This handy accessory solved my biggest problem with video calls on the MacBook

3 days ago 1

ZDNET's key takeaways

The Emeet Pixy webcam is avaialble now on Amazon for $160.
It offers splendid 4K video with auto-tracking and and excellent sound.
You'll want to install the Emeet Studio app to get the most out of the camera.

I don't often do video conferencing (whew), but when I do have to attend a meeting, the last thing I want is to have to deal with crappy video quality. I don't just mean video quality, either -- poor audio quality can be just as bad.

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How many times have you been in a meeting with someone on a bad laptop camera that's struggling to provide even the most basic video stream, or the sound descends into robotic garble? We've all been there. It's no way to have a meeting.

The Emeet Camera perched on top of a MacBook Pro.

I've used various cameras for such meetings, from laptops, phones, and webcams, and it's been a rare occasion that I've found them satisfactory.

So, when Emeet sent me a Pixy dual-camera 4K webcam, I was excited to get it up and running to see if it was an improvement over what I'd been using. Let's find out.

My experience

Every time I test a webcam, the first thing I think is, "What am I going to have to install to get this thing to work?"

With that in mind, I unboxed the camera and was immediately impressed with how small and well-built it is. It's heavier than I thought it would be, because there's little plastic involved, so this little camera is built like a tank.

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The next thing that really struck me (and this was the big thing) was that I plugged the camera into my MacBook Pro and, lo and behold, MacOS automatically recognized the camera and I was off to the races.

Well played, Emeet.

I opened Zoom and started a meeting, and the second my face appeared on the screen, I was immediately impressed. Even in moderately lit conditions, the camera showed few signs of noise and impressive clarity. The Pixy handled skin tones very well (so much better than either the MacBook built-in camera or my old Razr Kio camera.

The mounting of the camera is quite easy, and the mount is also removable, so you could set the Pixy on a flat surface, or you could even attach it to a stand (thanks to the standard mount with 1/4-20 UNC threads).

The camera offers pan, tilt, and zoom, which is handled via auto follow. You hold the palm of your hand toward the camera for two seconds to initialize the movement. Once initialized, the camera will follow your face (if you're up close) or your body (if you're farther away), allowing you to move around during your Zoom meetings.

After testing the auto follow, I will say that it's a bit slower than I expected, but that's not exactly a bad thing. I've tested some cameras, and the auto-follow is so fast that it can be jarring. The Pixy's auto follow comes off as buttery smooth. As long as you don't move about too quickly, the auto-follow is just fine.

Additionally, the auto-focus is quite good. According to Emeet, the camera takes a mere 0.2 seconds to focus on your face (after focusing on another object). On top of that, the Pixy also intelligently detects facial contours to automatically adjust exposure in facial areas to ensure accurate and natural skin tones.

I decided to install the Emeet Studio App (which is available for MacOS and Windows) and was immediately informed there was a firmware update. The studio includes a lot of features that can really make a difference (such a manual controls for movement, filters, effects, assistance, audio modes, and more).

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Although it's not necessary, I would highly recommend installing the app and using it to get the most out of your Pixy. One feature you'll definitely want to use with the Studio is the exposure controls, because (depending on the lighting of your room), the Pixy can tend to overexpose just a bit. Thankfully, you can account for that in the Studio app.

ZDNET's buying advice

In the end, the Emeet Pixy 4K webcam really impressed me. As far as webcams are concerned, this is, hands down, the best webcam I've tested, thanks to the auto-follow, auto-focus, and control options in the Emeet studio.

With a retail price of $160 on Amazon, it might be a bit of reach for some, but if you can afford it, you will not be disappointed with both the video and audio quality.

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