It wasn’t long ago that the world changed forever, and even those of us who have never used a webcam in their life suddenly became dependent on them for work, socializing and streaming.
Here’s the thing, though: it was long ago. In fact, it’s well over four years since we first experienced life under lockdown – yet many people haven’t updated their webcam since then, with a lot of folks still using the low-resolution, low-quality cameras in the lid of their laptops.
These results were good enough when we were all stuck at home, but almost half a decade later we can do better – and companies like Obsbot have been leading the way with innovative PTZ cameras (pan, tilt, zoom) powered by AI. It’s time the world started aiming for video that goes beyond good, not just “good enough”!
Tiny but mighty
We all know that AI is the big buzzword at the moment, but all the AI in the world doesn’t matter if the technology at the heart of it isn’t up to snuff.
The portable yet powerful Obsbot Tiny 2 combines a large 1/1.5” image sensor with a highly-calibrated camera to achieve 4K video that promises crisp detail, authentic color rendition and a high dynamic range to capture you and your environment as they really are – not in the crunchy, compressed, too-bright or too-dark way that your laptop webcam sees things.
In fact, the sensor boasts Dual Native ISO to accommodate the extremes of environmental lighting. So whether you’re filming in a dark room on a gloomy day, or it’s sunny enough to take your setup outside, the camera can switch to a lower or higher ISO sensitivity without losing quality – unlike conventional sensors, which simply amplify the ISO and introduce noise in your video.
This technology also powers the PixGain HDR feature that delivers lag-free, blur-free high dynamic range video by recording two images at the same time (one from each sensitivity).
The party tricks don’t stop there, as the Obsbot Tiny 2 improves on the conventional phase detect autofocus system with All Pixel Autofocus. This employs every one of the 50 million pixels on the sensor to deliver 4x faster focusing – even in challenging light conditions.
Meet your AI cameraman
So, the core tech is all in order; but this is where the real magic happens. Both the Obsbot Tiny 2 and the Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite – the budget-friendly 4K powerhouse with a 1/2" CMOS sensor – feature supercharged AI features that will elevate your dull, static shots to dynamic video packed with camera moves and zooms. It really is like having your own personal cameraman!
Powered by an improved deep learning neural net algorithm, Auto Tracking will follow you as you move around your shooting space, whether it’s going from sitting to standing or even walking around your room.
Making your footage even more compelling, the Auto Zoom feature will zoom in on you when you move into the distance, ensuring that the frame remains filled even if you’re walking further away to show or demonstrate something.
Body part tracking has been enhanced, unlocking modes like Hand Tracking – enabling both Obsbot cameras to follow your hands as you perform movements like brushstrokes on a canvas or pointing out directions on a map.
The Tiny 2 even has features like Magical Gesture Control, enabling you to perform camera movements, as well as Hands-Free Voice Control – so you can literally yell your AI cameraman what to do!
Black Friday discounts
There are currently big savings to be had on both products, making these powerful AI webcams even better value over the Black Friday period.
Right now the Obsbot Tiny 2 has been reduced from its regular price of $299 to just $254 in the US, and from its normal £329 price point to £279 in the UK.
Meanwhile, the Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite is discounted from $179 to an unbeatable $143 in the US, with the UK asking price dropping from £179 to an unbelievable £152.
These 15% savings are available until December 02, so head over to the Obsbot website right away.
You might be interested in the best 4K webcams along with the best webcams for home working and the best conference room webcams.
