There are a lot of video solutions for streaming and general content creation, from Mirrorless Cameras to your own cell phone, webcams are still the most affordable and convenient way to get your beautiful mug on screen. The demand made of webcams has changed. It’s not necessarily the best nor is it the most affordable. It’s the perfect balance between the two.
Logitech, a long-time leader in webcams, has met many challengers as of late from big names like AVerMedia and Elgato, but their wide range of cameras still lets them appeal to many because of that aforementioned balance. One of their biggest offerings is their 4K Pro Webcam.
First off, receiving the 4K Pro Webcam caused me a lot of confusion. I had always thought it was the Logitech Brio. I have seen it many times in the past and always saw it by that name, so I took to Logitech’s website to get some answers. In their shop, you will find both the 4K Pro Webcam and the Logitech Brio 4K Pro Webcam.
So what’s the difference? After going down a deep rabbit hole of articles and videos, the answer I found? There’s no difference between the cameras themselves. It is the same model, the same cable, the same price, and the same quality. The only differences I have found are the packaging and Logitech’s claim that the Brio supports Windows Hello facial recognition, but when I plugged in the 4K Pro Webcam, what was it identified as on my PC? The Brio.
The 4K Pro Webcam, true to its name, has a 4K/30fps camera that can also do 1080/60fps. In the box, you have the camera with a detachable USB-C to USB-A 3.1 cable and a typical camera mount that leaves something to be desired without a tripod thread built in or the ability to swivel the camera (which really needs to be the standard on webcams now). The long, detachable cable is greatly appreciated, though. There is also an attachable privacy shutter and a travel bag in the box for you.
Setup is as simple as you want it to be. What I mean by that is that it works out of the box. Plug it in, and you can use it in OBS or on a Zoom call, wherever you use it. You can also download the Logitune software and from there you can make further adjustments to the camera (including manual white balance and exposure), but it also includes a lot of colour presets for you.
No matter how you get 4K Pro Webcam up and running, I can tell you that the camera looks great. It offers a 90-degree field of view for a nice, wide angle and the picture is crisp. It works well in low-light situations, but if you want to get the most of the 4K picture, light yourself. For a serious content creator, though, that should be common sense.
“The 4K Pro Webcam, true to its name, has a 4K/30fps camera that can also do 1080/60fps.”
I’ve put it up against a number of other cameras that I have on hand, including the Razer Kiyo X and the AVerMedia Live Streamer Cam PW513. It holds up well when first plugged in. Essentially, it falls right where it should if you compare the prices of the cameras themselves. It stands above the cameras that are cheaper than the 4K Pro Webcam, but still holds up alongside the higher-priced cameras, the big difference being the software of the more expensive cameras. They offer a bit more in terms of picture control, that would help the Brio greatly.
A piece of advice for the webcam industry, though. There is no need for your cameras to do 4K. It is a clever little selling device because one assumes that 4K is better than a 1080p camera and that is clearly not always the case. Sensor size and amount of pixels (as opposed to lines of resolution) are a much greater indicator of camera quality.
The other thing to consider is that almost nobody is streaming in 4K relative to the number of streamers out there and, if they are, they are not using a webcam at all. It should also be factored in that most of a person’s stream involves the camera appearing as a very small percentage of the screen. Logitech should be owning the fact that, after all these years, they are still making quality webcams. So, lean into what makes your camera good and don’t try to use 4K as a selling point, or smart consumers will be comparing your 4K to that of a much higher end camera, and it’s a comparison that you can’t win.
At $199.99 USD, it’s a slightly higher price than I would like to see for the 4K Pro Webcam, but, as of this writing, the camera was on sale on some sites for $159.99 USD, which feels much more reasonable for what you are getting. The camera isn’t very flashy in terms of its overall look and functionality, but it will give you a quality picture.
