Intro

If you've been in a lot of video conference meetings, or you alive stream regularly, you've probably realized that the webcam mounted inside your laptop has poor image quality. If you lot want amend video for your live streams, video chats, and webinars, then you demand a better photographic camera. Rather than ownership a new webcam, why not plow the DSLR camera you already have into a webcam?

Since the 2020 pandemic and the soaring numbers of live streamers and video briefing meetings that resulted, it's become easier than always to use your DSLR as a webcam. In this guide, we'll walk yous through the various options for setting up your DSLR camera every bit a webcam.

🤔 What is the difference betwixt DSLR and web cameras?

Before we dive into how to utilise a DSLR photographic camera every bit a webcam, yous should know the difference between the two. DSLR stands for "digital single-lens reflex," and it's a mutual blazon of digital camera. It combines the mechanisms of a unmarried-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor.

A spider web camera or webcam is a video camera that records or streams video in existent time over the internet. They are less powerful than DSLR cameras and much smaller, commonly sitting on a desk-bound, attached to the acme of a figurer monitor, or built into laptops.

Although webcams are smaller and less powerful than DSLR cameras, they are less expensive. DSLR cameras also must be recharged when their batteries die downwardly, whereas webcams are powered past the laptop or estimator they're plugged or congenital into.

Webcams are pop among live streamers, and there are high-quality webcams bachelor that will enhance the quality of your alive video. All the same, if you want fifty-fifty better quality or already own a DSLR photographic camera and don't want to buy a new webcam, then a DSLR photographic camera is an excellent choice.

👉 Why would y'all employ a DSLR camera instead of a webcam?

Some use cases for DSLR cameras as webcams include:

  • Live streaming: You can easily use a DSLR camera every bit a source with your favorite live streaming software. A DSLR also enhances the video quality, enticing more viewers to watch your stream.
  • VOD content creation: For prerecorded videos and VOD content, a DSLR camera is piece of cake to use and gives your videos a professional wait.
  • Video conferencing: If you're in a lot of meetings or find yourself presenting webinars often, it would be worthwhile to utilize a DSLR instead of a webcam, and so the mediocre quality of your video doesn't distract from your presentation.
  • Taking photos: If you apply your webcam to take profile photos or selfies, swap out your DSLR instead. Webcams aren't meant to capture photos, but DSLR cameras are. You'll finish upwardly with a high-quality, professional photo y'all can employ on your social media profiles, including LinkedIn.

👀 What do you need to use a DSLR as a webcam?

There are three ways to gear up a DSLR every bit a webcam. 1 involves the camera manufacturer'due south software, ane requires a capture card, and the concluding one uses broadcasting software.

one. USB connection

Several camera manufacturers, such as Panasonic, Canon, and Sony, have developed software that allows y'all to utilise their DSLR cameras for live video chatting and streaming on your computer. For this method, all you need is the USB cable that came with your camera and the software. Several brands have their own software available to download:

  • Canon: EOS Webcam Utility (Mac and PC)
  • Fujifilm: FUJIFILM X Webcam (Mac and PC)
  • Sony: Imaging Edge Webcam (PC)
  • Panasonic: LUMIX Tether for Streaming (Beta) (PC)

To utilize the manufacturer'southward DSLR webcam software, download the software and follow the instructions for calibrating the settings. Notation that for each software, merely certain models of cameras are supported.

If the Catechism, Fujifilm, Sony, or Panasonic webcam apps don't piece of work with your photographic camera, you can endeavour a webcam app such as Ecamm Live. All it takes is connecting your camera to your calculator via USB cable. Once you accept the webcam software up and running, yous can change the camera settings.

2. HDMI connectedness

A second option is connecting your camera to a capture card. Before 2020 made all of us more concerned about webcam software, this method was the number-1 way live streamers turned DSLRs into webcams. A capture carte du jour takes the video your DSLR records and converts it for digital streaming.

To set information technology upwardly, connect your DSLR camera to your capture card with an HDMI cable. And so, stick the USB stop of your capture card into your computer. If you're planning to use a video conferencing tool with this setup, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, then you don't need to download whatever other software.

3. Broadcast software

If you're planning to live stream with your DSLR camera, you'll demand broadcasting software such as OBS or Restream. You'll use the HDMI and capture card method above, then download your broadcasting software and add together your DSLR photographic camera every bit a source.

When y'all connect your DSLR photographic camera to Restream Studio, yous can customize how the video appears to your viewers. Restream easily lets you add overlays, graphics, and backgrounds to your live stream. In addition to camera settings, in that location'south a centralized conversation hub where yous can encounter messages from beyond multiple live streaming platforms. You lot tin can too bring guests onto your live show by but sending them a link.

trophy

Easy live streaming for everyone

Run professional alive streams from your browser.

Get Started

🤩 How to get the best quality with a DSLR camera as a webcam

A DSLR camera unremarkably has better video quality than a webcam, just you tin can enhance your live stream or video chat even more with a few unproblematic tips.

1. Utilize accessories for improve prototype quality

A few accessories will make your DSLR photographic camera much easier to use as a webcam. A tripod can keep information technology steady and at the correct height throughout your alive session or conference call.

When it comes to alive video, never underestimate lighting. Merely ane light strategically placed behind your camera can add and so much depth to your video quality that you'll wait like a professional. Read our video lighting guide to acquire more most lighting and why you need it.

Another accompaniment that could make a departure to the image quality of your live stream is an ethernet cable. When live streaming, connect to the net with an ethernet cablevision rather than over Wi-Fi. The connection will exist faster and create a smoother viewing experience.

2. Use an external microphone

The internal microphone on your DSLR photographic camera is probably better than the internal microphone on your laptop, just an external mic is better than both of them. Visual quality is important, but if the audio on your live stream or video call is scratchy, nobody will want to continue listening to you. Check out our guides to the pinnacle streaming microphones and top lavalier mics for streaming to learn more about external microphones.

three. Mute your microphone when you lot are not speaking

If you lot've been in several video conferences, you've learned proper video conferencing etiquette by now and know to mute your microphone when you're non speaking. "Y'all're on mute" was probably the most used phrase of 2020. When you lot mute yourself, the others on your call won't hear whatever random background noise coming from your end, and your abrupt sneeze won't disrupt the coming together.

four. Check audio levels on your computer

The layout of the room you're in can affect the sound quality of your live stream or video telephone call. Rooms with hard flooring and not much piece of furniture create an echo. To make your sound more precise, check the audio levels on your estimator, and always run a few tests before alive streaming or starting a conference call.

Let'due south wrap up

Swapping out your webcam for a DSLR photographic camera is easy if you have the right tools and software. It can also enhance the quality of your live streams and video calls. Once yous start using a DSLR camera for live streaming, yous'll never want to switch dorsum to a webcam!