Best sensors to use for a DIY webcam

wamo wrote:

So I recently wanted a webcam that has a zoom lens so I figured I would try to make a webcam with a usb camera module like you see in cctv cameras.

... So does anyone have any advice on what sensor would make a solid webcam? 1080p would be sufficient but I would like something that has accurate color and a clean image for a decent price.

Well, it really depends on what you're looking for.

If you want this for video feeding into Zoom, etc., you really want a USB camera that talks UVC protocol (i.e., is driverless). Two years ago, I got one of these $56 "industrial" USB cameras with manual zoom lens ; something like that is the obvious choice, and the image quality is pretty good from it. Of course, getting one of the Sony mirrorless that supports UVC will give you way better IQ, but not for $56.

I'm personally very fond of using either cheap Canon PowerShots reprogrammed via CHDK or ESP32-CAM boardlets, but neither of those will talk UVC nor do they give you a good framerate at 1080 resolution. The PowerShots mostly max out at 720 @ 24 FPS, while the ESP32-CAM will stream 1600x1200 video over WiFi @ 5-7 FPS. The nice thing about cheap PowerShots is that you can get something like a used Elph160 for around $30 and using CHDKPTP over USB you can control the zoom and capture 20MP stills with really good IQ. The nice thing about the ESP32-CAM is that it's tiny, very low power, fully Arduino-environment-programmable with dual 32-bit cores, has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, and costs about $7 new.

wamo wrote:

I am looking for mostly just zoom and video conferencing. But it would be good if you could get good enough quality for a decent youtube video also. I am really looking for a usb module that I could just replace in the camera that I have.

So I have a similar camera to what you got with your industrial cam with the zoom lens. It takes a 38x38mm board. I am really just looking to replace the board in there if I can. Otherwise I would have to 3d print a housing and figure out a way to mount the zoom lens.

3D printing a C mount is pretty easy and I wouldn't expect it to be easy to replace the board and have everything line up in an existing housing, but maybe?

How's the video quality in low light with your industrial usb cam?

I bought it to use with a copy stand for drawing diagrams while giving lectures via Zoom; it worked well for that. However, I ended-up switching to using a Canon 5D IV for that, which was markedly better. In decent lighting, the weak spot is actually the lens more than the sensor; a lot of C-mount lenses are pretty poor performers.

I never really used it in low light. However, here's a quick video with dim room lighting (one 60W equiv. for the whole room) of my 3D printer:

That certainly isn't great, but it's not terrible either.

Some 4K webcams do way better... but no zoom lens. "Real" cameras tethered do way better, even just taking the HDMI out through a converter to USB.

The $57 one of those that you linked to has the OV2710 sensor and the $74 one has the imx323 sensor. So like I stated I am looking at probably the imx415 which I think is a pretty big step up from those but I'm not sure. Like I said the cam that I have now the low light correction renders the image basically black and white and it has an F5253 sensor. This isn't event in dark conditions just any condition that is not the middle of the day. Even if I turn on my ring light. So I think Sony's sensors are probably better than the one that is in my camera currently but I don't have much experience with camera sensors so I don't know.

The Sony sensors have a better reputation, but Omnivision sensors are really pretty good. It's mostly that no small sensor is great in poor lighting and, as I said, C mount and smaller optics tend to be pretty mediocre.

wamo wrote:

So I recently wanted a webcam that has a zoom lens so I figured I would try to make a webcam with a usb camera module like you see in cctv cameras.

I have little to no knowledge of camera sensors or what would make a good webcam sensor and really can't find any good info on this. So I figured I would post a thread here to se if anyone has any experience with these usb camera modules and what sensor would make the best webcam for a reasonable price.

I am currently leaning toward a IMX415 sensor module that is around $30 or a IMX335 which is around $25. Not sure if either of these would make a good webcam or not. A little while back I snagged a whole camera with a 6-60mm varifocal lens that accepts a 38x38mm module. It has a CMOS F5253 which is a 4mp 1080p module but it is really pixelated and when I move my mouth it looks like the sensor has trouble keeping up and my mouth looks fake. Also in low light conditions the color correction and white balance seems to be way off and it renders me basically black and white. And this isn't even like dark conditions just anytime that's not the middle of the day with peak brightness.

So does anyone have any advice on what sensor would make a solid webcam? 1080p would be sufficient but I would like something that has accurate color and a clean image for a decent price.

logitech c270 web cam... under $30 (720 only, not 1080)

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Desktop-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B004FHO5Y6?th=1

plus the audio is good. I'm now using the audio (plus the video) when using zoom...

it's good enough I haven't yet unpacked my samon G-trak pro external microphone

since you're going DIY, it's cheap and good enough that you should be able to

replace the lens with a manual zoom lens

or, check out the c920 webcam lens mount DIY

I think the c920 < $70

"Modifying a Logitech C920 Webcam to accept CS-mount lenses"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckZHOEV2Oac