I just hooked up my Rebel T5 as a webcam for Zoom following a guide on youtube that uses Digicamcontrol and OBS with OBS VirtualCam as the source for Zoom. It was choppy as heck. I know it's not my system, it's plenty capable. But has anyone had success using their DSLR as a webcam via USB or is that a no go?
Question / Help Any success using DSLR as webcam?
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FerretBomb
Active Member
DSLRs cannot be used as webcams over USB. Canon provide a 'live preview' in their software, but the quality is trash and there's no way to fix or improve it.
You need an HDMI capture device; the Elgato Camlink is popular, but any HDMI capture device will work to a greater or lesser extent.
Do also be aware, many DSLRs do not provide 'clean' HDMI output; they bake in the indicators on the HDMI output, with no way to turn them off. Some Canon cameras can use custom firmware called MagicLantern to work around this, but it's not guaranteed to be available or work for every model.
You need an HDMI capture device; the Elgato Camlink is popular, but any HDMI capture device will work to a greater or lesser extent.
Do also be aware, many DSLRs do not provide 'clean' HDMI output; they bake in the indicators on the HDMI output, with no way to turn them off. Some Canon cameras can use custom firmware called MagicLantern to work around this, but it's not guaranteed to be available or work for every model.
FerretBomb
Active Member
Good luck! It tends to be the same case with most camcorders as well though.
Wait, what? You're saying using my camcorder with an HDMI capture card will be problematic too?
FerretBomb
Active Member
It can be. Plug your camcorder into a TV over HDMI and see if it provides a clean HDMI out. Additionally, a lot of camcorders use low-quality sensors (the Canon VIXIA line are notably awful) as compared to DSLRs. Heck, plug your Rebel into a TV via HDMI and see if it gives clean out.
The video you posted, the presenter is using a Sony a6000 DSLR through an HDMI capture device. Sony DSLRs generally do provide clean HDMI out. Canon and Nikon generally do not, with a few exceptions.
I am using an a5100 with a capture card myself; it's got some sensor and autofocus upgrades over the a6000 but is lacking the EVF for outdoor shooting, but does have a flip-up back screen to provide a live monitor preview which I find far more useful as a static face-cam.
I think I did plug the XA10 into a TV via HDMI in the past and I don't recall it not being clean, but I'll double check.
When I mentioned problematic, I was primarily referring to problems with choppy low frame rate video.
For example, if I bought an Elgato HD 60 PRO and hooked it up to the XA10, would I have success using it as a webcam via OBS and Zoom, Skype, etc..?
When I mentioned problematic, I was primarily referring to problems with choppy low frame rate video.
For example, if I bought an Elgato HD 60 PRO and hooked it up to the XA10, would I have success using it as a webcam via OBS and Zoom, Skype, etc..?
FerretBomb
Active Member
That entirely depends on your device. If it puts out good video over HDMI, it should be fine. The HD60 Pro is a solid consumer-grade card.
The problem I'd mentioned before is purely with the Canon USB preview software.
The Elgato HD60 Pro does offer a Directshow driver package (recommended instead of their Elgato GameCapture software suite in general, as it can cause issues), and should work as a 'webcam' for most applications, yep!
I actually have one of those, and used it for a very long time. The only issue is that in OBS, when setting up a Video Capture Device source, you'll probably need to check 'use custom audio device' on it, and select the Elgato HD60 Pro audio device, if you want to use the sound coming in from the HDMI source (if you aren't using a separate microphone and want to use the one on the camera/camcorder). It's a minor foible with OBS, and an easy workaround.
The only recommendation I'd make is to look at the price difference between the Elgato HD60 Pro and the Elgato 4K60 Mk.2... it isn't a steep step up, and the 4K60 Mk2 has a number of very nice futureproofing features in case you ever step up to a 4K camera, or decide to hook another source (like a game console) up and would like 4K support. If you're already spending a couple hundred bucks, another 40 on top to get something with a lot more features can be a good call, as far as not re-buying parts down the road. :)
I just plugged the HDMI out from the camcorder into the HDTV and there was no onscreen display shown on the TV, so it's clean. If it's clean testing on a TV, then it should also be clean on the capture card, yes?
As far as audio, I use a completely different source for that, so I'm only concerned about video; getting a good quality picture.
I really don't have a need for 4K. For HD, do I need the card version HD60 Pro or can I get away with an Elgato Game Capture HD60 which I guess is USB connection. IOW, does the internal card version make a big difference over the USB version (keeping in mind that I simply need it for Zoom and Skype meetings, no gaming or anything like that).
As far as audio, I use a completely different source for that, so I'm only concerned about video; getting a good quality picture.
I really don't have a need for 4K. For HD, do I need the card version HD60 Pro or can I get away with an Elgato Game Capture HD60 which I guess is USB connection. IOW, does the internal card version make a big difference over the USB version (keeping in mind that I simply need it for Zoom and Skype meetings, no gaming or anything like that).
FerretBomb
Active Member
Then you should be good to go.
DO NOT buy the HD60. It is a USB 2.0 device, and has an inherent 2 seconds of capture delay which cannot be solved.
If you want a USB device instead, get an Elgato Camlink. It's a USB 3.0 device (capture delay measured in a handful of milliseconds), and is designed as the name implies to act specifically as a capture device for cameras. The down side to the Camlink is that it only supports a much more limited set of input resolutions than the HD60 Pro, so if your camera puts out a slightly off-spec 1920x1084 signal instead of 1920x1080, it may refuse to work.
Ah yes, I see the 2.0 on the HD60.
What about the HD60 S? It's specified as USB 3.0:
help.elgato.com
I'd prefer an external device as I don't fancy opening up the computer and all that crap :-)
What about the HD60 S? It's specified as USB 3.0:
Compare Elgato Game Capture HD60 S to other Elgato Gaming products
Elgato Game Capture HD60 S is similar to the other Elgato Gaming products in many ways, but it also has significant improvements. USB 3.xElgato Game Capture HD60 S connects to your computer using a...
help.elgato.com
I'd prefer an external device as I don't fancy opening up the computer and all that crap :-)
FerretBomb
Active Member
Yes, the HD60S is also a USB 3.0 device and will work fine. It's usually a bit more expensive than the Camlink.
To make you aware of the difference, an internal capture card will have direct access to the PCIe bus on your system. A USB device will have to go through the USB Host Controller on your system, which can be a bottleneck or entirely incompatible in some cases (it's funny how something with 'universal' in its acronym can be anything but). As video takes a lot of bandwidth, a USB capture device can 'choke out' other USB devices on the system, like a USB mixer or audio interface (causing crackling, dropout, and robotting).
It's why most who plan to use it a lot go for an internal card if possible. Cuts down on potential problems. USB is definitely more convenient though for only occasional or light-duty use, or when you don't have internal as an option (like with a laptop).
Do make sure your system has a free USB 3.0+ port though. They tend to be blue. Plugging a 3.0 device into a 2.0 port will not end well.
Got it, maybe the internal card will be better, as my audio source will be USB, directly from a mixer.
One last question, see attached image of my mobo spec:
The slots that I've crossed out in red are occupied by the graphics card. If I get the HD60 Pro, where would be the best slot to install it?
The system requirements say "PCIe 2.0 or higher (x1/x4/x8/x16) slot"
Based on the looks of the card, it looks like it's meant for PCIEX1_1 in the diagram, but what about the other slots, will it work in the bigger slots, I'm not good with this stuff.....
EDIT: According what I just read, the interface of the card is x1, which means I can plug it into any size PCIEX slot, I think!!
One last question, see attached image of my mobo spec:
The slots that I've crossed out in red are occupied by the graphics card. If I get the HD60 Pro, where would be the best slot to install it?
The system requirements say "PCIe 2.0 or higher (x1/x4/x8/x16) slot"
Based on the looks of the card, it looks like it's meant for PCIEX1_1 in the diagram, but what about the other slots, will it work in the bigger slots, I'm not good with this stuff.....
EDIT: According what I just read, the interface of the card is x1, which means I can plug it into any size PCIEX slot, I think!!
Last edited:
FerretBomb
Active Member
PCIe is backward and downward compatible. And forward compatible technically.
You can plug a PCIe x1 card into an x16 slot just fine, and it will work. If you cut the plastic 'wall' off the back of an x1 slot, you could technically plug in an x16 card and it would work (just slower).
If PCIEX1_1 is available, definitely use that.
I'd probably put it in the PCIEX16_3 slot if it were me, if PCIEX1_1 is covered up by your GPU's cooler.
Normally PCIEX16_2 will 'split' the PCIe bus assignment to x8/x8 for _1 and _2 on many motherboards when a card is installed there, on the assumption it's a GPU and you're trying to do SLI (don't do this, OBS hates it). You can also install it in PCIEX16_2, so long as you go into the BIOS and make sure that PCIEX16_1 is set to run in x16 mode, and _2 and _3 are set to run in x1 mode.
Not having your GPU running at x16 speeds can cause significant problems with OBS, so it might be a good idea to do that anyway.
Do not plug it into PCI1 or PCI2, those are an older standard. Shouldn't fit anyway.
If you do plug it into one of the x16 slots, make sure it's ALL the way toward the back of the computer. If the pins are misaligned, bad stuff will happen.
You can plug a PCIe x1 card into an x16 slot just fine, and it will work. If you cut the plastic 'wall' off the back of an x1 slot, you could technically plug in an x16 card and it would work (just slower).
If PCIEX1_1 is available, definitely use that.
I'd probably put it in the PCIEX16_3 slot if it were me, if PCIEX1_1 is covered up by your GPU's cooler.
Normally PCIEX16_2 will 'split' the PCIe bus assignment to x8/x8 for _1 and _2 on many motherboards when a card is installed there, on the assumption it's a GPU and you're trying to do SLI (don't do this, OBS hates it). You can also install it in PCIEX16_2, so long as you go into the BIOS and make sure that PCIEX16_1 is set to run in x16 mode, and _2 and _3 are set to run in x1 mode.
Not having your GPU running at x16 speeds can cause significant problems with OBS, so it might be a good idea to do that anyway.
Do not plug it into PCI1 or PCI2, those are an older standard. Shouldn't fit anyway.
If you do plug it into one of the x16 slots, make sure it's ALL the way toward the back of the computer. If the pins are misaligned, bad stuff will happen.
FerretBomb
Active Member
You could be surprised. But with two cameras, you should have input options to work with. Why I'd cautioned about the camcorder... I made the mistake of grabbing a VIXIA in the past as an attempted upgrade. Here's the result of that (camcorder on left, c920 on right, disregard color skew as I hadn't re-calibrated the webcam after switching over... I was pretty disappointed at the time):
Wow....that is pretty shocking indeed!
But, IIRC, the Vixia is a consumer level camcorder? My camcorder, although older is the lower end Prosumer.
www.usa.canon.com
When I was futzing around with the Blackmagic card, when it DID work, I remember the picture looked much better than the webcam, so I have pretty good hopes.....
But, IIRC, the Vixia is a consumer level camcorder? My camcorder, although older is the lower end Prosumer.
Pro Camcorders - Cameras - Pro
www.usa.canon.com
When I was futzing around with the Blackmagic card, when it DID work, I remember the picture looked much better than the webcam, so I have pretty good hopes.....
