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

To test the microphone out, I went on xfire with my friends and everyone actually understood everything I said, some even complimented my mic. Honestly, I never expected it to work on messenger but i'm glad i can talk to people instead of basic typing. The most important thing about a webcam however, is the picture. This webcam captures video
at 1.3MP, so you don't ever have to worry about having a stretched mosaic. It comes with a control applet allowing you to use digital zoom to make things appear bigger. Personally, I find this to be a cheap way of providing a zoom function. One nice thing is the low light sensitivity, which when turned on makes it VERY easy to see in the dark. Every product has at least one annoying feature, and the LifeCam was no exception. The single most annoying feature on the LifeCam is the button on top of the camera. The Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 is available directly from Microsoft. MSRP: $49.95, what needs improvement: Annoying button placement, high price, and non-motorized movement. webcam got a 7.6 because I compared it to others in its price. I think it should be in the $20-$30. To customers looking for a webcam this one is a good deal so i would rate it 9/10 because i found it simple to use and install.

I like this camera. The image is pretty clear and does not require installation. Just connect to USB cable and it will start automatically when you initiate the connection through Skype or other IM software.

I bought two of this based on other reviews and not happy at all.
It cannot adapt to lighting changes in the room properly.
The "fun base" is not good enough to keep camera fixed and stable.
The button on it is a joke, as it works only with Windows Live Messenger and is annoying, suggesting to install Windows Live Messenger every time you accidentally touch it.
The Microsoft LifeCam software installation is a nightmare and may take an hour if all you got is a basic DLS connection, because it downloads and installs .Net Framework which is a big software package. I am not sure why they did not put it on the software CD that comes with the item. It would definitely fit on the CD.
The software installation will end up with an error if you are connected to Internet through proxy server. Fortunately, you do not need the software if you run Windows XP, it is required for Vista only.

The VX-5000 is a solid webcam for the price. In terms of hardware, you get a basic camera that can capture at 640x480 at 15fps, 320x240 at 30fps, or take still photos at 1.3 megapixels (1280x960). The video can blur pretty easily with fast motion, but is good enough for video conferencing or Youtube. It also has one of the better stands that I've seen on a webcam. The stand is flexible like a gooseneck lamp and is covered in a rubbery material to prevent the camera from sliding around.

Most of the work seems to be done by the bundled LifeCam software. However, as always, I would suggest that you skip the install CD and go to the Microsoft website to download the latest drivers and software.

As of this review, we are at LifeCam version 2.04. You get the regular options of adjusting colors, white balance, zoom, etc. but there is also a library of cool 3D and graphical effects. The LifeCam Dashboard gives you a list of about 90 different effects that you can add to your videos. Most of the effects can detect faces in real time and will track your head as you talk and move your head around. There are several distortion effects that are kind of like carnival mirrors for your face. The coolest effects are the 3D ones. You can don a pair of 3D bunny ears, a cowboy hat, or a clown mask and they'll follow you around in real time. Unfortunately, there isn't a way to apply multiple effects at once.

Keep in mind that this webcam is probably best for things like video blogs or Skype. It's not really good for fast movement so if you plan to set up something like a puppy cam, I would suggest a better webcam like the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000. Overall, I think this camera is a good buy for users who just want a simple-to-use webcam that also has some fun features. Since it's made by Microsoft, it is well integrated with Windows and you shouldn't have to fuss around to get it working.

Microsoft's LifeCam VX-5000 is very small, the camera also has a colored ring that goes all the around the face. This ring comes in red, blue and green. The camera which I got has a blue ring. A blue LED is placed in the upper left hand corner of the face that turns on when the camera is in use. It is good to see that this LED is very dim. Having a Bright Blue LED flashing at you can be very annoying.

Video is recording done with the following resolutions, frame rates and bitrates in WMV video with 160kbps WMA audio.

640x480 15 fps 1900 kbps
320x240 30 fps 900 kbps
160x120 30 fps 675 kbps

Images are taken at 1280x960, 640x480, 320x240 and 160x120 in jpeg format. Audio is recorded in WMA at 48 kbps, mono

PROS:

[+] Very Small and Inexpensive camera
[+] Decent Audio and Video Quality
[+] Flexible Base which adapts to almost all places for placement of the camera
[+] The glossy black plastic looks great, feels great and looks well built.
[+] Low video and image noise with comparable USB webcams
[+] USB powered, No Need for additional power supply needs.
[+] Nice array of video overlays and effects that can be added for fun.



CONS:

[-] 640x480 video only runs at 15fps that can cause jitters on the video
[-] The software is very basic and does not have additional customizations.
[-] 1.3 megapixel (1280x960) JPEG capture is not that good as it does heavy compression.
[-] The Button on the camera works only when Windows Live Messenger software is installed.

The Webcam is recognized by Windows XP Professional (SP3) without any need for additional drivers and most applications (like Paint) could easily import the pictures as a USB video Device, But for Windows Vista (32Bit) it seems that even though it got recognized and drivers loaded it still needed the software CD to make it useable for most of the applications.

Bottom-line is that it is an inexpensive well designed Webcam which will surely serve it's purpose very well without much of a fuss. The Software is easy to use. This is a keeper, Money well spent.