Nexigo N970P - The Best 4K Webcam
The Best 4K Webcam in 2022
I get to play with a fair amount of tech through my channel work. The only problem with that is the ever-increasing bar. For example, if I test an exceptional webcam, it's hard not to compare all webcams against that standard going forward even though the price point may be totally different.
That's where I'm at today with the Nexigo N970P. It is, by some margin, the best webcam I've ever used. It's not without its problems but, as webcams go, it's pretty incredible and is perfect for anyone on a fixed home setup and with a good budget or for someone who just loves to be able to tweak their webcam and configure it exactly as they wish.
Let's look at the specs of the camera and then I'll list out the pros and cons in a fairly easy to digest manner. If you'd like to see a sample video, audio and how the camera ticks, check out my review video on the TDCatTech channel or just click play at the top of the screen.
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Nexigo N970P Specs
Sensor: 1/2.8" Sony STARVIS Sensor
Active Pixels: 8.5 megapixel
Video Format: YUY2/MJPG/NV12/H.264
Resolution: 4K/30fps & 1080p/60fps & 720p/60fps
Focus: Fixed 15"/38cm to infinity
Flash Memory: Hardware and Software
AI Features: Yes. Embedded hardware.
Autoframing: Yes
OSD: Yes. No software required
Voice Pickup: Up to 20ft/6.1m
Noise Cancelling: Yes
Digital Zoom: 10x
Field of View: D=90/H=83/V=54 degrees
Panning: Yes
Cable: USB 3.0 (B-type on camera)
What's In The Box?
1 x 4K N970P Camera
1 x Blue 10ft/3m USB-A to USB-B 3.0 cable
1 x User manual
1 x Camera Remote
Pros
Lovely image quality with detailed, accurate colours
Settings can be set in software or on-camera
Settings are stored in flash memory on the device and are carried from device to device
4K resolution allows 4x lossless digital zoom (assuming a 1080p stream)
Zoom and pan from the remote make framing your shot extremely simple
Exposure compensation, white balance and image controls on-camera
The internals seem up to the job and the camera can really deliver 4K 30fps
The remote control allows preset zooms and pans which is useful for privacy and different locations and placement.
Neat, clean and modern design with a matte grey housing and gloss front.
Nice build quality with sturdy connectors and solid mount.
1/4/20 tripod attachment on the mount
Cons
It’s expensive for a webcam. In my opinion, it's not overpriced but £190 will feel a lot to many people for a webcam when you can pick up cameras for under £20. If you understand the specs, the price is market value but it sounds a lot and will eliminate a large number of potential buyers.
Fixed focus lens. Can't hold something up and have it refocus. Also very very deep depth-of-field.
Auto-framing is a little annoying and unpredictable. It works but it’s a bit centre obsessed.
USB-B 3.0 is a huge connector. This is fine on a big piece of kit like a rackmount sound card but on a monitor mounted webcam, the weight of the cable displaces the camera.
No rotational movement on the mount and no additional lip.
The camera is large and deep making it unsuitable for some locations and mounts. I could not imagine this being mounted on e.g. a MacBook Air.
The 4K sensor is inherently a bit noisy. Lots of pixels on a small sensor = noise.
What made them decide to supply this with a blue cable?
The camera is advertised as 10x digital zoom. At 10x zoom, the picture is a blurry mess even in good light.
Is It Worth The High Price?
If you want to tweak your camera settings or you need better camera than built into your laptop, it’s definitely worth the price. You’re getting a lot of webcam for your money so it’s not expensive. It’s might just not be what everyone needs.
It’s a fully featured webcam for a slightly more advanced user. Excellent job from Nexigo.