Former Apple and Beats employees have created a high-end webcam equipped with a Sony sensor that promises professional quality in a small device that also has microphones capable of canceling ambient noise. This is the Opal C1.
Opal C1
It is somewhat curious to see how the webcam market has been reviving in the last year. We all know the reason in part: the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus that has kept us confined for so many months continues to mean that many companies are still unable to return to their offices as before and this entails continuing to use video call applications such as Zoom, Google Meets, etc., on a regular basis.
The positive part is that those who already needed them before the pandemic now have better and more aesthetic options. Because if you needed a good webcam for your day to day, the real options were to use a camera as a webcam. And yes, but it was possible for some, but not for all.
Well, if we recently got to know the Dell camera, beautiful in terms of design, but without an integrated microphone, now comes a new webcam that has been created by a group of former Apple, Beats and Uber employees. The result? Well, a device that is physically not bad at all and that at the level of characteristics sounds very good.
professional camera image
Opal C1 is the first webcam from a company that has former employees of companies as important as Apple, Beats or Uber as members. They designed a camera with the intention of offering professional image quality. And we are not going to judge without having been able to test it, but from the images shown and some comparisons with popular webcams, such as those integrated into Apple equipment, they make it look like a solid option for those who need to increase the quality of their video calls and even direct that you can do on platforms like Twitch.
To go shelling a bit the hardware of the Opal C1The first thing to mention is that it has a 7.8 MP Sony sensor. This allows you to capture video at 4K resolution. To be exact, 4056 x 3040 pixels at a speed of 60 frames per second. All this with a lens whose aperture is f1.8. Being so bright, it would not only allow a very interesting blur effect depending on the circumstances, but also better performance in low light.
This combination of a high-resolution sensor and a large aperture is what would allow the Opal C1 to offer professional quality without having to be a pro camera. Something that logically brings advantages, since the comfort of having a camera the size of a small battery is not the same as, for example, a Sony Alpha 7C or similar, no matter how compact they may seem.
Quality, design and versatility
With all this, the Opal C1 certainly looks like a very attractive camera for anyone looking for high performance in all respects. Because not only image quality is what it offers, but also a good audio capture when using various microphones that allow you to capture and focus on the sound of the user's voice in front of it. so i could isolate other sounds or external noise that would not help good communication. Oh, and USB C connection.
Along with all this, there would also be the Software options that would allow much more precise control of the captured audio and video, as well as make use of filters that would allow the image to be further adjusted. Because, for example, the bokeh level, the brightness of the captured image and even the color temperature could be adapted.
The price of a high-end webcam
So far so good, but I'm sure you've already considered that a proposal of this type could be anything but economical. Well, that's how it is Opal C1 is priced at $300. So maybe it's not for everyone.
It is logical that if you compare what a camera would cost you to have a better image quality, it is an economic option. But if you don't need to make video calls or online video communications on a regular basis, the investment may not be worth it and using the one your team has, no matter how Justina is, is enough.
However, if you need some more option, this Opal C1 may be a model to consider. A high-end webcam that adds to proposals such as those of Logi or the recent one from Dell.