Pretty sure 4k 15 is for educators and presenters, or anyone really, who needs to share a large thing that has fine detail or text, but doesn't need to be moving. using it more like a projector.
I think the most important thing people need to consider too is latency. I got suckered into buying a cheap capture card because a lot of youtubers said it was a nice alternative to the cam link at a fraction of the price, but failed to mention how much latency it had.
@Mabi Nerd the hard part is a lot of these are wildly inconsistent. I got like 3 $9 1080p 60 usb 2.0 capture cards. 2 have sub 7 ms latency. Ones nearly 2 or 3 ms at times. While the last one, nearly 20 ms. Ultimately you can adjust your audio delay to match
@@kuroshine That's a fair point I suppose a little more work is required for the cheaper ones. I take these round up videos with a grain of salt these days now for that very reason.
24bit/30bit/36bit color is actually just a different notation of 8/10/12bit since RGB or YUV signals have 3 channels and sometimes they note the bits per channel and sometimes bits per pixel. Usually video cards use bpp notation and usually cameras use bpc. Not to be confused with video camera raw where each bayer pixel has only one color.
I use the sony zv-E10. Still use a camlink to capture the image. The main reason is that using it as a webcam via USB-C, the possibility to control the camere with a smartphone is not possible. And in a room with the possibility of sunlite, you want to control the camera without taking it of the stand. And the benefit of charging it doesn't work if you are using it for long sessions. The camera still overheats. So camlink and dummy battery is a must for the zv-e10.
Another advantage of using camlink with the Sony EV-E10, which connects to the camera's hdmi port rather than usb c, is you can achieve 60fps at 1080 when webcam streaming, whereas if you omitted the camlink and used the usb c cable direct to the PC, you can only achieve 30fps at 720p. In addition, without a camlink, the following functions are disabled on the camera - recording the streaming video, menu-screen operations ,transition to the playback screen, capturing a custom white balance, PC Remote Function and Smartphone Connect.
UVC is definitely a nice-to-have to reduce cable clutter and simplify setting up as a webcam. I've been holding off on a camera for a few years, but feels like this is a must-have convenience feature for me now.
Thank Harris. Great re-cap. I livestream via Zoom for online corporate training. I use those $18 cards because Zoom only takes 1080p and it crushes the life out of the image. Honestly, with my 2 camera set-up, 1 card has lasted 3 years and the other died after 2 years. For $18, they are worth it if you do not need 4k.
I really like the fact that you take the time to explain things. I am always trying to learn when it comes to content creation. Not only are your videos informative but they're entertaining.
There is a reason why the EZcap is so close but it’s kinda a lengthy explanation. tl;dr after x amount of time the exclusivity a company Elgato/Corsair got for buying the rights to that exclusive manufacturing deal expired and not the same things can be release under any brand. I guaranty after 6 years you could make stream beasts version with the exact same features of a cam link. If a company actually designed and made their own vs bought a design this doesn’t happen. Think Hydroflasks for 3 years and then a thousand so called knock offs. Hope this helps
Honestly, I was contemplating on getting the zv-e10 for a beginner photography hobby, as well as my RUclips and streams, paired with a Sigma lens. My dude, this video was a LOUD CONFIRMATION for my thoughts.
I bought one of the eBay $18 cards and faithfully use it for my RUclips show. The colors are completely natural and handles 1080/30 with no problem at all. I think the real trick is which knockoff you go with (there's SO many!) - Some of them are crap...others are really well built. I also use an Elgato CamLink for remote streams but I gotta tell ya, given the choice between the two, for my video bucks that was the best $20 I ever spent.
I feel like a lot of people's initial reaction is to get one of these "cam links" (with only an input), but often times you can get a good traditional capture card (with input and output) from a reliable company for cheaper than a real CamLink from elgato. Then you also have more functionality for game consoles, etc.
My original CamLink died on me. While I was waiting for Elgato to ship me the replacement, I still had a stream to do. So for a 'backup', I went ahead and bought an $18 knock-off model from Amazon (not the same one Heller reviewed, but one that actually looked a lot more like an actual CamLink). Like the other cheap ones, this one specified that it only outputted at 1080p - since my little 'webcam-box' in my stream is tiny, (I stream gameplay which is most of the screen), I only stream my cam in 720p anyways - so it didn't matter to me that it couldn't output 4k. This device also had over 1300 reviews on Amazon with 4.5 stars - people seemed happy with it. Much to my surprise: IT WORKED PERFECTLY! After all the bad problems I had with the CamLink before it finally died, I didn't even want to mess with my setup again. So when the Elgato replacement arrived, it went straight into a drawer, and I have continued using the $18 cheap one with zero problems ever since (over a year now). If the cheap one ever dies, I'll actually have to debate whether I want to re-insert my 'replacement' CamLink back into the setup or if I should buy another $18 one again instead. I should probably buy one now just to have a backup on-hand, lol. Anyways - I know it's crazy, but sometimes the whole 'you get what you pay for' just doesn't hold true. This was one of those times.
Great video! Came here for info about the Camlink but you’ve convinced me to try just going direct with my ZV-E10 and seeing what the 720p footage is like.
I hope you can help me! Ive been using my Canon M50 as a webcam without a capture card, just plug and play into OBS and it works amazing! The only downside is when im doing that “windows camera frame server” shoots my CPU usage up by like 25%. Im not experienced with camera to computer issues so im wondering will a capture card reduce the CPU usage im facing? Hope to hear from ya, could really use the advice!
Pssst...Want to know a secret? The super-cheap versions of the CamLink clone can defeat the copy-protection of Amazon Prime and Netflix streams. Not that I ever did such a thing.
I have a canon rebel t100 that I use to stream with on streamlabs but only get 1280x720 because the EOS Utility only supports 720. is there a specific lens that will make the quality clearer. Im using the 18mm-55mm stock lens. Please any thoughts.
I bought a $25 "Scam Link" in 2020 and have been using with my Sony A6300 for years with zero issues. Cam Link's are like the TI-85 calculators of the streaming world that you are forced to buy and never go down in price.
I'm using my Canon 80D as my "webcam". During the pandemic Canon released free software called "EOS Webcam Utility" and it works with most all Canon EOS cameras, I believe. After installing it's basically plug and play and looks great.
I might have to pick up the $18 Cheapo to test out, but 100% once you mentioned UVC I was immediately off the train of looking for an alternative cam link rather than having UVC as a trigger feature for my next camera. Excellent video Harris, as usual my friend!
Also, good to know that Canon added the software to use DSLR cameras to plug in usb into the pc directly (software called canon webcam utility), it's not 720p but I'm currently using my canon 60D as a webcam without a capture card so that's a good use for my old dslr camera
From all the footage I've seen it looks horrible though, low fps and poor image. My phone using iriun webcam app looks so much better not even a contest.
The issue with using just USB cross through is its lower than 720p video and its not even pass-through video just wants on the LCD screen, also USB 2.0 can only due speeds up to 480Mbps which is terrible.
For my a7iv I've actually moved back to using the camlink instead of uvc so I can get the 4k 30 out of it. The resolution doesn't matter for the stream, but it does when I crop recordings for vertical videos. Also doesn't charge fast enough when connected to my PC. A problem if you're going to stream for more than 3 hours.
@@MoreBDBDAN Yes it overheats if I'm in 4k 30. No error it just turns off. I bought a little fan with a flexible neck to point at the camera and that's enough to fix it.
Bought a CamLink a few years ago, it proceeded to not work at all with my DSLR no matter what streaming program I used it with. Currently using my iPhone pro with *Continuity Camera* bypassing the need for the USB dongle entirely.
So the Atomos Connect is rebadged super cheap capture card that can be found all over Amazon for $15ish (and are UVC compatible too). With a little color correction and sharpness adjustment applied to them, they are unbeatable values for 1080p camera capture. Atomos rebadging that and marking it up so much is blatantly bad. I've used a few different ones, all ordered at different points in time, and none have let me down yet. Comparing them to brand name capture cards from Avermedia and NZXT I did notice that the brand name ones do get better quality but the $15 ones punch way above their price class by getting maybe 90% of the way there compared to the brand name ones. It's kinda nuts. That said...UVC in new cameras nowadays is insane. It's about time.
Instead of buying a CamLink or a HDMI to USB, because I knew I was going to need multiple camera inputs into my machine, I bought a PCIe card that had four HDMI 1080 60 inputs. I currently have my camera, GoPro, and console plugged in to it. It’s Acasis branded. If you knew you were going to have more than one HDMI input would you agree this is the better way to go?
I can pretty much never tell between 720p or 1080p because they're too close. Besides, doesn't matter if your output is 1080p or 720p if people watching can only do 720p or even 480p.
Biggest issue I have with the USB streaming from the ZV-e10 is not the resolution or color change, but the delay. Not major, but I want my reactions to content to be in the moment, not a moment after. If they can fix that, I am all over USB streaming. (Also not great for syncing audio)
The electronics industry in China works like this: a factory develops a design and then scales up into mass production at a thin profit margin, acting as a B2B seller. Re-sellers then package the chip with various plastic casing and sell them under their brand, or not even bother to give it a brand. Therefore you can find numerous electronic products made in China using identical specs but under different brands.
so you go straight from your camera into your computer when you stream, but what making youtube videos? Do you record to your camera sd card then move it to your computer after? or do you record directly to your computer somehow?!
This was so helpful! I use the Canon M50 for doing videos and tutorials, and I like the quality of the Canon software for webcam, BUT it doesn't work with OBS or QuickTime. I've been looking at getting a capture card for this reason. I don't like getting super cheap electronics because they usually break down quicker, so I'm leaning towards the ezcap. Plus I don't want to look green or orange lol.
I bought the ezcap and I have a Canon m200. It looks great, but my only issue is that my gpu started to work a bit harder because the time to render frames went from 1.0 or less ms to 2.5 to 3.0 ms
Wow. Hot take for a guy who’s so closely affiliated with Elgato! Well done keeping it real. I guess this is foreshadowing for the new Elgato Cam Link product coming soon!
I've never had good luck with my Cam Link 4k capturing 4K from my Sony ZV-E10... Its so choppy in OSB. If I switch my camera to 1080p 60 it works buttery smooth. Kind of a bummer.
A big problem with some cheap capture cards is that they don’t have dual channel audio.. just mono. And if you’re trying to capture gameplay, that is awful
Are you shooting your RUclips videos on a high end camera and then updating your video? I have a Nikon Z6 and a Nikon Z9 and I want to use vmix or obs studio to do a live podcast so I assume that no matter how good the camera is a need a capture card right ?
I really appreciate you making this video, I've been trying to use an ATEM mini pro iso to live stream for about a week straight now and it's completely useless. For my single live streams I use the elgato 4K camera link and probably about 80% of the time really like it. But I want to bring in 4x a7siii feeds on the screen at the same time. I had no idea about the UVC and knowing that there is an option to have a slightly cheaper cam link is a huge bonus. Thank you so much for this man.
Thank you harris for this video. I had asked this same question myself but didn't really want to roll the dice when looking for a new 'camlink' I think the best bang for buck for me for now will just still be opting for the gopro with the elgato camlink!
Any Canon in the EOS series (from like 2014 onwards) can be converted to UVC via update! Don’t shy away from a cheap rebel or M6,50,etc., on marketplace if you need a cam.
Yes, in the software and files you can use bit per channel but normally in the hardware side you put the full width to declare the full possible colors since there are even 18 and 16 bit displays. On cameras you will find the 8 or 10 bit because is the depth on the sensor without the bayer filter and all the points are the same but you get actually x4 by each pixel.
This may be a silly question, but why is your examples different to your video in look/quality. Would you not be using the best for your video (elgato), so it would then look the same? Thank you and great video :))
4:05 bro did the video with the food crum in his beard 🤦🏻♂️. At least it looks good in 4K!! 😅 Great vid but not sure how you missed that in post. Big love I enjoy all your content.
I have one of those $20 capture sticks and the colors look alright. It is so low budget, that it straight up ignores HDCP, so I can actually connect a BluRay Player; when I connect that to my Elgato device, I'm just getting a black screen.
Even without "UVC" - all camera manufacfturers (Fuji,Sony,Nikon,Canon) have some basic software drivers to let you use most of their cameras as a webcam. Sure it's not "out of the box" with just the cable and no separate driver install like UVC camera's - but still, the extra step to download the driver isn't that big of a hurdle.
Harris, love the video and showing us the results before we buy, however, why don't you show everyone the real competition to Elgato, AverMedia? When I went to get a capture card for a dual pc system, I found the gamer duo, which is perfect for those wanting to pass-through a new gen console and maybe use a DSLR in the future, which I did. I looked it up and they have a competitor to each version of the camlink along with comparable products in most of the Elgato space. I think people put so much stock in whatever anybody else is using and I've only seen a few mentions of webcams from AverMedia from you. Also, another mention is the Shure MV7 over the SM7B, people can use this as an upgrade path, it's a fantastic mic, and yet everyone spends $1,000 because streamer "A" has it. Same with settings, but I digress, I would just like to see more actual competitors products when comparing like this.
I always think the video quality comparisons are similar to the arguments between CD & Vinyl when they first came onto the scene. For casual watches (listeners), I don't know that there's a difference. If I see a comparison video between the 2, I'll always say, "Yes, the higher looks better". But, I watch TONS of RUclips and many other streaming services. Most of them are not in 4K, and I am completely satisfied with my experience. Some of my older DVD - digital conversion were in 720p and they also look great and I don't ever notice. It's fun to check out the latest hardware and use the most recommended, but my day to day is mostly unaffected by these.
Doesn't Nikon have UVC protocols in their Z-series cameras? Also, how important is 4k vs 720p when it's going to be 640p in the bottom corner of your display on a 1080 stream?
Without having watched the video yet, I just sent the Elgato Cam Link 4 back to Amazon three days ago because it could never successfully connect my Lumix G7 to my laptop for Twitch streaming despite two days of exhaustive troubleshooting. I'm already interested in this alternative product. Harris is the man.
Don't blame cam link, I guarantee you it's probably the usb, hdmi, or even a dongle you might be using. If you are using a cheap version of any of those you will have e issues. Do not use cheap cables and don't use dongles.
Also, if you have a mac, that could be causing you issues. My buddy had a Mac laptop and the camlink wouldn't work on his laptop, he then tried it on another Mac laptop he had that had a intel chip and a Graphics card and it worked perfectly. So some macs won't work properly. I use windows, and never had an issue.
I saw a list of games when doing the Sizzle thing. Does that mean it won't do every single game or a fighting game, such as Harvestella or The King of Fighters XV?
You were reading my mind with this video… literally just about to invest in a camlink for my camera and now I’m able to make an informed decision on which one to choose!
Long time follower here, glad you made this. Bought the "Cam Link 4K" knock off and it works perfectly. Thank you for doing what you do. Always had trouble with the Elgato CamLink with my Mac, this one just 'works' 😃
The color on all of the captures kinda wierded me out a little. I personally use the ZV-E10 and I love it. I do use it for much more than it's webcam ability, but that ability is awesome. Also! The kit lens (16-50mm) works really great for a ton of shooting scenarios (aka, you probably don't need to buy another lens to make your footage look top notch👌just start with the kit lens).
Part of that is also just Sony's unusual color science with green/yellow skin tone fringing. That's been in existence in pretty much all their mirrorless cameras. But the conversion to Rec.709 that capture cards usually do is also very odd at times, and feels very artificial. Like they're trying to auto-compensate for camera's profiles with a universal LUT (and "universal LUT" is also an oxymoron, there is no such thing) due to the fact that it has to down-convert from 4:2:2 in most cases to 4:2:0, so they're trying to save time? I don't know. It's a very weird spec that capture cards include. It could also just be the difficulty of converting different signal protocols.
UVC isn't there yet for my taste. My clients are all entrepreneurs who also use their cameras to go-to-meeting and such and we still have them buy a camlink to do so. I hope it gets there soon and becomes the camlink and dummy battery killer for all my clients and students.
UVC for Sony's Imaging Edge app does NOT currently work with Mac's newest iOS update (Sonoma iOS 14), which is why I'm over here looking for a damn camera link to use with my Sony a7riii.
Can the webcam utility work with multiple cameras on OBS? Or would it be better just to get a ATEM mini to switch scenes? Haven’t tried it since I don’t have the cameras on hand. I know it does work with one. Working with 3 Nikon Z6ii
Thank you for breaking down the barriers of transmitting high definition, I'm curious about why it takes alot for ''computer tech'' to just transmit the camera's full potential just plug and play, that's why I'm a fan of webcams...and yet even with all the spec differences the image can be drastically different with 1080p 60fps compared to another 4k 30 webcam, speaking of just recording with obs not streaming, even then a 2mp webcam will look better than a 8mp 4k one just because of the streaming bandwidth limitations.
I got a couple of the cheap ones a few months ago. They worked fine, but within the past couple weeks I’ve been having trouble with them showing up on my computer. My guess is the quality of the plating.
I do IRL streaming with a custom shoulder bag that I built from scratch. My 6 pound shoulder bag runs Windows 11 and OBS. I use a Nikon Z6 with a 35mm f1.8 lens and I send the output through one of those $18 capture cards. It works great and people have said I have the best IRL cam footage they've seen.
Thank you, Harris this was very informative. I've been trying to do a nice streaming set up and looking into getting a camera. Learned some cool things from this video. I have a Logi C9 webcam which is good but i want my quality to be a little better. Gonna look into the cameras that dont need a cam link. cool
The oldest peice of tech I still own (Dont use) is a Pinnacle GMBH 710. Old school RCA capture card from. Came out in the early 2000's (02ish I think) Used it to make machinima way back in the day before youtube was really a thing. Released them on a site called putfile. Those were simpiler times.
@@DejayClayton Lol true. But it just worked. (Most of the time) LOL The good old days when it would take you 3hrs to upload a video in 240P LMFAO. A simpler time when things were litterly simplier. Not nescsariily better. LOL
I am not sure if you have done this yet, but I'd lik to see you do a tutorial video on how to do basic audio engineering. Stuff like EQ, gain, LU, stuff like that! I love your videos!
Signed up for Sizzle, only downside is it's largely meant for FPS games, but it's ACTUALLY something i might look into more when i learn to play Apex :3
I bought an HD60 Pro for about $90 on Mercari 6 years ago when I first upgrade my Capture card for my PS4 from a Hauppauge HD, I am now Dual PC, and recently upgraded to 4K60 Pro MK2, and use my HD60 Pro as my A7III Capture Card
Before buying a CamLink 4K, I had a cheap Chinese USB capture dongle that worked great for about 15 minutes into a session, and then crashed consistently. I spent much more money on the CamLink 4K, and was then disappointed when that crashed as well, albeit far less frequently.
The 24/30/36-bit color depth is just another way of saying 8/10/12-bit. 8-bit per channel, with three channels (R, G and B) can also be described as 24-bit.
I bought the ZV e-10 based on your first video, I really like it but it does run out of battery after about 6 hours of streaming. Are you sure we don't need a dummy battery? I'm confused, it won't charge while it's on. Is there a setting I'm missing?
Год назад
This videos explains a loooot why I see a big difference when I record the video directly in the Sony ZV1 compared to the Cam Link HDMI. The colors are terrible in the Cam Link. Is there any Video Capture that is capable of keep the good quality? thx
Just bought a Sony zv-1m2, using the usb-c going straight to the PC, no camera control. Whereas, I connected it with the hdmi to my Vivitar capture, near full control
Tried the ezcap. Couldn’t capture 4k into Quicktime. Could capture 4k with OBS but my workflow is easier capturing into QuickTime. dunno, maybe I was doing something wrong. sent it back and bought the Elgato, 4k into QuickTime works fine.
I could tell the ZV-E10 UVC was lower resolution, but only really next to the 1080p camera, and if you didn't mention it being 720p and I wasn't actively trying to search it out, I wouldn't have noticed.
As a heads up for anyone with a ZV-1 camera, it will not give a clean feed with this Cam Link alternative. I’m not sure if the Cam Link will give a clean signal either, looking to find a used one to test myself.
Could you give me some info on how the iphone can interact with all of these things? I want to use my upcoming iphone 15 as webcam, but I want to do it in high quality. Cinema P3 and Filmic Pro allow Clean HDMI out from iPhones, but the resolution that has is still way above what these cards here even capture... Also, When I use an USB to HDMI adapter to record, I can't use my my mic anymore and also cannot charge the phone :(( There has to be some better solution for this, right? I mean can't I use USB-C as an HDMI-like output by now? Or isnt' there are USB hub that allows for high quality HDMI out while also providing power passthrough?
I would love to meet you someday. You teach/explain things with passion that allows you to reach so many people. This way of teaching is probably the most impactful way to influence people. I really appreciate your dedication. It would be so cool to sit and talk with you someday!
Bought one of those cheap $10 video capture cards for my Sony A6000 as a webcam, will admit the default color looks like I spent all day in the sun, but with some color adjustments in OBS camera settings it fixed it right up and it works great.
Streeeeeaam highlights! Get your free stream highlights right here, folks! bit.ly/SenpaiSizzlegg
Pretty sure 4k 15 is for educators and presenters, or anyone really, who needs to share a large thing that has fine detail or text, but doesn't need to be moving. using it more like a projector.
NICE! How much do they cost? 🤣
So like Athena Back in the day? neat!
how are you SLEEPING on the $20 capture card at walmart by Vivitar?
Hello, I often follow your videos，I have a video capture card can I cooperate with you?
I think the most important thing people need to consider too is latency. I got suckered into buying a cheap capture card because a lot of youtubers said it was a nice alternative to the cam link at a fraction of the price, but failed to mention how much latency it had.
Due diligence sir. No adult should say they got suckered!😂
Wrong
@@marv8686 I agree I should have dug deeper but its also kinda lame that nearly every big youtuber said the card was good.
@Mabi Nerd the hard part is a lot of these are wildly inconsistent. I got like 3 $9 1080p 60 usb 2.0 capture cards. 2 have sub 7 ms latency. Ones nearly 2 or 3 ms at times. While the last one, nearly 20 ms. Ultimately you can adjust your audio delay to match
@@kuroshine That's a fair point I suppose a little more work is required for the cheaper ones. I take these round up videos with a grain of salt these days now for that very reason.
24bit/30bit/36bit color is actually just a different notation of 8/10/12bit since RGB or YUV signals have 3 channels and sometimes they note the bits per channel and sometimes bits per pixel. Usually video cards use bpp notation and usually cameras use bpc. Not to be confused with video camera raw where each bayer pixel has only one color.
I use the sony zv-E10. Still use a camlink to capture the image. The main reason is that using it as a webcam via USB-C, the possibility to control the camere with a smartphone is not possible. And in a room with the possibility of sunlite, you want to control the camera without taking it of the stand. And the benefit of charging it doesn't work if you are using it for long sessions. The camera still overheats. So camlink and dummy battery is a must for the zv-e10.
I use a Ulanzi fan that just snaps onto the front or he ZV-E10. Works SUPER good for podcasts, livestreams, and recordings of 2hrs+
Another advantage of using camlink with the Sony EV-E10, which connects to the camera's hdmi port rather than usb c, is you can achieve 60fps at 1080 when webcam streaming, whereas if you omitted the camlink and used the usb c cable direct to the PC, you can only achieve 30fps at 720p. In addition, without a camlink, the following functions are disabled on the camera - recording the streaming video, menu-screen operations ,transition to the playback screen, capturing a custom white balance, PC Remote Function and Smartphone Connect.
I have been using that exact super cheapo (even only 12€) for 2 years with my A7II. Just slapped on a custom LUT and have been happy ever since :D
UVC is definitely a nice-to-have to reduce cable clutter and simplify setting up as a webcam. I've been holding off on a camera for a few years, but feels like this is a must-have convenience feature for me now.
Thank Harris. Great re-cap. I livestream via Zoom for online corporate training. I use those $18 cards because Zoom only takes 1080p and it crushes the life out of the image. Honestly, with my 2 camera set-up, 1 card has lasted 3 years and the other died after 2 years. For $18, they are worth it if you do not need 4k.
I really like the fact that you take the time to explain things. I am always trying to learn when it comes to content creation. Not only are your videos informative but they're entertaining.
Hey man great video, can I ask what lense you’re using on your Sony A IV? Much love 👍🏻
There is a reason why the EZcap is so close but it’s kinda a lengthy explanation. tl;dr after x amount of time the exclusivity a company Elgato/Corsair got for buying the rights to that exclusive manufacturing deal expired and not the same things can be release under any brand. I guaranty after 6 years you could make stream beasts version with the exact same features of a cam link.
If a company actually designed and made their own vs bought a design this doesn’t happen.
Think Hydroflasks for 3 years and then a thousand so called knock offs.
Hope this helps
Honestly, I was contemplating on getting the zv-e10 for a beginner photography hobby, as well as my RUclips and streams, paired with a Sigma lens.
My dude, this video was a LOUD CONFIRMATION for my thoughts.
I bought one of the eBay $18 cards and faithfully use it for my RUclips show. The colors are completely natural and handles 1080/30 with no problem at all. I think the real trick is which knockoff you go with (there's SO many!) - Some of them are crap...others are really well built. I also use an Elgato CamLink for remote streams but I gotta tell ya, given the choice between the two, for my video bucks that was the best $20 I ever spent.
Please see this and send link!
I feel like a lot of people's initial reaction is to get one of these "cam links" (with only an input), but often times you can get a good traditional capture card (with input and output) from a reliable company for cheaper than a real CamLink from elgato. Then you also have more functionality for game consoles, etc.
My original CamLink died on me. While I was waiting for Elgato to ship me the replacement, I still had a stream to do. So for a 'backup', I went ahead and bought an $18 knock-off model from Amazon (not the same one Heller reviewed, but one that actually looked a lot more like an actual CamLink). Like the other cheap ones, this one specified that it only outputted at 1080p - since my little 'webcam-box' in my stream is tiny, (I stream gameplay which is most of the screen), I only stream my cam in 720p anyways - so it didn't matter to me that it couldn't output 4k. This device also had over 1300 reviews on Amazon with 4.5 stars - people seemed happy with it. Much to my surprise: IT WORKED PERFECTLY! After all the bad problems I had with the CamLink before it finally died, I didn't even want to mess with my setup again. So when the Elgato replacement arrived, it went straight into a drawer, and I have continued using the $18 cheap one with zero problems ever since (over a year now). If the cheap one ever dies, I'll actually have to debate whether I want to re-insert my 'replacement' CamLink back into the setup or if I should buy another $18 one again instead. I should probably buy one now just to have a backup on-hand, lol. Anyways - I know it's crazy, but sometimes the whole 'you get what you pay for' just doesn't hold true. This was one of those times.
Great video! Came here for info about the Camlink but you’ve convinced me to try just going direct with my ZV-E10 and seeing what the 720p footage is like.
How is it?
@@MrSmitty231enough but camlink is better for sure. So it’s depend on what do you need? 720p or 1080p or even 4K.
I hope you can help me! Ive been using my Canon M50 as a webcam without a capture card, just plug and play into OBS and it works amazing! The only downside is when im doing that “windows camera frame server” shoots my CPU usage up by like 25%. Im not experienced with camera to computer issues so im wondering will a capture card reduce the CPU usage im facing? Hope to hear from ya, could really use the advice!
Love it when Harris calls out Elgato, cuz then they release a new product a couple months later. Good stuff.
I don’t get why there isn’t a USB-C 4k60 version of the Elgato, especially at like $120.
Pssst...Want to know a secret? The super-cheap versions of the CamLink clone can defeat the copy-protection of Amazon Prime and Netflix streams. Not that I ever did such a thing.
I have a canon rebel t100 that I use to stream with on streamlabs but only get 1280x720 because the EOS Utility only supports 720. is there a specific lens that will make the quality clearer. Im using the 18mm-55mm stock lens. Please any thoughts.
I think as a backup or on a tight budget the Cheapo option definitely seems like a decent choice. The color correction looked great.
I bought a $25 "Scam Link" in 2020 and have been using with my Sony A6300 for years with zero issues. Cam Link's are like the TI-85 calculators of the streaming world that you are forced to buy and never go down in price.
Sounds like you don't know how to basketball on the TI-83 😂😂😂
I'm using my Canon 80D as my "webcam". During the pandemic Canon released free software called "EOS Webcam Utility" and it works with most all Canon EOS cameras, I believe. After installing it's basically plug and play and looks great.
I might have to pick up the $18 Cheapo to test out, but 100% once you mentioned UVC I was immediately off the train of looking for an alternative cam link rather than having UVC as a trigger feature for my next camera. Excellent video Harris, as usual my friend!
Also, good to know that Canon added the software to use DSLR cameras to plug in usb into the pc directly (software called canon webcam utility), it's not 720p but I'm currently using my canon 60D as a webcam without a capture card so that's a good use for my old dslr camera
From all the footage I've seen it looks horrible though, low fps and poor image. My phone using iriun webcam app looks so much better not even a contest.
The issue with using just USB cross through is its lower than 720p video and its not even pass-through video just wants on the LCD screen, also USB 2.0 can only due speeds up to 480Mbps which is terrible.
This was super useful, thanks! But also your voice for audio books would be incredible ahaha 😅❤
For my a7iv I've actually moved back to using the camlink instead of uvc so I can get the 4k 30 out of it. The resolution doesn't matter for the stream, but it does when I crop recordings for vertical videos. Also doesn't charge fast enough when connected to my PC. A problem if you're going to stream for more than 3 hours.
does your camera ever overheat, same setup as you but keep getting an error?
@@MoreBDBDAN Yes it overheats if I'm in 4k 30. No error it just turns off. I bought a little fan with a flexible neck to point at the camera and that's enough to fix it.
I thought using the ZV-E10 in webcam mode reduces it down to 720p30fps. Wouldn't using the Cam Link allow you to not limit the ZV-E10?
Yes via hdmi
Bought a CamLink a few years ago, it proceeded to not work at all with my DSLR no matter what streaming program I used it with. Currently using my iPhone pro with *Continuity Camera* bypassing the need for the USB dongle entirely.
So the Atomos Connect is rebadged super cheap capture card that can be found all over Amazon for $15ish (and are UVC compatible too). With a little color correction and sharpness adjustment applied to them, they are unbeatable values for 1080p camera capture. Atomos rebadging that and marking it up so much is blatantly bad. I've used a few different ones, all ordered at different points in time, and none have let me down yet. Comparing them to brand name capture cards from Avermedia and NZXT I did notice that the brand name ones do get better quality but the $15 ones punch way above their price class by getting maybe 90% of the way there compared to the brand name ones. It's kinda nuts.
That said...UVC in new cameras nowadays is insane. It's about time.
I wouldn't mind an update to this video idea. I'm sure since we're around Christmas time there are some new products and new deals.
Instead of buying a CamLink or a HDMI to USB, because I knew I was going to need multiple camera inputs into my machine, I bought a PCIe card that had four HDMI 1080 60 inputs. I currently have my camera, GoPro, and console plugged in to it. It’s Acasis branded. If you knew you were going to have more than one HDMI input would you agree this is the better way to go?
I can pretty much never tell between 720p or 1080p because they're too close. Besides, doesn't matter if your output is 1080p or 720p if people watching can only do 720p or even 480p.
Biggest issue I have with the USB streaming from the ZV-e10 is not the resolution or color change, but the delay. Not major, but I want my reactions to content to be in the moment, not a moment after. If they can fix that, I am all over USB streaming. (Also not great for syncing audio)
I'm more or less a beginner but apparently if the camera is in a cage in portrait mode, might cancel out the delay.
@@jimshannononsounds Oh? I’ll have to give that a try.
"Wanna feel old?" (pauses the video) No! My knees creaked as I heard this question. (unpauses)
The electronics industry in China works like this: a factory develops a design and then scales up into mass production at a thin profit margin, acting as a B2B seller. Re-sellers then package the chip with various plastic casing and sell them under their brand, or not even bother to give it a brand. Therefore you can find numerous electronic products made in China using identical specs but under different brands.
so you go straight from your camera into your computer when you stream, but what making youtube videos? Do you record to your camera sd card then move it to your computer after? or do you record directly to your computer somehow?!
This was so helpful! I use the Canon M50 for doing videos and tutorials, and I like the quality of the Canon software for webcam, BUT it doesn't work with OBS or QuickTime. I've been looking at getting a capture card for this reason. I don't like getting super cheap electronics because they usually break down quicker, so I'm leaning towards the ezcap. Plus I don't want to look green or orange lol.
I bought the ezcap and I have a Canon m200. It looks great, but my only issue is that my gpu started to work a bit harder because the time to render frames went from 1.0 or less ms to 2.5 to 3.0 ms
Wow. Hot take for a guy who’s so closely affiliated with Elgato! Well done keeping it real. I guess this is foreshadowing for the new Elgato Cam Link product coming soon!
I've never had good luck with my Cam Link 4k capturing 4K from my Sony ZV-E10... Its so choppy in OSB. If I switch my camera to 1080p 60 it works buttery smooth. Kind of a bummer.
A big problem with some cheap capture cards is that they don’t have dual channel audio.. just mono. And if you’re trying to capture gameplay, that is awful
Are you shooting your RUclips videos on a high end camera and then updating your video? I have a Nikon Z6 and a Nikon Z9 and I want to use vmix or obs studio to do a live podcast so I assume that no matter how good the camera is a need a capture card right ?
I really appreciate you making this video, I've been trying to use an ATEM mini pro iso to live stream for about a week straight now and it's completely useless. For my single live streams I use the elgato 4K camera link and probably about 80% of the time really like it. But I want to bring in 4x a7siii feeds on the screen at the same time. I had no idea about the UVC and knowing that there is an option to have a slightly cheaper cam link is a huge bonus. Thank you so much for this man.
Thank you harris for this video. I had asked this same question myself but didn't really want to roll the dice when looking for a new 'camlink' I think the best bang for buck for me for now will just still be opting for the gopro with the elgato camlink!
Any Canon in the EOS series (from like 2014 onwards) can be converted to UVC via update! Don’t shy away from a cheap rebel or M6,50,etc., on marketplace if you need a cam.
You recorded all that footage IN OBS? Curious what bitrate do you set in OBS when recording? Great video as usual.
I think the 36bit color depth is referring to 12 bit color depth but instead of per RGB channel it is per pixel. So 3*12 = 36.
Yes, in the software and files you can use bit per channel but normally in the hardware side you put the full width to declare the full possible colors since there are even 18 and 16 bit displays. On cameras you will find the 8 or 10 bit because is the depth on the sensor without the bayer filter and all the points are the same but you get actually x4 by each pixel.
This may be a silly question, but why is your examples different to your video in look/quality. Would you not be using the best for your video (elgato), so it would then look the same? Thank you and great video :))
4:05 bro did the video with the food crum in his beard 🤦🏻♂️. At least it looks good in 4K!! 😅 Great vid but not sure how you missed that in post. Big love I enjoy all your content.
I have one of those $20 capture sticks and the colors look alright. It is so low budget, that it straight up ignores HDCP, so I can actually connect a BluRay Player; when I connect that to my Elgato device, I'm just getting a black screen.
Fantastic Video. gives valuable information, has personality but not too much. intro introduces the premise very well
The 24-bit, 30-bit, and 36-bit color depth are all real. They are options given in the Xbox video fidelity settings
Even without "UVC" - all camera manufacfturers (Fuji,Sony,Nikon,Canon) have some basic software drivers to let you use most of their cameras as a webcam. Sure it's not "out of the box" with just the cable and no separate driver install like UVC camera's - but still, the extra step to download the driver isn't that big of a hurdle.
Harris, love the video and showing us the results before we buy, however, why don't you show everyone the real competition to Elgato, AverMedia? When I went to get a capture card for a dual pc system, I found the gamer duo, which is perfect for those wanting to pass-through a new gen console and maybe use a DSLR in the future, which I did. I looked it up and they have a competitor to each version of the camlink along with comparable products in most of the Elgato space. I think people put so much stock in whatever anybody else is using and I've only seen a few mentions of webcams from AverMedia from you. Also, another mention is the Shure MV7 over the SM7B, people can use this as an upgrade path, it's a fantastic mic, and yet everyone spends $1,000 because streamer "A" has it. Same with settings, but I digress, I would just like to see more actual competitors products when comparing like this.
I always think the video quality comparisons are similar to the arguments between CD & Vinyl when they first came onto the scene. For casual watches (listeners), I don't know that there's a difference. If I see a comparison video between the 2, I'll always say, "Yes, the higher looks better". But, I watch TONS of RUclips and many other streaming services. Most of them are not in 4K, and I am completely satisfied with my experience. Some of my older DVD - digital conversion were in 720p and they also look great and I don't ever notice. It's fun to check out the latest hardware and use the most recommended, but my day to day is mostly unaffected by these.
Doesn't Nikon have UVC protocols in their Z-series cameras?
Also, how important is 4k vs 720p when it's going to be 640p in the bottom corner of your display on a 1080 stream?
Thank you for having the courage to open up like that.
What are your thoughts on the ATEM Mini as a capture card for streamers that play on multiple devices?
Without having watched the video yet, I just sent the Elgato Cam Link 4 back to Amazon three days ago because it could never successfully connect my Lumix G7 to my laptop for Twitch streaming despite two days of exhaustive troubleshooting. I'm already interested in this alternative product. Harris is the man.
Don't blame cam link, I guarantee you it's probably the usb, hdmi, or even a dongle you might be using. If you are using a cheap version of any of those you will have e issues. Do not use cheap cables and don't use dongles.
Also, if you have a mac, that could be causing you issues. My buddy had a Mac laptop and the camlink wouldn't work on his laptop, he then tried it on another Mac laptop he had that had a intel chip and a Graphics card and it worked perfectly. So some macs won't work properly. I use windows, and never had an issue.
I saw a list of games when doing the Sizzle thing. Does that mean it won't do every single game or a fighting game, such as Harvestella or The King of Fighters XV?
You were reading my mind with this video… literally just about to invest in a camlink for my camera and now I’m able to make an informed decision on which one to choose!
Long time follower here, glad you made this. Bought the "Cam Link 4K" knock off and it works perfectly. Thank you for doing what you do. Always had trouble with the Elgato CamLink with my Mac, this one just 'works' 😃
does cam link not work with mac?
The color on all of the captures kinda wierded me out a little. I personally use the ZV-E10 and I love it. I do use it for much more than it's webcam ability, but that ability is awesome. Also! The kit lens (16-50mm) works really great for a ton of shooting scenarios (aka, you probably don't need to buy another lens to make your footage look top notch👌just start with the kit lens).
Part of that is also just Sony's unusual color science with green/yellow skin tone fringing. That's been in existence in pretty much all their mirrorless cameras. But the conversion to Rec.709 that capture cards usually do is also very odd at times, and feels very artificial. Like they're trying to auto-compensate for camera's profiles with a universal LUT (and "universal LUT" is also an oxymoron, there is no such thing) due to the fact that it has to down-convert from 4:2:2 in most cases to 4:2:0, so they're trying to save time? I don't know. It's a very weird spec that capture cards include. It could also just be the difficulty of converting different signal protocols.
Yep, the colour is totally different to the corrected image used in A footage. Makes them all look bad.
UVC isn't there yet for my taste. My clients are all entrepreneurs who also use their cameras to go-to-meeting and such and we still have them buy a camlink to do so. I hope it gets there soon and becomes the camlink and dummy battery killer for all my clients and students.
I'll definitely be looking for UVC in my next cam. Thanks for the info!
UVC for Sony's Imaging Edge app does NOT currently work with Mac's newest iOS update (Sonoma iOS 14), which is why I'm over here looking for a damn camera link to use with my Sony a7riii.
EZCap was my first ever capture card, they were a cheaper alternative to the Dazzle back in the day
Just bought it and like it for the most part but man since I connected it, well it made a jump in my time to render frames.
The 4K thing means that it is capable of receiving 4K signals but the output is 1080p
Can the webcam utility work with multiple cameras on OBS? Or would it be better just to get a ATEM mini to switch scenes? Haven’t tried it since I don’t have the cameras on hand. I know it does work with one. Working with 3 Nikon Z6ii
Thank you for breaking down the barriers of transmitting high definition, I'm curious about why it takes alot for ''computer tech'' to just transmit the camera's full potential just plug and play, that's why I'm a fan of webcams...and yet even with all the spec differences the image can be drastically different with 1080p 60fps compared to another 4k 30 webcam, speaking of just recording with obs not streaming, even then a 2mp webcam will look better than a 8mp 4k one just because of the streaming bandwidth limitations.
I got a couple of the cheap ones a few months ago. They worked fine, but within the past couple weeks I’ve been having trouble with them showing up on my computer. My guess is the quality of the plating.
The 24, 30, and 36 bit are for consoles, Xbox has color ranges up to 36 bit when changing the settings
UVC camera comparison video next! Cheapest > most expensive. Let's gooooooooo!
I do IRL streaming with a custom shoulder bag that I built from scratch. My 6 pound shoulder bag runs Windows 11 and OBS. I use a Nikon Z6 with a 35mm f1.8 lens and I send the output through one of those $18 capture cards. It works great and people have said I have the best IRL cam footage they've seen.
Thank you, Harris this was very informative. I've been trying to do a nice streaming set up and looking into getting a camera. Learned some cool things from this video. I have a Logi C9 webcam which is good but i want my quality to be a little better. Gonna look into the cameras that dont need a cam link. cool
I was just about to get one of those legatos cam links. Thanks for the video, now I will just upgrade my camera which I was planning on doing anyway!
The oldest peice of tech I still own (Dont use) is a Pinnacle GMBH 710. Old school RCA capture card from. Came out in the early 2000's (02ish I think) Used it to make machinima way back in the day before youtube was really a thing. Released them on a site called putfile. Those were simpiler times.
Simple except for the fact that Pinnacle had like a thousand models 🤣
@@DejayClayton Lol true. But it just worked. (Most of the time) LOL The good old days when it would take you 3hrs to upload a video in 240P LMFAO. A simpler time when things were litterly simplier. Not nescsariily better. LOL
you miss to add in the video that the zv.e1 new from sony from usb c come to stream mode up to 30p 4k... Maybe killer feature for new gen cameras
I am not sure if you have done this yet, but I'd lik to see you do a tutorial video on how to do basic audio engineering. Stuff like EQ, gain, LU, stuff like that! I love your videos!
He did
HOLY SHIT. UVC. My brain has melted!
Signed up for Sizzle, only downside is it's largely meant for FPS games, but it's ACTUALLY something i might look into more when i learn to play Apex :3
I bought an HD60 Pro for about $90 on Mercari 6 years ago when I first upgrade my Capture card for my PS4 from a Hauppauge HD, I am now Dual PC, and recently upgraded to 4K60 Pro MK2, and use my HD60 Pro as my A7III Capture Card
Before buying a CamLink 4K, I had a cheap Chinese USB capture dongle that worked great for about 15 minutes into a session, and then crashed consistently. I spent much more money on the CamLink 4K, and was then disappointed when that crashed as well, albeit far less frequently.
Wow! This was very helpful, thank you. I'm now considering a Sony A6700.
This video came a few days too late for me, was looking for this video exactly before buying my Cam Link. No regrets though, great video!
The 24/30/36-bit color depth is just another way of saying 8/10/12-bit. 8-bit per channel, with three channels (R, G and B) can also be described as 24-bit.
I bought the ZV e-10 based on your first video, I really like it but it does run out of battery after about 6 hours of streaming. Are you sure we don't need a dummy battery? I'm confused, it won't charge while it's on. Is there a setting I'm missing?
This videos explains a loooot why I see a big difference when I record the video directly in the Sony ZV1 compared to the Cam Link HDMI. The colors are terrible in the Cam Link. Is there any Video Capture that is capable of keep the good quality? thx
24,30,36 bits mean 8,10,12 bpc (bits per channel) but 24,30,36 are for all 3 channels R,G,B
Just bought a Sony zv-1m2, using the usb-c going straight to the PC, no camera control. Whereas, I connected it with the hdmi to my Vivitar capture, near full control
Tried the ezcap. Couldn’t capture 4k into Quicktime. Could capture 4k with OBS but my workflow is easier capturing into QuickTime. dunno, maybe I was doing something wrong. sent it back and bought the Elgato, 4k into QuickTime works fine.
I could tell the ZV-E10 UVC was lower resolution, but only really next to the 1080p camera, and if you didn't mention it being 720p and I wasn't actively trying to search it out, I wouldn't have noticed.
As a heads up for anyone with a ZV-1 camera, it will not give a clean feed with this Cam Link alternative. I’m not sure if the Cam Link will give a clean signal either, looking to find a used one to test myself.
Could you give me some info on how the iphone can interact with all of these things? I want to use my upcoming iphone 15 as webcam, but I want to do it in high quality. Cinema P3 and Filmic Pro allow Clean HDMI out from iPhones, but the resolution that has is still way above what these cards here even capture... Also, When I use an USB to HDMI adapter to record, I can't use my my mic anymore and also cannot charge the phone :((
There has to be some better solution for this, right? I mean can't I use USB-C as an HDMI-like output by now? Or isnt' there are USB hub that allows for high quality HDMI out while also providing power passthrough?
I would love to meet you someday. You teach/explain things with passion that allows you to reach so many people. This way of teaching is probably the most impactful way to influence people. I really appreciate your dedication. It would be so cool to sit and talk with you someday!
Bought one of those cheap $10 video capture cards for my Sony A6000 as a webcam, will admit the default color looks like I spent all day in the sun, but with some color adjustments in OBS camera settings it fixed it right up and it works great.
Those TikTok comments drove me up the wall
wow 3 minutes intro? So vintage. I'm feeling old right now, so retro.
I wana sell my GoXLR and share mv7, what’s the best non xlr mic just for sounding good and 250 and under?
wow it's really been 6 years....i've had it when it was first launched so i could connect my Canon easier...and still use it