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Microsoft LifeCam Studio

*Est. $100

Reviewed

October 2011

by ConsumerSearch

Pros

Excellent image quality
Full 360-degree rotation
Warm voice reproduction
Three-year warranty

Cons

Bulky for laptop use
Autofocus too sensitive
No noise suppression on microphone

Where to Buy

for $75.90

Our Analysis
Specs
150 Amazon Reviews

The Microsoft LifeCam Studio offers high-definition video recording in 1080p mode, with crisp and detailed results. This webcam provides natural color balance in all light conditions, due to Microsoft's TrueColor technology. Both professional and consumer reviewers praise the LifeCam Studio's video quality, but say that its autofocus capability is overly sensitive and the image becomes blurry when something moves in front of the webcam sensor. Microsoft's LifeCam Cinema (*Est. $25) gets the same complaints. There are mixed reviews about the LifeCam Studio's sound quality and comments that the sound is affected by the mono microphone and lack of background noise cancellation.

TopTenReviews.com places the LifeCam Studio one place lower in its 2011 webcam review than Logitech's HD Pro Webcam C910. However, PCMag.com replaces the HD Pro Webcam C910 with the LifeCam Studio as their Editors' Choice webcam. Both TopTenReviews.com and PCMag.com produce thoughtful, thorough evaluations of webcams, based on well-defined test methodologies. They give details about the product features and test results, and TopTenReviews.com produces a useful comparison chart of all 10 webcams it reviews. More than 50 contributor reviews at Amazon.com, combined with the handful of reviews at BestBuy.com, award a higher-than-average rating to the Microsoft LifeCam Studio webcam.

Microsoft LifeCam Cinema

from Amazon.com

New: $69.99

In Stock.

Average Customer Review:

Where To Buy

Microsoft LifeCam Studio 1080p HD Webcam - Gray

(150 reviews)
Buy new: $99.95 $75.90 26 Used & new from $30.00

In Stock. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping

Our Sources

1. TopTenReviews.com

Placing it at number six out of 10, the editors at TopTenReviews.com praise the image quality of the Microsoft LifeCam Studio webcam. They are impressed with its three-year warranty, which is longer than that offered by any other company. However, they state that the webcam only captures images at 15 frames per second (fps), not 30 fps, at its full high-definition resolution of 1080p.

Review: Microsoft LifeCam Studio Webcam, Editors of TopTenReviews.com

2. PCMag.com

Jamie Lendino states that the Microsoft LifeCam Studio webcam has the "most natural color balance that we've seen from a webcam." This webcam receives 4 out of 5 stars and Lendino recommends it for high-definition video chat.

Review: Microsoft LifeCam Studio, Jamie Lendino, Sept. 2010

3. BestBuy.com

Although only a few users have reviewed the Microsoft LifeCam Studio webcam on Best Buy's site, 94 percent recommend this model. They highlight its superior video quality and ease of installation.

Review: Microsoft LifeCam Studio Webcam, Contributors to BestBuy.com

4. Amazon.com

More than 50 reviewers on Amazon.com give the Microsoft LifeCam Studio webcam an average of 4 stars, slightly lower than other Microsoft and Logitech webcams. They enthuse about its good picture quality, even at low resolution, and state that it's good for standard video web communication. One drawback is that 1080p HD video recording requires additional commercial software.

Review: Microsoft LifeCam Studio 1080p HD Webcam, Contributors to Amazon.com

5. PC World

The first webcam from Microsoft that can shoot 1080p video, the LifeCam Studio is one of Leah Yamshon's top nine HD webcams. She calls its all-around video capture "stunning," and says that it works best when paired with Windows Live Messenger to access the webcam's advanced chatting features.

Review: Best HD Webcams for the Holidays, Leah Yamshon, Oct. 2010

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