Labtec WebCam Pro

I bought this webcam because it was on sale with a microphone. In the future I would rather pay full price for a webcam and a microphone, because both are basic and do not have any special features. This webcam produces a very dark picture, even after I have adjusted all of the settings. However, if you want a basic webcam it works well because you can at least see who you are talking to.

quality not so good... but not expensive so... good for price

I purchased this camera to use with Skype -
and it does what it needs to do - the
video is adequate, and it functions fine
with Skype - not very attractive,
and very plastic - you get what you pay for.

works, doesn't pick up light very well. Probably cos I haven't changed settings though.

I bought one for me and my parents and I got the cheapest I could find because I wasn't sure how they worked. Also my parent and technology never mix they still haven't figured out how to use their printer so I didn't want to spend a lot to have it sit on a shelf.

What is great about this camera it is so EASY to hook up, just pop the disc in which takes like a minute to download the software. Then plug the camera in and the on screen menu is so Easy to use!! I was able to send my parents a video Email (without them having to be online) of me and the grand kids saying hi (only took 2 clicks of a mouse), which put my parents into tears when they open their email.

Now instead of calling long distance and just hearing each other voices, we just get online and talk face to face, the grand kids can show them their school work, report cards Live!! I just hope it stays FREE and we don't started being charge for talking online.

Some flaws with the camera you need to be in a really really bright room or it is hard to see our faces the video quaility could be better. Also sometime the video is a little slow then other times prefect. So I can see in a year getting better cameras but for the price of the Labtec to try it out for the 1st time was WORTH every penny!!!

This webcam has great quality pictures and video for under thirty bucks. That's cool with me. The only thing is the lighting has to be correct. It has to be from behind the cam. Overall great product and this is my first time having a webcam. Go ahead and cop....

If you think that this webcam is not gonna be good because it's cheap, YOU R WRONG! This webcam is easy to install and has a low light filter, you can see clear in environments with low light. I never used the speaker before but I think it's very good. If you are thinking about buying a $100 dollars one just for chating, this one is perfect for it. The only problem is that it's a bit slow. That's all and I recommend it to everybody.

cheap is what you get when thats all you pay

This webcam has greatly exceeded my expectations. I am a very critical person, so this it is quite an honor for any product to receive such a high review from me! It always works when I need it to. The microphone isn't the greatest, but it is far better than I would expect on a cheaper webcam. In fact, I was surprised that there was even a webcam integrated into this unit. The video quality is very clear, and there are a lot of enhancement options. The manual focus is easy to use, and the motion control feature is very cool for any security or monitoring purpose! All of the features included with this webcam and its software have exceeded my expectations. Very good webcam for a VERY good price!

Called the company and they said the new driver is not available yet.

its o.k but the Microsoft Lifecam X3000 is much better, i own both.. better images, faster tracking and it has some real nice features and it's $19.99 AR

This WebCam Pro was easy to install and works well when setting the automatic lighting adjustment. Makes fun videos for emailing and still snap shots, I have recommeded this product to family members so that we can video conference. Note you must have a good DSL or any other high speed online connection in order to experience the full affects of the camera's capablility. Labtec has been my favorite for many years when ever I need computer equipment.

This is a pretty good camera for the money. I have been satisfied thus far with the quality and it has a lot of extras that are included in the software that are fun and easy to use. I would recommend this product for anyone who is looking for an inexpensive webcam.

The service was great, it was delivered very quickly and was in excellent condition! Now all I have to do is figure out how to download it correctly so that it will work!

I think the product is great. I do wish it would show a little more light because unless the room is very well-lit, I show up pretty dark and it's harder to see. Otherwise however, it's really great!

My boyfriend bought me this webcam so we could talk over Skype easier as my previous setup wasn't the greatest. He has the same camera and loves it but when I used it the picture was fine but the microphone would only work for about 2 seconds before a very loud, high pitched, screeching came out through his speakers as well as mine. I tried uninstalling and installing the software over and over again without this problem going away. After attempting to call the tech support line only to find the phone number wasn't working, I tried e-mails. After sending two emails and waiting almost 6 days they still weren't very helpful.

The camera is poor quality and their customer service is even worse. My boyfriend and I aren't buying anything from Labtec again.

The cam is good for the price. It works well with AOL and Pal Talk, the mic in cam did cause problems with playing music on paltalk and you need to change recording device in control panel but other then that it seems to work well.

got it for video chat when i study abroad in nz. great way to keep in touch with family and friends, great deal

This little guy works great, the software is easy to use and the sound recording is clear. I only gave it a mark off because the videos it records are in black & white. It displays in color while recording, so why a b&w playback?? Anyway, good for snapshots, short b&w vids and as a motion detector.
(Hey, I guess we're at the age of the Jetsons, with actual working video phones, eh? So where's the flying cars, tube elevators and floating cities??)

This is a great little camera, and I won't add "for the price". Cost aside the software is good and the camera works perfectly everytime I need it.

Sure you can get a better camera, but for quite a few more dollars. Filled my need at a very good price (vs. $50 Logitech).

I looked around a bunch to try and find the camera that had the highest quality picture for a reasonable price, and this one had the best reviews. Even though its already a year or two old, it still does a great job, and is well worth its price. The only downside is the microphone which is usable, but not very clear. I would recommend getting a separate headset with a microphone to use with the camera if you plan to do voice over as well.

I got this cam for $22 about 2.5 years ago. It was great for its price. Most cams were $40 or $50 boasting only 15 fps. At first this cam had great detail, but after a month the picture changed. Now it is unbelievably fuzzy and is probably around 1 fps. The picture is grainy, blurry, and just terrible! Do not buy this camera, because it could break like mine did. Next time I buy a cam, I will pay the extra $20 in hopes of some longevity.

Great little web camera. Views a little dark, but with patience you are able to adjust to your liking. For the price its not bad.

Just got this camera in the mail as a birthday present. Installing the software was easy, but unfortunately the camera is essentially broken. It is only (somewhat) in-focus for items about 1 inch away. Adjusting the focus ring doesn't help, so this camera's build seems to be defective. My brother bought the same camera and it doesn't seem to have the same problem. Anyway, returning mine.

I saw the other reviews and was hoping I would have the same experience as the happy reviewers. Well, I got the cam and it was easy to install like they say. It just takes a little tinkering, with the PC options before you use it. With the mic and software it comes with, you get a lot for your money! If I bought a cam in the store, I would have been mad to lose out on this PC camera. It is SWEET!

Just so you know. It's not super clear in the description, but it is not compatible with a mac unless you are running Windows XP on the intel-chip.

Its worth buying for 20 USD. The photo is dark even in day time. You will need a extra light to see the clear photo.

The camera was easy to set up, but the picture is dark even in a bright room. Other than that it works great and even the microphone works well.

Having the sound built into the web cam makes a big difference in the quality. Picture is clear and the audio picks up from other rooms.Very good quality for the price!

I had read a few good and bad reviews on this cam. And I have to say I agree with both. I can take pictures and record myself but I need to turn every light in my room on. But The pictures turn out pretty good. Even though nobody else can view I don't mind its like my own private show. they can hear me not that that will help. It was definitly worth the money.

the best that you can buy for that money

the picture is great and stable

easy to use

This is exactly what I wanted. A basic camera that will let me video conference with a good quality microphone. I am perfectly satisfied with this product.

The best part is that I dont have to waste space on my desktop and the camera has a decent design.

I have used several logitech cameras and was frustrated with the compatibility and quality issues. Labtec is a good switch-over.

This web cam is great .The voice quality is also good.I can talk to my family in India

I looked for a webcam with a low price and I got this one. Let me tell you, for what I paid, the quality is 50/50. If the clarity were better, this would've taken the greatest webcam pics. In other words, I could've held out to buy one with a clearer visual, but at the price I paid, it was worth its price.

This is my first webcam-- I bought one for me and one for my parents so we could do "video calls" using Skype. I was looking for a decent, inexpensive webcam with built-in microphone. Installation and setup was straightforward, as was getting things up and running with Skype. Video quality is ok-- about what I would have expected from an inexpensive webcam. Low light performance is only ok-- there is a low light setting that helps. Things I don't like: the camera is quite light weight and I find it hard to adjust its position (partly, this is because I am using it with a laptop computer). Overall, this is a solid, inexpensive webcam-- easy to setup and use and reasonable video quality.

For my use, I wanted to hang a camera outside my house and then stream the video via my server. This was the only webcam I could find that would focus at a distance of more than about 15 feet. it goes all the way to infinity, but yet in testing, worked well at a distance of two feet, too. While the cam is protected by the soffit of my house and not actually in the weather, per se, it takes the direct summer sun beating on it, and doesn't miss a beat at 15 below, either. BTW, I discovered one day that due to seasonal change, the sun was passing thru the aperture for about two hours every day. The CCD element was completely undamaged. Still video quality is comparable to a low res digital camera. Streamed video is mostly limited by bandwidth. Audio is reasonable. I wish it had a zoom lens, and truthfully, I did demo a couple of others that had slightly better resolution and more robust output in low light conditions, however at a higher price. But for this price, and for my application, I couldn't find a better cam.

Easy to set up but it needs extra lighting. Room light alone is not enough. You need a desk light shines directly to your face to get decent images.
Another inconvenience is that when the unit is placed on the desk top, you cannot tilt the camera up enough to see your face. It needs to be placed on top of something. I usually use a up-side-down mug.

Had given up on webcams for a bit due to extreme dissatisfaction with same. However this was too good a deal to pass up so into the cart it went headfirst.

Installation was painless and the cam works well. I always find it does help to read instructions and so when the picture surfaced darkly (in my dimly lit basement) I knew to use the light boost via the software (which, by the way, is the first webcam software I've used that did not make me want to reach for the icepick. For a cool beverage of course :-|)
Problem solved.

Mic works well (so far).
And the cam & base are *not* fugly, like many others I've had the distinct displeasure of using. In fact, it's kinda futuristic cuteski, like a silver vidbot. And it even stays where you put it. (Bear in mind though that you have to have it at the right level; tilting ability of this cam is pure myth.)

To sum it all up: It does the job quite nicely.
And you certainly cannot mind the price.


We use it with good success. Have purchased several of these webCams.

I bought a Labtec webcam pro for $23 and mind you the price is good for this deal. The webcam is actually fantastic and gives out sharp and clear picture. The only disadvantage that i could find was that it was very dim when the lighting was not appropriate. If i get the sunlight (or durting the day time) it works better than expensive ones but with the natural light going out this phases out too. The webcam needs to be improved drastically in this area.

I bought this webcam and at first I was very excited. It turned out I need to place additional lighting for the camera to not show a dark screen. On top of that after 20 sec of shooting a video the microphone produces a very annoying noise that takes over all other sounds. You cannot realize that when the video is recording, only when you play the recorded video. I exchanged the webcam thinking that it may be just a defective one. It turned out the second camera was defective as well. It had the exact same problem, which convinced me that may be it is a defect that most Labtec WebCam Pro had. You can certainly disable the mic and use a different one, but then why would you buy a webcam with a mic.
In general it is not a bad webcam, if you are looking for an average one and lighting is not a problem for you. And keep in mind that there is a good possibility for the mic to be defective.


Awesome cheap cam. Its amazing how by only spending 20 bucks u can create ur own movies. Only problem u might find is that BY DEFAULT the cam needs alot of light. But if u go into the settings u can easily turn on the "low light" filter and then it looks just awesome. So now that thats solved, makes there zero problems. If u want a webcam, get this. Its great and simple to use.

It's probably a decent webcam.

But the software installation will add more than 2700 keys
and more than 4500 values to your Windows registry. It will
also modify/patch hundred of files in your Windows "system32"
directory. Unsuspecting users will wonder why their PC's
is slowing down a bit after the installation. The modification
to your Windows system will stay even if after you uninstall
the Labtec Webcam software.

A simple device such as a webcam should have a clean and simple
installation, instead of being so intrusive and try to take over
your operating system.

I own a labtec webcam pro since almost 10 months ago and the most important thing is that I can't complain of anything against it.
It was easy to install, works well with the instant messengers (I tried Yahoo, MSN and lately Skype which by the way it's awesome for what I've seen so far in the PC world), the image can be adjusted even when there is dim light due to the camera software utility, the built in microphone was good enough to use for voice over IP, but not as good as a separate microphone (only for chatting the built in microphone will do the job though).
Overall this is a great camera to use for video conferencing, and maybe other people would appreciate the other features too, like the motion sensing for instance.
The only bad thing I could say about it is that it's not one of the most advanced webcams you could buy. This means that the picture quality should be rated as "fair". But you really get the listed features and I would say at a very good price. And getting a better camera might not get you better quality video conferencing because of today's internet connection limitations.

And I read here people complaining about messy installation: in my opinion it's a harmless installation.
Yes it does 9 entries to your windows registry, but compared to Real Player for instance which does 16, or Yahoo messenger minimal installation which does 15 it really isn't that much. Oh, and by the way: the most of the registry entries (all but one) are Logitech named, so don't think installing a Logitech webcam would mean less registry entries (Labtec is owned by Logitech).
One way to avoid unnecessary registry entries might be to connect the camera first, and then when Windows will ask you for a driver insert the CD and let windows pick the driver from there. This way you'll be able to use the camera just fine without adding extra software to your computer (it's something I tried).

Our family bought some of these for christmas. The camera works well enough but the mic was so fuzzy on all of our cameras that we never web cam with audio anymore. Its fine if you get an external mic.

I've been using it for a week, and it's easy to set up, install, and use! Highly recommended at this great price!

I'd like to recommend this product to anyone who wants to buy a webcam.

You can not ask anything more than this in just 20$. It outperforms most of the branded webcam I have seen in this price range. The best part of this webcam is its inbuild microphone, which comes very handy when you do voice chat on Yahoo, MSN or even GoogleTalk. The only problem I see with this webcam is that it can not be adjusted or placed on the top of your monitor/LCD so each time I have to use this I have to stack couple of my books to set it to a level.

Nice camera for a good price. I bought a more expensive camera, at BEST BUY and this one works twice as good.

I try it in my room, which is pretty dark. It doesn't has good picture as my old one has. But it has a more clear picture if there is more light.

This camera isn't bad - as long as you have a desktop or something else to prop it up on. The base is supposed to be designed to tilt the camera up and down, but unfortunately it doesn't work very well. Any pictures taken in low lighting will result in a greenish tint. The quality of the video is not bad, but not great either. All in all, it's not a bad buy - for the money you pay.

this camera stopped functioning within one week of purchase. the quality is what you pay for. i'd give it 0 stars if that was an option

This camera is better then I expected for the low price. Easy to install. Includes extra software and takes great pics and lil movies. Easy to use. My last cam needed soooo much light to work..this one works on much less.

This is my first ever webcam, so I don't have anything to compare it to...but the picture quality is very good, if the lighting is right (i.e. don't put a bright light right next to your face and don't sit in the dark). However, the sound is quite staticky, making web conversations almost impossible. There are no adjustments for the sound, either, at least none that I've been able to find.

So if the picture is your main focus, and you're fine with typing your conversation, I think the Labtec WebCam Pro is a good value. But if you're going to be using this cam to have phone conversations with someone across country, consider getting a separate higher quality mic!

This little webcam has, for the price, acceptable resolution and software for image-tweaking. I got it to catch whoever's been sticking their garbage in my bin--no luck so far (they might have seen the thing sitting in the window), but the motion detector works well enough that someday...someday...

Whatever the case, I liked it well enough to get another one as a gift for a friend. And unless one fancy oneself another Stephen Speilberg, it should fit most needs.

Only used the camera for one day before I decided to return it. Picture was grainy and does not work well in dim settings. I tried moving my lamp all around my room for better lighting, but the picture was always dark and grainy.

For [...] more (including discounts and rebates) I purchased the Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000. SO much better. It has a 1.3 MPixel camera and works better in dimly lit rooms.

This is my 1st webcam owned, so I don't really have a comparison. As long as you know how to play with the camera settings to adjust for various lighting scenarios, the webcam takes decent enough quality video - can't complain for a $20 webcam. If this cost $50, then maybe I would expect something better, but good enough for me. I would have given 5 stars, but I found that the built in microphone produces a lot of humming when picking up sound, unlike my other stand-along microphone. Perhaps my webcam has a defective microphone - I wouldn't know unless some one else shares that they receive perfect sound through their webcam mike. I actually received my webcam in an opened package from Amazon, so maybe I received a refurb (Amazon did give me a partial credit for this). Using Yahoo's IM service, I was able to broadcast this webcam. In Yahoo's normal webcam mode, the video comes out choppy, but that's a function of Yahoo's server limitation not the camcorder. For folks that use Yahoo IM and have a direct broadband connection directly to their PC (i.e. not through a wireless or base router), I was able to get this webcam broadcasting in Yahoo's Super Webcam mode which produces a much less choppy video.

This is an amazing product and delivers exactly and more as promised. The resolution of both the pictures and video is excellent and the security motion detection software utility is just great. It also has a microphone so it can record complete videos with audio(although you cannot use the microphone seperately, which would have been nice).

But all in all, an excellent buy for the price and worth much more!!!

Labtec WebCam Pro is a very good webcam for the money. The picture quality is very good also the software is wonderful especially the motion sensor recorder that I can use to surveillance my baby sitter. I sometime point toward my from house to recorded who ever walk by. I hope this will help, thank you for viewing.

Quality is not bad for 30 bucks, does what it is supposed to do (and I preferred the in-camera mic to one that had to be clipped on me--sound is good as long as the person on the other side doesn't have their volume too high which causes an echo). However, there is no movement to the camera. I had to stack a tower of CDs to get the camera even with my face, as it cannot be clipped anywhere and cannot be adjusted at all. But, I guess you get what you pay for, and it happens to work okay in my setting (my monitor is already on an elevated platform).

I can't believe how bad the picture is, And there are no instructions as to how to clear it up. So like they say you get what you pay for.and I did

lets just start out with the fact that for only 25 bucks, this thing is great. I use mine all the time. i take pictures and make videos. it gets pretty clear images if u dont blow them up to big. and the video capture is pretty good to. if u use it with a messenger program, then the video is a little choppy, but better than any cam i've had before. All in all this is your best deal for the money!

Really like the product. As a photographer and graphics person it does the job. However, Labtec support was severly lacking. Had to resort to computer skills to hack the CD software package to get drivers and software. Labtec was NO HElp.

I am satisfied with the quality and price. It is much better than the product I bought 3-4 yearsa ago (Labtec WebCam, one with lower resolution)

I have had this cam for months. So far no problem with it. For those who encountered problem, go to labtec.com and download the latest sofware for it. Plug in your cam, run the software you downloaded and you should be able to go.
Oh, it has a very good built-in mic which can pick up sounds quite well. Try it you won't regret! By the way, I also love labtec's website.

This is an entry level, low priced unit. The resolution is more than adequate for casual use. Frame rate is a bit slow resulting in jerky real time video at the higher resolutions. Takes good snapshots and does not require too much light. I downloaded the latest software directly from Labtec's website. No problems encountered with instatllation. Comes with everything needed to use it right out of the box. Software is versatile and easy to use. An excellent value especially for computer newbies. Accurately described, adequately packed and quickly shipped. I recommend and will buy from this vendor again.

I purchased this webcam based on the previous reviews. I am a computer saavy engineer and anticipated no problems. Was I ever wrong. Despite repeated attempts I could not get this webcam to work and I'm running a upgraded Dell. I've never had a problem with the Logitech cameras I installed on my kids computers.

Got this webcam from Compusa for less than $30. The installation was a breeze (Install software and plug in the webcam to the usb port).

Great picture quality. I am using this with Yahoo Super Cam. Works great !!!

After my success with my first Labtec pro, i ordered 3 more for my family members. They all love it.

FYI, I am using skype for my PC to PC audio and Yahoo supercam.
This gives the best of both worlds for audio and video




I've checked out several webcams for under $30 and this one is among the best. The video image is clear and also captures all the back parts of the room very well.

There is a low light boost, backlight compensation, and color boost - among many other settings. Playing with the settings will result in the desired quality. The performance in low light is easily adjusted via the webcam settings. However, in very low light - using just the monitor in a dark room for example - the image is too dark. I figure this is the same for almost every webcam in this price range.

I enjoyed using the "Motion Sensor" for recording video clips of any movements when I am not present. Since the webcam is on my desktop, there is not much practical use as a security camera - but it does captures all parts of the room (25 feet) with very good resolution.

It works well with MSN Messanger 6.2 - both over a local web and across the USA. I use a cable interface to access the internet.

I just bought a second one and had Amazon ship it to my dad.


Yeah, this camera is good if you don't want awesome webcam quality across the net. And the picture sucks with Yahoo! but it looks pretty decent over MSN Messenger on a DSL connection. However, I have to put a lamp up near my monitor to be able to see myself because the light on this thing is terrible. Otherwise, its not too bad for the price. Myself, I'm taking this back to target ASAP and buying something of better quality.

Believe me, you don't need to spend over $30 on a webcam nowadays(mainly because of the bottleneck of network speed, I am using DSL...). This labtec webcam pro fits perfectly your everyday use. When using with msn messenger, both the pic and sound quality are good but when it comes to yahoo messenger, the motion frames lag behind a little bit.