Without webcam, no problem. Use your DSLR instead – here’s how

Web cameras are rare due to coronavirus locksSo you can find yourself looking for a better quality camera than your Mac or PC. Fortunately, there is a way to use your DSLR or camcorder to increase image quality for all those Zoom calls and Skype sessions.

You can use your phone to function as a webcam and save yourself the trouble of connecting a separate camera, but you may not get the best image quality.

There are a couple of different ways to convert your DSLR to a webcam. Which one you choose will depend on your camera, whether it has USB or HDMI output, and if you are connecting to a PC or Mac.

Also, you will definitely want to put your camera on a tripod to keep it stable during your calls and connect it to power if you plan to run it for a while. You may also want to study recording your audio with a separate microphone instead of the camera’s microphone if you want the best sound.

read more: CNET’s Best Digital Cameras for 2020

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Use Canon software to convert your DSLR or Canon camera to a webcam

Canon now has a way to connect its cameras to your PC (not compatible with Mac). All you will need is a USB cable, which should have come in your camera box. Once you load the software and connect your camera, switch the camera to movie mode and then set EOS Webcam Utility Beta as input to Zoom, Skype, Microsoft teams or Google Meet.

It’s a direct Canon free download, but you’ll need to check this list first to see if your Canon camera is compatible. Also, this is beta software, so you may experience bugs, and only Canon USA camera models are supported. USA

Try a webcam application for your DSLR that connects via USB

Another option is SparkoCam for PC. It offers a free trial, but it puts a watermark on the image. It costs $ 70 for the unlocked version, which works with multiple Canon and Nikon cameras.

Once you connect the camera to your computer via USB, you can change the exposure and adjust other settings from SparkoCam. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to record audio from the camera directly, so you’ll need to use the PC or Mac’s microphone, or have an external microphone connected so people can hear it. I’ve experienced a bit of image stuttering when using SparkoCam depending on the camera, so it may not be the most reliable solution for you. Ecamm Live is another Mac option recommended for Nikon users, though I haven’t specifically tested it.

Alternatively, if you have a Canon DSLR and are using a Mac, you can download two pieces of software: Camera Live and CamTwist (both free). Once both are installed and verify that the camera is connected via USB via Camera Live, open CamTwist and select Siphon as the video source. In the settings tab, choose Camera Live as the Syphon server. Now you can go to Zoom, Skype or the application of your choice and choose CamTwist as the video source.

Connect your DSLR via HDMI for best quality

This is best suited for cameras that can output a clean HDMI signal, meaning there are no overlays like exposure details or focusing tools on your image. It also works with Mac or PC.

First, you will need an HDMI cable to get the live image from your camera. Depending on your camera, this could be anything from mini HDMI to full-size HDMI.

Then you will need a capture device like the Elgato CamLink ($ 130). Once you plug your compatible camera into the dongle, it converts the HDMI signal into a USB signal so you can use your camera as a webcam. You just have to select the camera in the video conferencing tool you choose, such as Zoom or Microsoft teams.

If you want to take your streaming game beyond Skype or Zoom, here is an excellent tutorial that explains the process of connecting your camera and then using a free software tool called OBS to adjust even more settings for live streaming.