2019 iMac 5K webcam quality

[Sensamic]

Just checked the quality of the FaceTime/webcam camera on the latest 2019 5K iMac and it feels like it's not entirely in focus.

Is this normal?

Tried with FaceTime and Photoboot apps. Both look pretty much the same. It's not completely out of focus, but just enough to seem weird. Is this how it actually looks the webcam or maybe I should have it checked?

Thanks!

 

[jerwin]

Out of focus, or low resolution?

Unless Apple has changed something, it's a 720p camera, and not a very good one.

I think the angle of view is a bit too wide for my liking, but that might just be me.

 

[CheesePuff]

Yes, its a very poor lens. Night and day difference between the one in the iMac Pro, which is what should have been in the normal iMac since 2015.

 

[gilby101]

Get a Logitech C920 (or similar). Much better colour and light response along with wider/better focus. It also has higher resolution. The inbuilt web cam is fine for reading QR codes, but otherwise requires ideal lighting to give a half decent picture.

 

[Sensamic]

I feel like the webcam on my previous iMac late 2009 was better. Weird.

 

[jerwin]

Get a Logitech C920 (or similar). Much better colour and light response along with wider/better focus. It also has higher resolution. The inbuilt web cam is fine for reading QR codes, but otherwise requires ideal lighting to give a half decent picture.

This might be a bit out of date, but several of the logitech cameras are compared here, with a few awful ones thrown it for comparison.

 

[Sensamic]

Ok, so after some testing I can confirm that with Photobooth image quality through the webcam is better and sharper than with FaceTime app.

Have you guys noticed it?

It's not a huge difference, but I can see it, specially at night. Even colors look a little bit more intense/saturated with the Photobooth app.

Is the FaceTime app the problem?
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In this youtube video you can see what I mean, so I guess it is normal. On the 5K iMac the image looks washed out, out of focus, like I previously said.

I expected a 720P camera to look better, but I guess it is what it is.

 

[Grohowiak]

It's garbage.

 

[mj_]

It's garbage.

I wouldn't call it garbage. Due to recent circumstances I have to do a lot of video conferencing now, and quite honestly the camera is perfectly fine for that. Even my MacBook's 480p camera is more than adequate for video calls. That's what these cameras have been designed for - they're not selfie-cams intended to take oh-so-hot showboating photos of oneself but means for video calls and conferences. I really wouldn't know how video calls could benefit from a high-resolution 4K camera. All it would do is increase bandwidth requirements.

I also have to admit that I don't really use FaceTime though but Microsoft Teams. Not sure whether or not that makes a difference.

 

[Grohowiak]

I wouldn't call it garbage. Due to recent circumstances I have to do a lot of video conferencing now, and quite honestly the camera is perfectly fine for that. Even my MacBook's 480p camera is more than adequate for video calls. That's what these cameras have been designed for - they're not selfie-cams intended to take oh-so-hot showboating photos of oneself but means for video calls and conferences. I really wouldn't know how video calls could benefit from a high-resolution 4K camera. All it would do is increase bandwidth requirements.

I also have to admit that I don't really use FaceTime though but Microsoft Teams. Not sure whether or not that makes a difference.

I have the iPad Pro and iPhone 11 and I will us the cameras on those devices any day, any night any time over the garbage that's in the imac. I suggest people to get external webcam when they get the imac.
Well sure if you have perfect light it might fly but it's 2020 not 2010. Should be no brainer to have a decent camera on a $2.5K+ computer.
I love my imac but covered the camera and pretend it doesn't exist