▲
Logitech QuickCam Communicate STX, Purchased March 2005, $49.95
Note: this camera is a USB 1 device, not USB 2. Read more
In my opinion, this camera has the best image out of the current available lower price desktop cameras. Sharp, good color, and works very well in both bright and dim lighting. Surprising considering it's priced under $50. The camera did have some difficulty when I threw my bright daylight setup at it. The bright side of my face was easily over driven, but in normal room light, the camera does very well.
I should state here that my rating of this camera is partially skewed by the ability to adjust the camera controls easily and getting the desired results without fighting the camera. The Logitech Notebook Deluxe, I believe, has a bit sharper and cleaner image, but when I factor in the poor mounting system of the Notebook Deluxe, this camera comes out with an overall higher score. Keep in mind that this is a desktop camera while the other one is a notebook camera. Neither of them will work well used for the opposite purpose. The mountings don't work.
The STX has 2 mounting systems, one flat bottom round base for desktop use, which stays put when you let go. The camera also comes with a heavy oddly shaped bendable mount which works very well on larger flat panel and CRT monitors. However, it won't work on thin or notebook screens, it won't bend enough.
Normally I don't consider a fixed focus lens as fitting into the great cameras catagory, but I have to make an exception here because of the other good points of this camera. Its best focus seems to be at about 3 feet, closer or farther, and you can see the drop off in sharpness if you study the large image carefully, but most people will probably use the camera in this position. Very good color control and the device settings have sliders for all adjustments and they work well.
The camera has a neat blue light on the top, assuming you consider this kind of thing neat. Its only purpose is to indicate the camera is in use but, it does work. Most of the earlier cameras' indicator lamps stay lit all the time they are plugged in, wherther they are in use or not. Another point to realize is that my standard webcam test bench setup is just a bit too close for best focus on this camera so all the test images are a little fuzzier than they could be.
This is a reccommended choice for a less expensive range camera.
Screen shots of camera configuration settings
Advanced
Device
 | Sample images showing how this camera performs under different lighting conditions |