Home > Consumer Reviews > Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 (Blue)

It seems that the quality of a Video/Audio camera for computers is comparable directly to the price. My Dell Laptop has a built in webcam that has a 640 X 480 Video resolution and a 1.3 megapixel photo capability. The `LifeCam' also has the same (640 X 480) resolution, but the quality seems to be slightly better for some reason. I suspect it is because the `LifeCam' has 2.0 megapixel photo capability instead of 1.3 and you can place the camera anywhere, instead of fixed directly in front of you. I also compared it to my Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 which has a High Definition Video resolution of 1600 X 1200. Of course the Pro 9000 is much better, but it is also twice the price. The settings on the `LifeCam' are easy to set to a fairly good quality reading with some blur when you move about quickly, but that is typical of almost any videocam for a computer.

The nicest features of the `LifeCam' are the low light quality. I simply used indirect light from a window and the picture is fine. Too much light can be worse. The audio is fine as well - not as crisp as the Pro 9000 and a tiny bit tinny, but perfectly adequate. If you want to take a photo with the 2.0 pixel, you know exactly what to expect, as most phone cameras are 1.0 to 2.0 megapixels. There is a slight delay with motion, but that really doesn't matter when you are simply corresponding with another person on the internet. The pan, tilt and zoom are typical of most cameras and is useful. The flexible stand is probably the most inventive part of the camera, allowing you to place it in almost any position, including hanging it over the top of your monitor. This is a very important feature as every person's computer set-up varies.

The quality is better than my built-in Dell laptop, but not nearly as good as the Pro 9000. So as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. But to be honest, I don't have great use for a super high quality video camera, so the Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 is a perfect choice for the beginner who just wants to see and talk with their family or buddies on the internet. All this is based on using SKYPE, but I imagine most providers are similar.

The instructions were very straight forward. Comming from a computer illiterate very easy to set up and use. I have been using this camera to talk to family overseas for about a month and no problems. Highly recommend it.

This is the fourth webcam for me (in addition to the ones I've bought as gifts). At the office, I have a Microsoft VX-3000; I got the VX-5000 to replace a Logitech I had been using on my laptop. It is much smaller than I expected, but it gets the job done. Compared to my others, the picture is a slight bit grainier, but even in fairly low and contrasty light, it compensates beautifully and provides a clean, colorful picture with well-balanced contrast. Loading the program and setting it up was a snap.

I am impressed. I plan to take it with me to Europe (it's small enough to fit with its cord in a half-sandwich bag) and use it from Internet Cafes to keep in touch with my secretary via Skype.

For the money, it meets all my expectations. Buy it!

The MS LifeCam is a decent webcam. It's better for laptop use than desktop because of the bendable base. I have two other Creative webcams, both w/ 1.3 MPixel resolution, and more expensive; But this one works better. You don't need the CD, so don't bother installing the software that comes with it. The audio works well also. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a webcam.

Pros:
Plugged into MacBook Pro and works without any configuration with Skype, iChat, EvoCam, QuickTime Pro and possibly iMovie.
Nice compact design.
Flexible, rubber-coated base adapts well enough to any situation.
Nice long cable allows for pointing it around the office or out of the window.

Cons:
Too light sensitive in a bright room or if person faces a window.
This results in shiny spots on face, purple fringing and washed out areas.
It's like overusing the Shadows and Highlights Filter or the Posterize Filter in Photoshop.
This cannot be adjusted even with iGlasses, which is a software to tweak webcam settings within OS X.
The cable appears to thick and uneven for the wires inside.
Another drawback, although most webcam may have this fault is that you cannot focus closer than ~20cm. It really would be nice to have a manual adjustable lens, so one can show small items or document text.


Overall a decent camera, except for the overexposure issue.
Although the resolution of 1.3MP seems to be the same as the build-in iSight it cannot match the picture quality of the iSight because of overexposure. (May be a problem on the Mac only)

Would buy it on sale again, but keep on looking for a simple webcam that can deliver on image quality.