Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Will microsoft or logitech webcams work on a mac?

S

stagmeister

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2004
179
0
I need to get a webcam for my powerbook g4. I've been looking for a webcam which will work with my computer, since if I order it online I don't want to have to deal with shipping it back for returns. Unfortunately, most webcams don't explicitly support Mac OS... what should I do?

Thanks!
Jason
 
if it has a Mac OSX driver than it will work, but just get an isight cam from apple to be safe
 
stagmeister said:
How can I know if it has a mac os driver?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

If it doesn't say on the company's website, then there's a good chance it doesn't.

Do some research on the specific products you're looking at and see if they have been noted to be compatible.

I would personally buy an iSight for:

1) It works natively

2) It has superior video and sound quality opposed to many other computer oriented cameras

3) It looks the goods, too ;) (but isn't the primary deciding factor)

If you can find one for under $150 (original selling price), then I would say jump on it! I would not spend over $150 on one, especially a used one considering buying one used is about the only way to obtain one now. Apple has discontinued the production of the iSights, for now ;)

I wonder if they'll ever bring an external camera like that out again, it was certainly a great product.

Peace
 
Apple no longer sells iSight in the US. And they are going for way too much on eBay. There are plenty of 3rd Party USB cams that work in Mac OS X.
 
QuarterSwede said:
Unfortunately if you want it to work with iChat AV you'll have to try iChatUSBCam ($9.99) as macam doesn't work with it.
Click to expand...

This is no longer correct.

From this thread on the apple discussion boards:

Apple's 10.4.9 update provides "iChat* support" for "USB Video Class (UVC)" webcams (Non-UVC USB webcams may work if you add iChatUSBCam and any necessary drivers. See the iChatUSBCam "camera guide" for compatibility information.)

When considering USB webcams for use with OS X 10.4.9 and iChat, "UVC" is the key to OS X 10.4.9 compatibility for USB webcams.
Click to expand...

So it appears that as long as your webcam is a UVC webcam, you should be able to plug and play. And there are apparently several Logitech webcams (among others) that are UVC cams.
 
Tucom said:
If it doesn't say on the company's website, then there's a good chance it doesn't.

...
Click to expand...
Just a few months ago, Apple sold Logitech webcams in the Apple Store. Those devices are not going to suddenly stop working. I bought a Logitech webcam about a month ago. Despite the fact that it does not list Mac-compatibility, it works just fine out of the box.

If you buy an off-brand model, then you may have to install macam. My brother required this driver for his Wal-Mart special.
 
Mac-Logitech Mac-Xbox webcams

This page: http://mac-compatible-web-cam.com/ lists 'These Just Work' webcams based on the UVC USB 2.0 standard. Note only TWO of the Far-Too-Many cams Logitech makes are known to have been made with a single part number that is clearly UVC compliant, most others it's a geeks gamble cross referencing sensor part number charts and fiddling with drivers. Both the 9000 and Ultra Vision (which Apple Stores carry) are UVC, very high quality, high resolution, and high priced. But ya get what ya pay for: It just works hassle free plug and play Mac webcams. Xbox cam from MS seems to be well liked across all the webcam forums I've been in: reasonable quality, Mac compatible and far more affordable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back