2012 Gift Guide: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920

I have always been an active user of online video conferencing systems including Skype and others. Lately, though, my use has picked up as I spend a lot of time in Google Hangouts and even participate in a weekly food show entitled Kitchen Party, over at Bakespace.com.

Producing a show for the public means you want the best picture quality possible. In the past, video conferencing tools have always looked a little fuzzy, a little dark and a little pixelated. This isn't true anymore, though. With the latest systems, like Google Hangouts and the most current versions of Skype, you can share near HD quality video. Of course, in order to do this, you need the right camera.

I picked up the Logitech C920 after I saw how it looked with a few of my Hangout friends. It provides crisp video in 16:9 format and works with almost any video service. I use mine on the Mac, so there are really no extra software controls available, but Windows users can use the included software to adjust white balance and a few other settings.

In my case, I also use the webcam for one additional us -- Timelapse movies. The high quality of the camera, along with some software on my Mac, turn it into an excellent time-lapse camera -- allowing me to grab full screen HD quality movies using Evocam software. I have recorded time-lapse movies of myself working in the garden for my podcast, A Gardener's Notebook, and it does a great job.

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