Logitech StreamCam webcam review

The StreamCam is Logitech’s latest webcam. Landing in 2020, it sits above the aging C920 in Logitech’s range but below the 4K-enabled Brio. It has a smart design, AI-powered automatic framing, stereo microphones and shoots high-quality Full HD video at a smooth 60 frames per second.

But, while the name suggests this is a camera for streamers, we believe this is instead a good option for remote-workers who want to improve their appearance (and sound quality) without spending needlessly on a 4K webcam whose extra pixels are wasted on HD-only video conferencing platforms.

Logitech StreamCam specifications

Resolution: 1080p Full HD

Field of view: 78 degrees

Frame rate: 60 fps

Digital zoom: -

Microphone: Yes, stereo

Autofocus: Yes

Privacy cover: No

Connection: USB-C (fixed)

See also: Best Logitech webcams

Key features

Logitech desperately wants you to believe this a great camera for streaming. In fact, the StreamCam’s box even states how this is “the ultimate experience for streamers,” but don’t let that fool you. Logitech has unfortunately let its marketing department get in the way, because while a good webcam, the StreamCam is nothing of the sort, at least for those who want to make a successful side-hustle from internet streaming.

A supposed key feature is how the StreamCam can be rotated 90 degrees and used to film HD video in Instagram story-friendly portrait mode. But since it isn’t possible to live-stream an Instagram story from a webcam (only a smartphone), this feature is instead best for content creators, like YouTubers, who want to shoot portrait-orientation stories, rather than stream live at that aspect ratio.

More useful features include a decent autofocus system, and an automatic framing feature that crops in slightly then uses AI to pan and zoom to keep your face in shot while you move around. We’re not sure which streamers stroll around their room instead of sit at their desk, but we probably shouldn’t keep pulling at that particular linguistic thread.

Other features come with the free Logi Capture application, which lets you adjust the camera’s settings, create a colored border and even add text and lower-thirds to your videos, before outputting them to your video calling, recording or streaming app of choice. It’s a nice set of simple features that amateur content creators will undoubtedly find useful.

Build and handling

The StreamCam is one of the more attractive webcams (to our eyes at least) and is bigger than it looks. But that’s no bad thing as a big camera usually means a better camera thanks to larger imaging sensors and more lens elements. We like the fabric front and the universal monitor mount works well, with horizontal and vertical adjustability, while a tripod mount is also included in the box.

Being larger than most, the StreamCam’s lens sits slightly higher, so on video calls you will appear to be looking down more than with other webcams. It’s a small point, but worth pointing out for anyone who sits fairly close to a large monitor, which exaggerates such a shift in gaze.

A good bit of futureproofing sees the StreamCam fitted with a 1.5-metre USB-C cable, but it’s hardwired to the camera so if your computer doesn't have such a port you’ll have to use an adaptor. Also slightly frustrating is how the Logi logo is written sideways when the camera is in its normal, landscape orientation. Rotate it to portrait (easily done thanks to the mount accommodating the webcam either way) and the logo is where it should be, suggesting Logitech really wants the StreamCam to be used for shooting all those vertical Instagram stories that you can’t actually stream.

Performance

We accept we’ve given the StreamCam a fairly hard time so far, but this is mostly down to Logitech’s naming and marketing strategy for what is otherwise a very good webcam. The footage it produces is sharp, smooth and well balanced, with good control over the exposure and white balance, especially in tricky lighting situations, such as with a window full of sunshine behind us.

The autofocus system wasn’t always as quick as we’d like, and would sometimes leave our face slightly out of focus. But once it locked on the image was beautifully crisp, and anyone upgrading from their integrated laptop webcam will see a major improvement. Sound quality is also good thanks to the dual-mic stereo setup.

But anyone actually wanting to use the StreamCam to stream…well, unless you are just starting out, we urge you buy a cheaper webcam, like the aging but still perfectly acceptable Logitech C920, then invest in a ring light and a dedicated USB microphone. Better lighting and sound will help elevate your streaming cam much further than splashing out on the StreamCam.

The 78-degree field-of-view, while perfectly acceptable for video calls, isn’t especially wide when it comes to streaming, when seeing a bit more of the presenter’s background is what the audience usually expects.

Logitech StreamCam: Verdict

All that said, at the time of writing the StreamCam is being offered with a hefty discount in some places, taking the price down to a far more palatable $95/£65 mark. At this price it’s worth it, but at the normal price of $170/£140, we would stop short of recommending this as a camera ideal for streamers (let alone call it their “ultimate experience”). We wish Logitech had removed features like vertical recording and image stabilization (for all those times you walk around holding a webcam?) and lowered the price.

The StreamCam is a great webcam, and for content creators who don’t yet own a dedicated camera, it can also do a decent job of recording footage for a YouTube channel. But Logitech falls short of offering the “ultimate experience for streamers” this camera promises. 

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