Nov 19 2006
ecamm iMage webcam
Not much new has come to the Web Cam scene in recent years. Companies like Logitech have introduced exciting new features like face-tracking that don’t work on Macs. Aside from the expensive-but-nice iSight, getting a webcam to work on a Mac usually involves old or third-party drivers that work, mostly.
No one knows the pain of webcaming Mac users like ecamm network. With their iChatUSB solution they’ve been allowing Mac users to enjoy inexpensive USB webcams with iChat. Now ecamm is going a step further with the first driver-less USB webcam for Macs. Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take some time out to get put this webcam through its paces.
The iMage is unique in its lack of required driver. This is a bigger deal than it sounds. While there is a plugin that introduces additional configuration and functionality, this webcam works out of the box. You are not at the mercy of third party or no-longer-maintained drivers.
That is not all. Alternative drivers like the excellent macam project work only if the webcam is plugged in to a built-in USB port. While I can’t guarantee this on your system, I found that the iMage webcam worked excellently plugged in to a hub or an add-on USB 2.0 card. This benefit alone will make the camera worth it for some.
The iMage sells for less than half the cost of an iSight, and does not require Firewire. The iMage is a little clunky in its styling, but is smaller than I expected. It also has a magnetic mount and integrated clip to fit on the top of your MacBook. You might not think of a webcam as portable – but since the iMage runs driverless on Macs and PCs, taking it with you could make sense. It comes with a soft case too.
But what about the picture? After all, this is a camera, right? It is a camera, but under poor or artificial lighting the picture is a little soft and grainy. The camera does support 640×480 and 320×240 resolutions, but falls short of a slightly more expensive Logitech in clarity.
And while we’re on the subject of money, I should note that there are cheaper webcams of similar resolution and quality – but none of them support OS X out of the box. While third party (free) drivers will work with these, they don’t come withthe out-of-the-box assurance the iMage does.
There’s no doubt your Mac will love the iMage webcam – with its iChat support and flexible driverless operation. But, with a bit of a compromise on image quality you might not be as happy. For Mac users who want a simple webcam, and are sick and tired of poorly supported USB cams, this might be your camera.
