeable lens camera as webcam that they really like and recommend?

dognotdog 6y ago
I do use a D800 with a 50/F1.4 lens for video conf calls. A lot of the current generation DSLRs do provide XGA, 1024x768 sized preview images when tethered, as, surprise surprise, that is the resolution of their viewfinder/screen. Older cameras, like the D800, only do 640x480, though IMO that is still a vastly superior image for video conferencing. I've put together what I've found out so far at https://github.com/dognotdog/ptpwebcam/blob/master/CAMERAS.md https://github.com/dognotdog/ptpwebcam/blob/master/CAMERAS.m... Sony ILSM cameras seem to all do 1024x, DSLRs mostly do 640x480 unless they're from the last 2 or so generation of cameras. I have most complete information for Nikon, as they actually publish specs for the cameras PTP interfaces, unlike Canon or Sony, which have to be reverse engineered.
tupputuppu 6y ago
I've got the A7 which is not supported by this. You can get one used for 200usd. I put on the Sony 35 or 50 F1.8. I've also got a 40usd LED panel for lighting and both camera and lights are on fixtures connected to my desk via camps, 20usd from Amazon.
- modeless 6y ago
  Perhaps unsurprisingly the used camera market seems to have exploded. The current used price seems to be $600+.

dognotdog 6y ago

I do use a D800 with a 50/F1.4 lens for video conf calls. A lot of the current generation DSLRs do provide XGA, 1024x768 sized preview images when tethered, as, surprise surprise, that is the resolution of their viewfinder/screen. Older cameras, like the D800, only do 640x480, though IMO that is still a vastly superior image for video conferencing. I've put together what I've found out so far at https://github.com/dognotdog/ptpwebcam/blob/master/CAMERAS.md https://github.com/dognotdog/ptpwebcam/blob/master/CAMERAS.m... Sony ILSM cameras seem to all do 1024x, DSLRs mostly do 640x480 unless they're from the last 2 or so generation of cameras. I have most complete information for Nikon, as they actually publish specs for the cameras PTP interfaces, unlike Canon or Sony, which have to be reverse engineered.

tupputuppu 6y ago

I've got the A7 which is not supported by this. You can get one used for 200usd. I put on the Sony 35 or 50 F1.8. I've also got a 40usd LED panel for lighting and both camera and lights are on fixtures connected to my desk via camps, 20usd from Amazon.

modeless 6y ago
Perhaps unsurprisingly the used camera market seems to have exploded. The current used price seems to be $600+.