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Because they're built into our laptops, desktops, or have been replaced by phones, a lot of people don't think that much about webcams.
I was in a similar spot, until I started up a video podcast and wanted an inexpensive solution that looked great. Thankfully, a podcaster I admired mentioned that his remote setup used the Logitech C920.
I decided to check it out, and in terms of bang-for-the-buck tech investments, this was one of the best I've ever made.
The C920 is a small camera that's well designed. It has a front piece that juts out in a way that latches onto the front of your computer monitor. I've used it with both thin laptop monitors and chunkier displays and it has always fit perfectly. It also has a standard tripod mount built into its base, so if you'd like to use it on a tripod, you can. Using it on a tripod, I was able to set up a nice shot of me "on set" while recording shows.
On the spec side, the C920 is capable of capturing and recording full 1080p video natively on Windows and OS X, although that only applies to QuickTime on the Mac. Other programs, like Skype, downscale to 720p. Regardless, the video quality is much higher than that of the built-in webcam on my MacBook Pro, whose camera only works when its lid is open. I regularly run it, lid closed, and hooked up to a 4K display, so the C920 gets used regularly during Skype calls or Google Hangouts.
The video quality on these occasions have been so impressive that three of my friends have also bought C920's and discovered the same thing. You don't know what you're missing until you see the alternative. On both the Windows and Mac side, Logitech provides some software to let you zoom and move the camera's focus around. I would regularly do a 2x or 3x zoom and adjust the focus until everything looked "just right" to me. Even zoomed and cropped, the video I took looked good. Add in some very basic lighting and I had an under-$150 video setup that I was very happy with.
If you use your computer's webcam a lot, but find it lacking I can't recommend the Logitech C920 enough. I can also recommend it if you need an additional camera for a multi-shot video project or YouTube channel. Good production value is what helps seperate the best from the rest, so stand out!
Logitech C920 Webcam, $57.79, available at Amazon
