Most of the webcams I have reviewed over the past couple of years have been new models from brands I know well. I generally had a clear sense of what to expect, having tested previous generations and having a baseline for comparison. This time, however, I tested a camera from a brand I was less familiar with, set against a crowded market of new 4K webcams. Not only did the Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam exceed expectations, it may have surpassed the standard I would have set for brands I have reviewed many times before.
In the box, you will find the Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam, a magnetic monitor mount, a USB-C cable and documentation. The webcam features a solid hard-plastic housing and includes a built-in privacy shutter that snaps into place with a twist of the lens. The bottom and left side, when viewed from the front, are magnetic, allowing it to be mounted in either portrait or landscape orientation and making full use of its 82-degree field of view. The mount also includes a 1/4-inch thread on the bottom for attaching it to a tripod or mounting arm.
The Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam features a 50-megapixel 1/1.5-inch CMOS sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a built-in 24-bit/48kHz microphone. It supports resolutions up to 4K at 30 frames per second and 1080p at 60 frames per second. The webcam also includes a Bluetooth receiver that allows users to connect Hollyland’s LARK A1 wireless microphone, although that accessory was not tested alongside the camera.
“Not only did the Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam exceed expectations, it may have surpassed the standard I would have set for brands I have reviewed many times before.”
Out of the box, the Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam delivers an impressive image, even when compared with more expensive models. The f/1.8 aperture provides strong low-light performance. In the absence of dedicated lighting, a reasonably well-lit room still produces an image that is suitable for streaming and more than adequate for teleconferencing. Even lighting is recommended, as harsh shadows can be unflattering, but the camera maintains usable detail even when much of the face is in shadow.
Hollyland’s companion software, HollyStudio, resembles many of the webcam management applications currently on the market. It does not offer the same level of refinement as OBSBOT Center or Elgato Camera Hub, but it is functional. Standard controls perform reliably, though some features are presented differently. For example, there is no dedicated auto-focus or manual-focus toggle. Instead, users can enable face-priority focus or tap a specific area of the frame to direct focus, though the system remains automatic. The autofocus performance itself is strong.
The AI tracking within the Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam software performs adequately, though it requires a tighter crop when used in landscape mode. In portrait orientation, it keeps the subject centred within the narrower frame. Tracking is limited to close-up framing, and when you move farther from the camera, there are no half-body or full-body tracking options available.
“Out of the box, the Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam delivers an impressive image, even when compared with more expensive models.”
The overlay feature allows users to build full scenes with text, animations and video elements. However, the text tools are basic, and many font names appear in Chinese, requiring trial and error to identify them. Scenes can be saved and switched between while broadcasting. The Beautify feature includes options for skin brightening, smoothing and tone adjustment. The “skin whitening” label would benefit from clearer wording in the app. Adjustments from 1 percent to 100 percent are subtle rather than dramatic.
Green screen keying in HollyStudio is limited to selecting green, blue or red backgrounds and adjusting intensity levels. There is no AI-powered background removal. Users with a compatible NVIDIA GPU can instead use software such as NVIDIA Broadcast for that function. The most notable weakness in HollyStudio, however, is the absence of preset filters or beauty profiles. Users must create and save their own presets, which may be challenging for those less experienced with image tuning.
In terms of audio, the built-in microphone captures voices clearly and delivers solid performance. It is not broadcast quality, but that largely depends on the distance between the user and the camera. Noise reduction for the Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam is located within the app’s settings menu rather than alongside the primary control tabs, which feels like a missed design opportunity. That said, the feature is effective and reduces background noise without introducing an overly processed sound. It is well-suited for video calls, though broadcasters will still benefit from using a dedicated microphone positioned close to the mouth.
The Hollyland Lyra 4K Webcam is priced at $149 US. A streaming bundle, which includes the webcam and Hollyland’s LARK A1 wireless microphone, is available for pre-order at $159 US. The price undercuts many competing 4K webcams by roughly $50 while still delivering strong image quality. Its main drawback is software that lacks some of the refinements seen in more mature ecosystems. However, the webcam performs well as a plug-and-play device and produces excellent results without additional configuration.
