With many of us still working from home, there’s still lots of good reasons to pick up the best webcam you can afford for all those video calls. They also come in handy when calling friends and family who you might not be able to see in person for a variety of reasons.
Lots of portable devices, such as laptops and tablets, come with inbuilt cameras these days. However, they’re not always the most convenient to use, especially if - for example - you have a more elaborate office set up which includes a large or separate model.
Sometimes, too, inbuilt webcams aren’t that great - especially if you’re working with an older model.
Luckily, there’s lots of choice currently on the market, including the Konftel Cam 10, which offers a variety of different specifications that you can make use of, and can be placed pretty much exactly where you need it.
Konftel Cam10: specifications
Resolution: Full HD 1080p
Field of View: 90 degrees
Digital Zoom: 4x
Inbuilt Microphone: Yes
Privacy cover: Yes
Connection: USB 2.0
Dimensions: 118 x 37.2 x 30.8mm (excluding bracket)
Weight: 165g (including cable)
Key features
The Konftel Cam10 offers Full HD resolution, which should be perfectly usable for general web-calling software such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype. Vloggers who are presenting live content to 4K platforms such as YouTube might be better suited to a dedicated camera for such purposes (although at a much higher price).
Offering a field of view of 90 degrees, the Konftel10 gives a good wide angle, which is helpful for showing any context you need, or perhaps if you wanted to do something like present from a whiteboard. There is also a 4x digital zoom and the option to digitally tilt the lens so you can frame yourself a lot tighter if you need to. You can either do this directly in the video-calling software if it’s offered, or use the Konftel app (free to download) to set up the camera as you prefer beforehand.
With a dual microphone setup, you don’t need to worry about investing in a separate microphone. There’s also noise suppression technology, which promises to boost the audio quality, too. A mechanical sliding privacy cover is included, which gives peace of mind when you’re not using the camera.
The system requirements for the Konftel 10 are Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS X, Linux or Android.
Build and handling
This is a very easy and quick webcam to set up. Offering “plug and play” functionality, you should find that your computer recognizes and picks up the camera simply by plugging it into a USB port. You might need to select the camera from the input menu of some video calling software if it’s not automatically selected.
For this test, we used the Konftel 10 with a MacBook Pro, which recognised it immediately. If you’re working with a computer like a MacBook Pro, you’ll need an adapter to plug it in, however, as the connection is USB-A, rather than USB-C, which is just something to consider.
At the top of the webcam you’ll see a little slider, which you can simply push across when you’re not using the camera to ensure it works as a privacy cover. You could also push it across when using the webcam but want sound only, just to be on the safe side too. You’ll know that you’ve got the cover across quite easily as you’ll see a large red dot in the place of the lens. You’ll also know when the webcam is operational thanks to a small blue LED light which comes on when it’s in use.
A small adjustable stand is attached to the bottom of the Konftel 10. With this you can place the webcam flat on a surface, as well as adjusting the angle up and down. You can also use the bracket to hang the camera onto a flatscreen monitor. A tripod thread is also included so you could position the camera in a different position altogether - this could potentially be useful if you’re livestreaming something like a hands-on or workshop-type video.
The free Konftel Camera Control app is very simple to use. With it, you can adjust the angle of view to more tightly crop on your face, you can also digitally pan and tilt, too. There’s a set of advanced settings which you can also adjust, for example if you find the image is too bright.
Performance
The video image from the Konftel Cam10 are nicely sharp and crisp. Generally, exposures are well-balanced, but if you find yourself sitting in a particularly bright or high-contrast area, using the Konftel app to adjust those settings can come in useful.
Images appear to be full of detail even when working in relatively low-light scenarios, while colors are accurate both in natural land artificial lighting settings. Autofocusing is quick and accurate - something you can see if you move the privacy shutter in and out of use.
Being able to adjust the angle of view is also extremely helpful, as we’ve found that many commonly used video apps (such as Microsoft Teams) don’t allow you to adjust those settings yourself.
Final verdict
With a solid set of useful features, the Konftel Cam10 is an excellent choice for anybody looking to upgrade their existing webcam set up.
Having the flexible stand available so you can place the camera wherever you need it, including resting it on a monitor, is extremely handy - especially if you’re somebody who uses a separate screen from a laptop.
Image quality is excellent, and having the ability to zoom in for tighter crops comes in very handy. The free app that you can use the camera with is straightforward and allows you to set up the Cam10 however you like it.
The only major downside of this camera is its relatively high price tag, especially compared to some of the many cheaper options currently on the market. That said, given its good performance and flexibility of use, it’s likely to be worth the investment if you’re frequently carrying out a high volume of video calls.
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