Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 (68A-00001)

The Microsoft LIfeCam is a very good value at the price--especially Amazon's price. The picure definition is very good at small size but just OK when full screen (that is probably a function of bandwidth and not the camera). The camera is very easy to use with Skype. However, the Microsoft installation is complex with poor directions--took a long time. That's ironic because once we put in Skype the next day we never went back to the Microsoft system.

This was product was a dissapointment for me. The picture is decent, but the built-in microphone is completely worthless. And for the tiny amount of sound it manages to pick up, it is completely out of sync with the video. This creates an unnecessary amount of frustration for me. For what I paid, I expected to have a microphone that could pick up my voice from more than three inches away. Even the directions indicate that the microphone should be used three to five inches away. What is the point of having a webcam if I have to be that close to it?

Another function I hoped to get some use out of was the still picture function. But again, it is worthless. Still pictures were blurry and little detail could be made out.

The box also advertised a pan and zoom function, but this is a complete crock. All it does is crop the picture making a decent picture very blurry. Same thing with the face-recognition function.

In conclusion: Avoid this product.

My mom got this one and recommended I do the same - it functions well and has cute little frames and things you can put on your face (snow, lightning, ice cream...). Fun stuff!

There are others out there that are more expensive and don't do more. It is easy to set up and use.

i bought it for the wife so she can talk with our daughters she loves it and when you buy from Amazon you know you are getting a great deal