I’ve been using the Opal C1 for a year and it’s been great. One thing not mentioned in the video, but if you have a Mac it’s amazing how intuitive and powerful the software is and how reliable its been. It’s definitely a “work” expense at this price but if you use zoom or something like that, you’ll be glad you bought it. Also, get the white, it looks beautiful.
I was super-excited by this. But to be honest, in that studio lighting comparison, the Opal looks more washed out than the MacBook camera. I realize, I am looking at shots taken, processed, re-processed by TH-cam and then shown on a small screen, but that was my first thought when I saw the two
I will just use the continuity camera function. Works great, and a small little puck that is magsafe to mount to the top of the macbook for my phone is easy to carry in my bag.
@@ericanderson1753 for sure, and to counter the point he made about not being able to use the iphone while using continuity but If I am using my macbook especially with my camera 99% of the time I won’t need my phone lol
@@DarkMatter727 agreed. I use it for FaceTime with family (minority of the time), and for Teams meetings for work (majority of the time). In both cases, I'm not going to be "camera-on" and also scrolling my phone, ignoring the people on the other side of the call.
You should have addressed all the bugs this camera has been having since it’s launch. A lot of unhappy people say the software is really buggy. Especially I;auto focus and audio quality. The latest firmware is feb 2023, so if it’s available now to the public why is there not a new firmware version? I really want to buy this product but I don’t want to be a beta tester and have it fail during a critical al meeting or even a job interview. ThT would be embarrassing.
At 2:51 the Opal’s camera’s color compared to the Mac is too green, which makes the Mac’s camera image look magenta. Okay, later in the review of its software I see there is a white balance control. Problem probably solved.
Yea, a great thing is that you have so much control to tune the image like you prefer. I liked a brighter look so I pushed up shadows, but Vadim prefers to bring them down.
Perfect timing, I was looking for a new webcam for video conferences. However, I wish you would have covered the microphone quality compared to other external solutions (e.g. the Rode mic you normally use) and the builtin mic on the laptop.
You mentioned about tunable bokeh effect, but you only show the FaceTime one, which does look bad, but at least show side-by-side if you were highlighting that point. Can’t quite tell in a small screen within the screen recording. I do like that you can adjust sharpness because, while it has more detail, it’s a bit too sharp for my liking. I don’t quite see myself using a webcam in dark or backlit places. I don’t know if I need an external webcam, but that’s just me 🤷♂️. It would be cool if it could be used as an action cam 🤔. I don’t have a current MacBook Pro, but i think it’s serviceable. It took them a long time to go in on 1080p and think that’s a reasonable resolution. I’m not comfortable showing every pore and crease in my face on a video chat/conference.
I just got a Magsafe clip from Amazon and attach my iPhone 14 pro and using it for way better quality as it is the iPhone's main camera as a webcam and it's wireless.
The bokeh function doesn't work for me on an older Mac. I bought a T3 dock with appropriate connections, and it still doesn't work. Their customer support could be better. Might have to do a chargeback on this product. I think you'd be better off with the Insta 360 link or something that has all functions built for more compatibility.
Those who say mac is good for programmers, my friends regret having bought it thinking the same since it doesn't support certain software. We are college students.
The web page has an error...during my search it has awesome features however it's $300 bucks...No thanks i'll continue to use my iPhone 14 Pro...and Canon 7D.
It is very disappointing after all these years that Apple has not been able to offer a better web camera in their devices. It would be awesome if they offered their external monitors with the option of NOT having speakers and a webcam… it might even bring it down to $1000
The problem is that there is so little that they can fit in the frame above the screen. It's just not Apple but every other laptop manufacturer and to that Apple has done it so good for so many years compared to others that are absolute garbage. Once you go external webcam you have the space to add better lenses, processor, mics, etc and deal with the heat that it generates. I can see Apple and others using better webcams if they ever do the periscope thing like smartphones are doing nowadays but that will probably take some time if it ever happens.
It would also be awesome if Apple, with each successive release of macOS, could increase stability and reduce the number of serious bugs rather than the other way around. (Things started going downhill with Crapalina (Catalina), and unfortunately that turd of a release wasn't just a fluke.)
Man, I can tell you this much. I want just about every WebCam ever created overtime. I own 4K WebCams and you not look this good. Good thing I’m not in a position to buy one as I can’t use it right now under my conditions. But as soon as I am back in business, and if I can’t by that time, have a Vision Pro strapped in my head, I’ll have to suffer cough up 300 bucks for this.
Well let's be honest. Look how big that Opal camera is compared to the built in one included on the MacBook Pro. I think you might be able to figure out why the Opal camera is better.
Not really impressed with your examples. Web camera images are so processed it's difficult to really tell just how good they are. Simple is usually best. Even though I'm a filmmaker I'll stick to Apple's built-in.
@@arapetrosyan3339 Let me put this way. Let's say your office use a mac. At the end of each day, do you leave you phone with your mac? If use a webcam, you set it up once and never have touch it ever until you want to move. But if you use a iPhone, you have to mount it every time. Because normal people are not going to leave a personal item around unattended.
@Mehwhatevr It's your office. If a 300 webcam is going to be stolen. They're going to take more than that and a webcam is not the only thing they'll take. Considering how thin the macbook screen is and how heavy iphone now. I'm not going to risk breaking it. If I have to video call often. And if the video session is long. I don't need to worry about battery remaining.
Is it just me or was there some serious stuttering going on with the Opal footage... might pass in a Zoom meeting but has zero use in live streaming or video making.
because it is 100 times bigger. stupid title, but this is TH-cam. a dji camera makes more brilliant pictures than many of the others but they are a lot thicker
What cracks me up is you see all these big wig executives on these zoom calls and they have crappy video quality and wired earbuds with crappy sound quality
Because you can just leave it on the screen. While it's possible to use iPhone, people who use webcam, just want to set it up once and not repeatly. Mounting/unmounting. It's clearly for office work
Yes, but a very well presented one of a very good product. All Tech channels do sponsored videos but Max Tech are good in that they don't ever endorse products they don't believe in so I'm glad for their info. I actually think this webcam is the best of its type I've ever seen and I had no idea it existed.
What’s the point to make a sponsored video when the website is not working? Not sure if I am still interested, a technology company that can’t run its own website is a red flag…
Check out the Opal C1 here: opalcamera.com
Who would have guessed that an external webcam 4 times thicker and overall 12-20 times larger has a better quality than the built in one 😂
I don't think it is better people always look pale with the opal
I never look great on camera. That's why I keep on using crappy webcam on purpose.
xD
i would pay for a blurry smudgy webcam. i tried using vaseline to purposely make my webcam look sh|t
But, ironically, in your profile picture, the camera looks great on you!
I’ve been using the Opal C1 for a year and it’s been great. One thing not mentioned in the video, but if you have a Mac it’s amazing how intuitive and powerful the software is and how reliable its been. It’s definitely a “work” expense at this price but if you use zoom or something like that, you’ll be glad you bought it. Also, get the white, it looks beautiful.
Agreed - I have one, not cheap but great design, great software and great picture... and ideal as my MacStudio did not have a webcam ;-)
I was super-excited by this. But to be honest, in that studio lighting comparison, the Opal looks more washed out than the MacBook camera. I realize, I am looking at shots taken, processed, re-processed by TH-cam and then shown on a small screen, but that was my first thought when I saw the two
Would have loved to compare it with other market webcams from Logitech and others.
Just use the iPhone as a camera and save your money.
I personally don’t like the image quality of this camera. It’s too bright and some areas look like they have been distorted or discoloured.
Agree
Nope, no shame to MacBook.
Just use Continuity Camera? 🤔
I use Sony EV-10 with a sigma 30mm lens and I think it's great that people won't have to spend between 1.5-2k to get a decent webcam.
I wish something like this came out a year or two ago. 😅 this will definitely be the next WebCam I use I recommend to others. Thank you for the video.
I will just use the continuity camera function. Works great, and a small little puck that is magsafe to mount to the top of the macbook for my phone is easy to carry in my bag.
Continuity camera all day, every day.
@@ericanderson1753 for sure, and to counter the point he made about not being able to use the iphone while using continuity but If I am using my macbook especially with my camera 99% of the time I won’t need my phone lol
@@DarkMatter727 agreed. I use it for FaceTime with family (minority of the time), and for Teams meetings for work (majority of the time). In both cases, I'm not going to be "camera-on" and also scrolling my phone, ignoring the people on the other side of the call.
@@ericanderson1753 employers dream employee
For 300 USD I'd rather get a Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra. It has a 1" sensor that is so much larger than what Opal has
This looks fantastic. Prolly have to buy now :)
Yea… but apple has continuity camera, why would you buy another camera if you already have a iPhone 😅
I did show you why and the difference in quality ;)
You should have addressed all the bugs this camera has been having since it’s launch. A lot of unhappy people say the software is really buggy. Especially I;auto focus and audio quality. The latest firmware is feb 2023, so if it’s available now to the public why is there not a new firmware version? I really want to buy this product but I don’t want to be a beta tester and have it fail during a critical al meeting or even a job interview. ThT would be embarrassing.
At 2:51 the Opal’s camera’s color compared to the Mac is too green, which makes the Mac’s camera image look magenta. Okay, later in the review of its software I see there is a white balance control. Problem probably solved.
Yea, a great thing is that you have so much control to tune the image like you prefer. I liked a brighter look so I pushed up shadows, but Vadim prefers to bring them down.
A new iPhone or the link 360 camera are better options readily available.
what about the insta 360 link? Opal might have better image quality, but in terms of feature, I'm not sure it is anywhere near...
Perfect timing, I was looking for a new webcam for video conferences. However, I wish you would have covered the microphone quality compared to other external solutions (e.g. the Rode mic you normally use) and the builtin mic on the laptop.
there are other youtube videos that tested throughly on this product. the main weakness is the software.
You mentioned about tunable bokeh effect, but you only show the FaceTime one, which does look bad, but at least show side-by-side if you were highlighting that point. Can’t quite tell in a small screen within the screen recording. I do like that you can adjust sharpness because, while it has more detail, it’s a bit too sharp for my liking. I don’t quite see myself using a webcam in dark or backlit places. I don’t know if I need an external webcam, but that’s just me 🤷♂️. It would be cool if it could be used as an action cam 🤔. I don’t have a current MacBook Pro, but i think it’s serviceable. It took them a long time to go in on 1080p and think that’s a reasonable resolution. I’m not comfortable showing every pore and crease in my face on a video chat/conference.
Looks MILES better than my 4K logitech Brio.
I just got a Magsafe clip from Amazon and attach my iPhone 14 pro and using it for way better quality as it is the iPhone's main camera as a webcam and it's wireless.
Just purchased from Korea. I cant wait to see it soon! Thanks!
The bokeh function doesn't work for me on an older Mac. I bought a T3 dock with appropriate connections, and it still doesn't work. Their customer support could be better. Might have to do a chargeback on this product. I think you'd be better off with the Insta 360 link or something that has all functions built for more compatibility.
Awesome video very well explained and super well compared
Those who say mac is good for programmers, my friends regret having bought it thinking the same since it doesn't support certain software. We are college students.
The web page has an error...during my search it has awesome features however it's $300 bucks...No thanks i'll continue to use my iPhone 14 Pro...and Canon 7D.
I am currently using the Logitech Brio on my Mac Mini M1, also very satisfied with the quality.
What about Opal C1 vs. Logitech Brio 4K ?
Logitech Brio is garbage if your lighting isnt perfect
how about a comparison to the logitech brio 4K webcam? 2/3rds the price of the opal c1.
logitech brio is old and has terrible light processing
It is very disappointing after all these years that Apple has not been able to offer a better web camera in their devices.
It would be awesome if they offered their external monitors with the option of NOT having speakers and a webcam… it might even bring it down to $1000
The problem is that there is so little that they can fit in the frame above the screen. It's just not Apple but every other laptop manufacturer and to that Apple has done it so good for so many years compared to others that are absolute garbage.
Once you go external webcam you have the space to add better lenses, processor, mics, etc and deal with the heat that it generates.
I can see Apple and others using better webcams if they ever do the periscope thing like smartphones are doing nowadays but that will probably take some time if it ever happens.
It would also be awesome if Apple, with each successive release of macOS, could increase stability and reduce the number of serious bugs rather than the other way around. (Things started going downhill with Crapalina (Catalina), and unfortunately that turd of a release wasn't just a fluke.)
well, I would use the iPhone if the built in Web Cam is not good enough.. (I think for Teams you can use an old VGA ;-) ).
Sounds like a commercial and not honest. Can’t buy it on Amazon, and there’s no real consumer reviews. Color me skeptical.
Just use your iPhone 11-14 wirelessly and have a great webcam for free ;-)
how about a recommendation for a dash cam Max Tech?
Are there Macbook users without an iphone ?
Seeing this - damn the nodge!
we need to compare OPAL C1 vs Insta360 Link
Man, I can tell you this much. I want just about every WebCam ever created overtime. I own 4K WebCams and you not look this good. Good thing I’m not in a position to buy one as I can’t use it right now under my conditions. But as soon as I am back in business, and if I can’t by that time, have a Vision Pro strapped in my head, I’ll have to suffer cough up 300 bucks for this.
Plan to use this on a work pc laptop that restricts installation of software..still worth it?
With Continuity Camera is this really legit?
Perfect
The Opal C1 is using a google pixel sensor just y’all know
Webcams on laptops are not about quality.. it’s all about convenience.
For the price, it's a great value. Unless you record yourself for content or work, you don't need it.
Awesome & Thanks :)
Man I bought this product after watching your video, and the product is bad! Did you try it honestly?😢😢😢
Well let's be honest. Look how big that Opal camera is compared to the built in one included on the MacBook Pro. I think you might be able to figure out why the Opal camera is better.
I use image smoothing on Teams so I look less old 😂
Any great camera to use with my iPad pro 12.9 in meetings? Probably this one I also can't use ☹️
Love this
I'm glad Apple doesn't 't have this quality in their webcam, otherwise it will be a +400 USD price increase
Does anyone know if this records video, and allows you to export the footage?
Not really impressed with your examples. Web camera images are so processed it's difficult to really tell just how good they are. Simple is usually best. Even though I'm a filmmaker I'll stick to Apple's built-in.
You need a separate tool that you have to keep track of to mount them? No thanks
Long time a go, apple make stand along web cam, too bad ex Apple engineer didn’t bring it back
the link looks be be broken. "too many redirects" 😞
Their website was down. Its fixed now!
Why u need this if there s apple continuity?
I use my iPhone as a webcam. Boom. Done!
Most people don’t care about having a 4K webcam. You’re living inside a bubble.
Linus invested in Framework, now MKBHD on Opal, may MaxTech invest on a product :-)
God bless.
Like most people have iPhones and can use their iPhone as a webcam why they need to buy additional camera 🤣🤣
Because you need to bring a bigger mount to hold your iPhone.
@@RandomPerson-tz7wk even in that case people will be better off buying mount which is cheaper instead of buying another camera.
@@arapetrosyan3339
Let me put this way. Let's say your office use a mac. At the end of each day, do you leave you phone with your mac? If use a webcam, you set it up once and never have touch it ever until you want to move.
But if you use a iPhone, you have to mount it every time. Because normal people are not going to leave a personal item around unattended.
@Mehwhatevr
It's your office. If a 300 webcam is going to be stolen. They're going to take more than that and a webcam is not the only thing they'll take.
Considering how thin the macbook screen is and how heavy iphone now. I'm not going to risk breaking it. If I have to video call often. And if the video session is long. I don't need to worry about battery remaining.
What about the instacam 4k?
site got DDOSed... lol
Half the price of a new iPhone for a webcam 🤨. Not saying the quality isn't good, but this is mainly for those who are hardcore webcam users 💀
The reviews online say this camera is shit
Is it just me or was there some serious stuttering going on with the Opal footage... might pass in a Zoom meeting but has zero use in live streaming or video making.
Not worth 300 dollars for most people and I Bet video producers will still want the expensive camera setup
because it is 100 times bigger. stupid title, but this is TH-cam. a dji camera makes more brilliant pictures than many of the others but they are a lot thicker
Guys , make sure you always wipe your camera's surface before shooting. Especially for laptop webcams and phones. Thank me later.
No kidding :)
MacBookPro looks so much better.
The people on r/opalcamera don’t seem very happy with this camera; apparently, there are a number of software issues.
whoa. Good call. I almost bought one until I read through the subreddit. Yikes.
FOL-ks?
Skin tone looks too pale. Love the detail though.
What cracks me up is you see all these big wig executives on these zoom calls and they have crappy video quality and wired earbuds with crappy sound quality
Exactly. Sucks when you want to watch an interview/podcast.
Why buy this if you can use your iPhone’s camera as the webcam for the Mac.
exactly. That was my thought. I get these people have to make $$ but this seems kinda off?
Because you can just leave it on the screen. While it's possible to use iPhone, people who use webcam, just want to set it up once and not repeatly. Mounting/unmounting. It's clearly for office work
@@RandomPerson-tz7wk who works in tech and doesn’t have multiple iPhones. Lol
@@ShadGotEm
Suprise, not everyone is like you.
@@RandomPerson-tz7wk I know, I just wanted you to say it. 😂
Interesting. Your link, and the web site seems to be unavailable.
Their website was down. It's fixed now!
Nope, no shame to MacBook.
monthly fee for the software?
no thanks
Just use your 4k iPhone
Subscription based software and mac only???? What!
No subscriptions for the software.
Unfair comparison in my opinion.
Eh it’s mediocre. Facecam pro or kiyo pro ultra are way better
The Opal web-site is not responding. There is no way to visit the site.
Their website was down. It's fixed now!
No one cares about a high quality webcam for zoom lol
MY .. GOD .. HOW MUCH DID HEY PAY YOU FOR THAT AD? oh and the audio quality is shit.rough the webcam
warning: sponsored review....
Yes, but a very well presented one of a very good product.
All Tech channels do sponsored videos but Max Tech are good in that they don't ever endorse products they don't believe in so I'm glad for their info.
I actually think this webcam is the best of its type I've ever seen and I had no idea it existed.
Hello! I love your channel
$300 ….
Give me a 27 inch iMac with M3 and 4k webcam. I hate having to carry dongles much less a webcam.
Stop yelling
I’m not impressed at all
What about the Insta 360?
image is way too sharp
What’s the point to make a sponsored video when the website is not working? Not sure if I am still interested, a technology company that can’t run its own website is a red flag…
I think this video crashed their site.
Apple should be ashamed to have such poor webcams in their PCs. But they are too busy counting their money to care.
Moreover, a subscription model for a webcam? Sorry. That’s a bridge too far.
No subscription. The software is included in the purchase price.
first!