Canon has released free webcam software, EOS Webcam Utility , that will turn many of its EOS and PowerShot cameras into high-quality USB webcams without the need to purchase any additional hardware.
The full Windows version of the software along with a beta of the Mac version are both here to download – and they offer support for a wide range of current and classic Canon models, including the 12-year-old EOS 5D Mark II. For full instructions on how to download the software to your computer, use these links for the Canon USA or Canon UK websites.
Once you've downloaded EOS Webcam Utility, simply connect your camera to a Windows or Mac computer with a USB cable. Then just configure the camera with your video conferencing software of choice and you're ready to go!
The applications with which the free software is said to be compatible include: Cisco Webex, Messenger, Streamlabs, Discord, Microsoft Teams, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Open Broadcaster Software, Zoom, Hangouts, Hangouts Meet, Skype and Slack.
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A number of manufacturers have hurried to produce webcam software for its cameras - following the Covid lockdown that forced so many people to work and socialize from their own homes (see How to use your camera as a webcam).
“In unprecedented times, it’s imperative for Canon to provide our customers with useful, simple and accessible solutions to assist them in whatever imaging needs they have,” said Tatsuro Kano, executive VP of Canon USA's Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, when the Beta was first introduced. “Our goal is that the EOS Webcam Utility software can help reduce some of the remote workday stress for employees who are tasked with video conferencing and virtual meetings.”
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Use your camera as a USB webcam
