Can I use my Canon camcorder as a webcam?
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Interested in improving the video quality of your own Zoom frame tenfold? If you’ve got a recent Canon mirrorless, DSLR, or PowerShot camera, you can now use it as a webcam and put everyone else on your video call to shame. As noted by DPReview, the company has released a beta of “EOS Webcam Utility” for Windows 10 that lets you plug in any of the below supported cameras over USB and have it serve as your PC’s webcam. And this should work fine for most of the big video conferencing options, whether you’re using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, BlueJeans, or another service. Show
These are the supported cameras that can use EOS Webcam Utility.Image: Canon “Built by Canon software developers, this beta version software helps consumers to improve their video appearance while using popular video conferencing applications in the market, delivering clarity and high-image quality,” Canon wrote in its press release. If you’ve got a fairly high-end digital camera that’s not made by Canon, this might be something you can pull off on your own with an HDMI capture card or stick — assuming that your camera allows for clean HDMI video output. My old friend Evan Rodgers at Input recently gave that a shot. And it’s pretty striking, though not surprising, how much more cinematic your Zoom window will look compared to everyone else when you’re using premium glass that a built-in webcam can’t hold a candle to. Canon’s solution cuts out the need for any extra devices or accessories beyond a single USB cable, so if you’ve got one of the listed cameras, this is definitely worth a try. Sorry, Mac users; there’s no EOS Webcam Utility for Apple’s software quite yet, but you’ve still got the option of using a capture card with a wider selection of cameras. Related
Update April 29th 1:43PM ET: The article has been updated to clarify options available for Mac users. While Canon’s EOS Webcam Utility isn’t available for macOS, people with an Apple desktop or laptop can still use a third-party HDMI capture card to use a digital camera as a webcam. Join the conversation Most Popular
Verge Deals/ Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Email (required)Sign up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Want to know how to use Canon camera as webcam? In this quick guide I’ll show you how to use Canon webcam utility to turn your Canon camera into a webcam. With the rise of video calls and streaming Canon has rolled out new software to use most Canon cameras as a webcam. This is great for Canon users who may have an extra camera laying around or anyone who wants to upgrade their webcam camera quality. In this post we’ll go over how to use your Canon camera as a webcam using the EOS Webcam Utility. This simple task should only take a few minutes after you have your camera hooked up and ready to go. This will work to use your Canon camera in any app like Zoom, OBS, FaceTime, and even Facebook video chat. Table of Contents
Things You’ll Need to Use Canon Webcam Utility
Best of all you don’t need anything additional to use this new software from Canon. It’ll make your camera function as a webcam in any apps on your computer. Now that you know what you need lets hop into camera compatibility. Compatible Canon CamerasThe Canon webcam utility won’t work for all Canon camera; but luckily most newer models are supported like the Canon EOS R5 and R10. Many older DSLR cameras work as well like the Canon 70D and 60D. Here is the full list of compatible cameras from Canon’s site. For the latest supported cameras read the list on their site, they’re always adding new cameras. Now let’s dive into installing and using the software. Installing & Using EOS Webcam UtilityThe first think you’ll need to do is download & install the EOS Webcam Utility. Just head to their site and click what camera you plan on using it with and you’ll be able to find your Mac or Windows download. The software is easy to install but it did make my Macbook restart so be prepared for a reboot after it installs. Once your computer restarts you will be ready to use your Canon DSLR or mirrorless as a webcam. Now you may be wondering how to use Canon webcam utility. It’s quite simple, in all applications that let you select a webcam you’ll see a new option for “EOS Webcam Utility” as a camera option. Just make sure your camera is plugged into your computer’s USB port and turned on. The EOS Webcam Utility will always show up regardless if you have a camera plugged in or not. Once you select the camera you’ll be broadcasting a static image that says “EOS Webcam Utility” until you connect and turn on your camera. After your camera connects boom! You now should have crystal clear DSLR/Mirrorless quality footage for your video calls. Tested applications that work:
Tips to Improve Your Video QualityIt’s important to note that the EOS Webcam Utility does not feed the full resolution of your camera to your computer. You’ll be getting a 1024×576 resolution video feed from your camera. This should be plenty for video calls and even streaming on sites like Twitch though. If you want to do that you need to use HDMI and a capture card like the Elgato Camlink. There are also capture cards that will allow you to capture 4k footage as well and use it as a webcam. I go over this more in my EOS R livestreaming guide which is applicable to more than just the EOS R. That being said we’re going to go over a few options you can change on your camera to ensure a good looking video feed. Changing Your Camera SettingsRegardless of your Canon camera it’s best to set the camera to video mode. If you aren’t too familiar with camera settings you can keep this on auto but we’ll dive into what settings I recommend changing on your camera. Set your camera to video mode on manual with the shutter speed of 1/50, ISO 100-400, and the lowest aperture possible to exposure the image correctly. Additionally I recommend setting your white balance manually for the best results. Lighting, Tripods, EtcIf you want to improve the quality of your video even more you can upgrade your lighting as well.
And of course to hold your camera you can look into desktop tripods. And just like that you’re now using your Canon mirrorless as a webcam (or DSLR). I personally love using this tip when talking to friends on video chat or during work meetings. Can you use a camcorder as a webcam?Turn on the camcorder by moving the POWER switch to the CAMERA position. Open the video/audio settings of the capture/streaming software on your computer. The software should recognize the video capture device and therefore your camcorder as a webcam.
Can you use Canon camera as webcam with HDMI?Setup your Canon camera as a webcam for live streaming. Turn your EOS or PowerShot into a gaming camera. Use the HDMI to USB video capture device to go live in HD from your computer. Canon HDMI streaming kits have everything you need to connect with your friends and followers online.
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