Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 (Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000)

Member Name: thole09

Product:	Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000
Date:	20/09/09 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent image quality

Disadvantages: Weak construction

The Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 has been my webcam of choice for five years. This little camera has stood up to all video conferences, voice conversations and other features without fault. The unit's construction, however, leaves something to be desired.

The Quickcam Pro 4000 was first made available to the public in 2001. It boasts minimal system requirements and software comparability dating back to Windows 98. The camera comes bundled with a software disc containing the drivers for Windows to interact with the camera and a recording facility dubbed "QuickCapture". The installation process is simple and generic to most Windows applications. The user first inserts the software CD into his or her optical drive and is guided through a series of menus which state what will be installed where. After the installation process is complete, the camera is ready to begin shooting.

I found the camera to integrate easily with popular instant messaging software including MSN Messenger. When I went to have my first video call with a friend, MSN was able to detect and configure the camera without any further input on my behalf. Of course I read the "If the indicator bar turns yellow" phrase to set up the built-in microphone but the process beyond that did not pose any sort of challenge. Immediately after connecting for the first time I was amazed by the picture quality. The camera was able to clearly capture my face and objects around my office without difficulty. I was also shown a second window during my video call which controlled the cameras pan and digital zoom; both working very effectively. The zoom does distort the image as the percentage increases, but even at maximum remains generally clear and visible. The built-in microphone is also a winning feature of the item. I have been able to use it for dictation purposes without any issues in playback or clarity.

Where the camera loses points is its construction. While this camera was able to stand up to a few falls to the floor, one critical tumble caused the camera itself to pop out of the base. There is a small plastic screw which holds the two components together but this now does not reattach properly. At the moment my camera is sat upside down next to the base as I've grown tired of continually trying to reconnect the two parts before use. In the rare instance I do require a webcam nowadays, there is a slight tilt as the camera no longer rests in a leveled spot. I also find that the adjustable lense focus is very sensitive to touch. Even the slightest jolt will rotate the physical setting and distort the image.

When new in box, this camera is fantastic and could likely be found for a bargain price given its age. The software is very easy to use as it quickly detects the camera and offers the user the option of taking a photo or capturing video at various image settings. The frame rate is high and captured all sudden movements without flaw. Very little expertise is required to operate this camera as both options are clearly labeled with both text and images respective of their actions. For more advanced users, there are further advanced options which allows the tweaking of brightness, contrast and saturation. There are also filter options including low light and colour boost.

Overall, I recommend this camera with slight hesitation. I would be extremely cautious about buying this product used given its somewhat flimsy construction. If the item can be located new in box then it could prove to be quite a good buy, but due to its age has had numerous successors which may offer more solid construction and up to date features.

Further details:

System Requirements

IBM or compatible system
Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP
Pentium II 400, Celeron, AMD Athlon processor (500+ Mhz recommended)
Available USB port
64 MB RAM
200 MB free hard drive space
CD-ROM drive
16-bit colour display adapter
Windows-compatible sound card and speakers (full duplex sound card recommended).
For Web activities and to send or receive video e-mail
Web browser
E-mail application that supports file attachment
28.8K modem or faster and Internet connection with e-mail account
Sound card and speakers needed for audio playback

Package contents
Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000 camera
Monitor base
Software and documentation
2-year guarantee

Product Specifications
Video capture: Up to 640 x 480 pixels (VGA CCD)
Still image capture: Up to 1280 x 960 pixels, 1.3 megapixel
Frame rate: Up to 30 frames per second (with recommended system)
High-quality VGA CCD sensor, built-in microphone

Summary: Thumbs up

Processing/Quality:
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