Upgrade your video calls
Using a DSLR camera as a high-quality alternative to a webcam.
01 March 2024
A few people have asked me recently about my work-from-home setup, and in particular what kit I’m using to get better picture quality on video calls.
The short version is I had an old-but-decent Canon DSLR camera to hand, and with a few other bits and pieces you can get pretty close to a studio-quality setup.
Here’s what I’m currently using:
- Canon EOS Webcam Utility software
- Canon EOS 7D Mark II with a 17-55mm lens and AC adapter
- Jabra Speak 410 speakerphone
At first I had the camera on a small tripod behind one of my screens, but I switched to a proper mounting system to save space and make things neater:
In the end it all comes down to physics – a bigger lens (and image sensor) means a higher-quality picture with better exposure, white balance, sharpness and depth of field. DSLRs are expensive, so I don’t think I’d buy the camera I have just to run it as a webcam. But if you own one already I definitely recommend giving this a go!