The video source is the background layer, to which you can add a full frame still later, an “object” layer that can be a still or animated item. For example, is allows rudimentary compositing of a video source with several independent layers. There are quite a number of things to like about SparkoCam.

That’s to be expected given the aforementioned limits of USB 2.0. Be aware that as you go above 1280 x 720 pixels the frame rate falls off sharply. You can set the camera for a variety of resolutions from 160×120 pixels to 1920×1080 pixels. You can capture stills or record video directly from the camera. That includes such things as manual focus, auto focus type, auto focus zone, color temperature, exposure adjustment, etc. When using a Canon camera a video source it offers a range of controls appropriate for the camera.

The Windows desktop itself all or partial screen.

It allows you to select video sources from amongst the following I tried it with a Google Hangout for VUC #457 and it worked nicely. For example, it presents to the OS a virtual webcam much like Wirecast. It delivers a substantial suite of capabilities for modest price.

So much so that I made the $30 investment to purchase a license. This past week I stumbled into SparkoCam, a new Windows program from SparkoSoft, shows more promise than anything I have tried in the past. So many of these programs deliver a diversity cutesy features but lack the ability to deliver video at decent frame rates & sizes. One was Man圜am, which simply didn’t do what I required at the time…or hid the capability beyond my view. In the past I’ve tried a couple of programs that attempt to leverage this feature to mimic a webcam. It works especially well on the Nexus 7 tablet, turning the tablet into a real-time remote viewfinder. I’ve occasionally used an Android app ( DSLR Controller) to remote control the camera via USB. It happens that many Canon cameras, including the XSi, have a feature called “ Live View” that’s intended to stream the image to the LCD viewfinder or even across a USB connection. Our Rebel XSi’s don’t shoot video, but they do make nice 12 mega-pixel pictures. We also have a small selection of lenses.Īs DSLRs have come to shoot video it would make some sense that they could also be used the more sedate role of webcam. Released in Q1-2009 these are not the latest and greatest by any stretch, but they’re nice cameras. Our first DSLR was an Olympus E-10, but these days we have a couple of Canon Rebel XSi’s. When is a webcam not a webcam? When it’s actually a DSLR!Īround here we are strong believers in DSLRs.

Vmix with sparkocam