Picking Your First Facecam

One of the cornerstones of streaming is seeing the player’s reactions. Viewers love to see people react to jump scares, thrilling victories and even crushing defeats. Thankfully you don’t have to break the bank to get an amazing looking facecam. This article will cover the variety of options available for selecting a facecam for YouTube or Twitch depending on your budget.

Budget/Entry Level

If you have a very limited budget, you can actually turn your cell phone into a facecam. Purchase the NDI camera app for iOS or Android and make sure your phone is connected to the same router as your streaming PC. Start output from the NDI Camera app on your phone. In XSplit Broadcaster go to add source > streams > NewTek NDI streams and select the stream coming from your phone.

If you have a small budget for a facecam, then the Logitech C922 is a great option. The Logitech C922 is small enough to be placed on top of your computer monitor or mounted on a tripod. You can output 1080p 30fps video or 720p 60fps if you plan to pair your webcam with gameplay. XSplit Broadcaster has worked with Logitech to optimize the performance of Logitech cameras. Once you have added a Logitech camera to XSplit Broadcaster, right click on the camera to see the profiles to optimize the camera for frame rate or exposure.

If you wish to add blur effect to your Logitech camera to look like an expensive DSLR camera, you can use XSplit VCam! It is included with an XSplit premium license. Simply launch XSplit VCam and select the Logitech camera as the source. Set the blur settings to your liking and add XSplit VCam as the camera source in XSplit Broadcaster.

The next big leap requires a capture card. The general requirements for a capture card are minimal input latency and the ability to capture at least 1080p60fps via HDMI. USB 3.0 and PCIE capture cards tend to fit these requirements.

Once you have selected a capture card, it is time to decide what type of cameras you want to use. If you’re looking for a depth of field effect, it is recommended to use a DSLR or Mirrorless camera along with a lens that has a minimum aperture of 3.5.

There are some important features you need to check for when purchasing a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. Most importantly you need to check if the camera has a clean HDMI output. This setting will prevent the settings on your camera from displaying on your capture card feed. It is also important to check if there is an AC adaptor available for your camera or you will need to constantly charge batteries. You will also need a tripod to mount your camera on.

Another option is buying a camcorder instead of a camera. Consumer camcorders can be budget friendly and give amazing image quality. Regardless of which type of camera you use, people will only be able to see your face clearly if you are well lit. While dedicated lights work best, if you don’t have the budget use whatever you can to light your face, like desk lamps or room lights.

Be sure to always remember when your facecam is on to avoid any embarrassing moments ending up on the internet. A tip is to always remember to have a webcam cover or lens cap around for whenever you are going offline.

Once you have selected your camera, you can use it with XSplit Broadcaster. This will allow you to create a screen recorder with your facecam. XSplit Broadcaster allows you to add a variety of sources like a capture card for console gameplay, or recording your PC gameplay with game source.

What kind of facecam will you use for your content? Let us know in the comments!