Best Webcams for VITA and other Interviews

[HopeP]

As webcams become a core instrument for interview process, its quality become a core necessity to achieve overall good results.
Share your experience with your webcam and may be there is best one out for everyone's benefit.
Mods if this is a violation to post link, would replace it with verbiage that anyone can look online.

Edit: Link is removed by mods, was suspecting, I was referring to "Webcam with Microphone, DEPSTECH 1080P HD Webcam with Auto Light Correction for Desktop/Laptop, Streaming Computer USB Web Camera for Video Conferencing, Teaching, Streaming, and Gaming". Well if this violates too, then remove the verbiage.

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[KnightDoc]

I'm not sure what you are trying to do, and maybe a cheap camera is fine, but why on earth would you think a $26 webcam would be the best one out there? Do you have any connection to the seller? By the way, your post is almost certainly a violation of the TOS, and replacing it with verbiage sending someone to the vendor will not fix that. This is not supposed to be a commercial site (other than ads sold by SDN ), and you could certainly start a thread without linking to a specific vendor selling a specific item, so what exactly is the objective here, before this entire thread is deleted by the mods????

 

[HopeP]

I'm not sure what you are trying to do, and maybe a cheap camera is fine, but why on earth would you think a $26 webcam would be the best one out there? Do you have any connection to the seller?

Lol you always think as a lawyer/investigator, no connection whatsoever except bought for family, I didn't claim it is best, may be people have better products and can share their likes/dislikes that's all.

 

[viralhiker]

My own $0.02: I spent like $200 on a logitech webcam from Amazon, used it for two interviews, and returned it after realizing it likely made zero difference. The picture quality was a little better, but not nearly enough to justify the cost. As long as your computer's built-in webcam was made within the last 5 years I would say there's no reason to go out and buy a nicer one.

 

[KnightDoc]

My own $0.02: I spent like $200 on a logitech webcam from Amazon, used it for two interviews, and returned it after realizing it likely made zero difference. The picture quality was a little better, but not nearly enough to justify the cost. As long as your computer's built-in webcam was made within the last 5 years I would say there's no reason to go out and buy a nicer one.

This^^^^. In any event, the odds of anyone being able to identify a better one than a $26 generic are around 100%, so what is the point of the thread? Do you honestly think people smart enough to apply to med school have no idea how to source a web cam? And still, the link to Amazon is certainly a violation, and there was no need to include it.

 

[Philly145]

I bought a 60$ logitech webcam but also returned it because it didn't make much difference over my 4 year old macbook air webcam.

IMO Lighting is much more important than overall quality of webcam.

 

[KnightDoc]

I bought a 60$ logitech webcam but also returned it because it didn't make much difference over my 4 year old macbook air webcam.

IMO Lighting is much more important than overall quality of webcam.

Totally -- we have to remember we are not shooting for network TV!! Just about any camera today is HD, very few computer monitors have resolution greater than HD, and the action is static. As long as the subject is well lit and the camera lens is clean and not scratched up, you should look pretty much the same on a built in webcam as on an expensive 4K one. Having a better camera is always better, but unless you another use for it there is no reason to buy one for a few virtual interviews.

 

[HopeP]

I bought a 60$ logitech webcam but also returned it because it didn't make much difference over my 4 year old macbook air webcam.

IMO Lighting is much more important than overall quality of webcam.

Agree and that webcam has auto light correction.

 

[TehTeddy]

Going off of what others are saying, an upgraded webcam will make a small difference if your laptop/tablet is relatively new.
The same cannot be said for the mic. Even several hundred dollar webcams come with mediocre mics, and you really don't notice a difference until you get a dedicated usb one. I borrowed my sister's Blue Snowball for comparison and noticed a night and day difference in voice clarity. Sounds more like I'm on a podcast than a phone call. I'm sure other brands/models work well too, that's just what she had on hand.

 

[KnightDoc]

Going off of what others are saying, an upgraded webcam will make a small difference if your laptop/tablet is relatively new.
The same cannot be said for the mic. Even several hundred dollar webcams come with mediocre mics, and you really don't notice a difference until you get a dedicated usb one. I borrowed my sister's Blue Snowball for comparison and noticed a night and day difference in voice clarity. Sounds more like I'm on a podcast than a phone call. I'm sure other brands/models work well too, that's just what she had on hand.

This is great advice that I wouldn't otherwise have thought of. Thanks!!

 

[HopeP]

Love to hear gamers perspective too...

 

[medemac]

I use my iPhone and a $20 LED ring light/iPhone stand combo with some $9 earbuds. No one has mentioned anything across Microsoft teams and Zoom interviews. 99% likely going to use the setup for VITA as well.

 

[KnightDoc]

At the end of the day, we are all neurotic and there is always something new and unimportant to worry about. Given all of the challenges everyone is having with COVID, this really seems extremely low on the list of things likely to sway a decision.

Someone on another thread mentioned wifi failing during an interview and having to move to a phone call with the admission dean. Everyone opined that the school would understand. Does anyone really think a decision is going to be influenced by whether or not you use a built-in webcam and mic, or have state of the art audio, video and lighting, or anything in between?

Nicer is always better, but it just seems so unlikely that a school is going to use something that could be influenced by SES or just technical ignorance to make an admission decision. JMHO.

 

[HopeP]

Nicer is always better, but it just seems so unlikely that a school is going to use something that could be influenced by SES

How nice audio/video quality translates into SES?

Does anyone really think a decision is going to be influenced by whether or not you use a built-in webcam and mic, or have state of the art audio, video and lighting, or anything in between?

How they know what you have? Is it something required to disclose or interviewers asked?

 

[KnightDoc]

How nice audio/video quality translates into SES?

How they know what you have? Is it something required to disclose or interviewers asked?

For some, anything at all, since some people cannot afford fast wifi, new laptops, external mics, $100+ cameras, etc.

How do they know what you have? Well, if they can't tell, then the whole thread is REALLY pointless!

Theoretically, better audio or video will be noticed. No, nobody will ask or disclose. On the other hand, since it would unfair to disadvantage anyone who doesn't know about or can't afford better equipment, it is HIGHLY unlikely that better equipment will confer any advantage at all in this process, so why think about or spend money on it???

 

[HopeP]

Theoretically, better audio or video will be noticed.

How, unless recipient end have similar or higher quality equipment. An interviewer, grandfather figure, is using a transistor radio to listen to HD audio of interviewee, it is always going to sound like transistor radio. Contrary if interview is using 360P video and interviewer has 4K GPU, it is still going to be received as 360P.
Audio/video quality is going to be restricted by lesser quality at transmission and reception end.

How do they know what you have? Well, if they can't tell, then the whole thread is REALLY pointless!

You only have control what you have on your end, so you better provide better output/transmission with your best ability, how that would be perceived at other end is beyond your control and knowledge.

 

[KnightDoc]

How, unless recipient end have similar or higher quality equipment. An interviewer, grandfather figure, is using a transistor radio to listen to HD audio of interviewee, it is always going to sound like transistor radio. Contrary if interview is using 360P video and interviewer has 4K GPU, it is still going to be received as 360P.
Audio/video quality is going to be restricted by lesser quality at transmission and reception end.

You only have control what you have on your end, so you better provide better output/transmission with your best ability, how that would be perceived at other end is beyond your control and knowledge.

?????????

So what is the purpose of the thread???? Lowest common denominator controls perceived quality, and adcoms do not confer benefit to those who have greater resources, so as long as you can meet minimum standards -- audio, video and internet sufficient to support Zoom, Teams, whatever, nothing else matters. Do you really not understand, or do you just want to argue?

 

[ChicagoBob]

I disagree with most of the people here who say a clearer Webcam is not going to make a difference. While adcoms will be understanding of bad video quality intentionally, they might have unconscious bias. When you're having an intimate conversation, it's good to be able to pick up visual cues and facial expressions. And a better camera might capture that better. It will not be mentioned explicitly in the evaluation, but might subconsciously.

 

[HopeP]

So what is the purpose of the thread???? Lowest common denominator controls perceived quality

As i stated before "You only have control what you have on your end, so you better provide better output/transmission with your best ability, how that would be perceived at other end is beyond your control and knowledge. ". So thread only talks about what you have in control as an interviewee.
You may not want to be that lowest common denominator as most likely if 2 interviewees with different transmission have same interviewer with same quality receiving end equipment, one of interviewee may look/sound different and that perception may make difference besides what you had said in interview as interviewer doesn't know what kind of equipment 2 interviewees had.

 

[KnightDoc]

As i stated before "You only have control what you have on your end, so you better provide better output/transmission with your best ability, how that would be perceived at other end is beyond your control and knowledge. ". So thread only talks about what you have in control as an interviewee.
You may not want to be that lowest common denominator as most likely if 2 interviewees with different transmission have same interviewer with same quality receiving end equipment, one of interviewee may look/sound different and that perception may make difference besides what you had said in interview as interviewer doesn't know what kind of equipment 2 interviewees had.

NOOOOOO!!!! That is precisely my point. Schools ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT make a decision based on who has better equipment, due to the possibility to be discriminating based on SES, or technological knowledge. NO. NO. NO.!!!!! You might as well be suggesting, all things being equal, that the candidate dressed in a $2,000 suit will be better perceived than the one in a $300 suit. Maybe at Goldman Sachs, but not on a med school interview.

 

[HopeP]

NOOOOOO!!!! That is precisely my point. Schools ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT make a decision based on who has better equipment, due to the possibility to be discriminating based on SES, or technological knowledge. NO. NO. NO.!!!!!

But schools doesn't know what quality equipment each interviewee has. So they can't simply assume lower quality is due to lower quality of equipment and not candidate. This thread doesn't have to end into SES, Covid and/or URM/ORM woods. This is to discuss the facts of audio/video quality that may have a real impacts in outcome.

 

[ChicagoBob]

NOOOOOO!!!! That is precisely my point. Schools ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT make a decision based on who has better equipment, due to the possibility to be discriminating based on SES, or technological knowledge. NO. NO. NO.!!!!! You might as well be suggesting, all things being equal, that the candidate dressed in a $2,000 suit will be better perceived than the one in a $300 suit. Maybe at Goldman Sachs, but not on a med school interview.

I've been lurking here for a while and notice that you speak a lot like you're an adcom when you are absolutely not one lol.

 

[KnightDoc]

I disagree with most of the people here who say a clearer Webcam is not going to make a difference. While adcoms will be understanding of bad video quality intentionally, they might have unconscious bias. When you're having an intimate conversation, it's good to be able to pick up visual cues and facial expressions. And a better camera might capture that better. It will not be mentioned explicitly in the evaluation, but might subconsciously.

Sure, and they might all be receiving explicit training on how not to succumb to this implicit bias for this very reason. Which is it, adcoms??? @LizzyM? @gyngyn? Others????

 

[KnightDoc]

But schools doesn't know what quality equipment each interviewee has. So they can't simply assume lower quality is due to lower quality of equipment and not candidate. This thread is not to go into SES, Covid and/or URM/ORM woods, rather to discuss the facts of audio/video quality that may have a real impacts in outcome.

What????? Lower quality of audio/video is due to lower quality of candidate??? Wow!!!

 

[KnightDoc]

I've been lurking here for a while and notice that you speak a lot like you're an adcom when you are absolutely not one lol.

No, I'm not. That doesn't mean I am wrong, nor that whatever are posting is right. Just to be safe, you should go out and buy the best camera, mic, computer, internet service and router you can find. It certainly won't hurt, but don't be shocked if it makes no difference at all.

 

[HopeP]

What????? Lower quality of audio/video is due to lower quality of candidate??? Wow!!!

I guess you should listen to Post Malone/Taylor Swift on transistor radio in order to understand differences.

 

[jhmmd]

As webcams become a core instrument for interview process, its quality become a core necessity to achieve overall good results. I started little searching on that and found following.

Share your experience with your webcam and may be there is best one out for everyone's benefit.
Mods if this is a violation to post link, would replace it with verbiage that anyone can look online.

You can say that again

 

[KnightDoc]

I guess you should listen to Post Malone/Taylor Swift on transistor radio in order to understand differences.

There is a big difference between understanding the difference and discriminating against people who can only afford a transistor radio.

 

[jhmmd]

tldr; I didn't read this thread and have no recommendations


iN b4 SoMeOnE rEpOrTs ThIs PoSt 4 TrOLlInG

 

[jhmmd]

There is a big difference between understanding the difference

Post Malone couldn't stand a candle to Taylor Swift in a dark alley.

 

[thumbz]

Good lord there is a lot of crazy going on in this thread.

You want to know what you should be afraid of - ****ty internet. All the video quality, makeup artists, professional lighting and hollywood CGI in the world won't help you when you screen times out and your face is forever stuck like this to your interviewer

 

[ChicagoBob]

No, I'm not. That doesn't mean I am wrong, nor that whatever are posting is right. Just to be safe, you should go out and buy the best camera, mic, computer, internet service and router you can find. It certainly won't hurt, but don't be shocked if it makes no difference at all.

It doesn't mean any of us is right or wrong, but I don't speak like I'm an adcom. You speak with an authority you do not have and a confidence you should not have.

 

[HopeP]

You can say that again

well edited the post to clarify what I was referring to. Hopefully not violating something as that is not my intention for this thread.

 

[HopeP]

Post Malone couldn't stand a candle to Taylor Swift in a dark alley.

Its same way Taylor Swift won't hold a shine to Post Malone on a bright mountain.

 

[jhmmd]

Its same way Taylor Swift won't hold a shine to Post Malone on a bright mountain.

 

[NonTradTeacher]

Chiming in that the best bang for your buck to reduce technical difficulties with video calls are:

1. Wired connection
2. Good lighting (one reason your web came might not look great is simply poor lighting. try using it in a sun lit room vs a room lights and see the difference)
3. Better microphone than the built in one - the headphones that comes with your cell phone is more than likely a better one.

And of course make sure to test all of these beforehand.

 

[KnightDoc]

It doesn't mean any of us is right or wrong, but I don't speak like I'm an adcom. You speak with an authority you do not have and a confidence you should not have.

If you say so, but I have never misrepresented who I am, and believe I am entitled to both my opinion and, if my information is correct, my confidence. You, of course, are entitled to disagree.

 

[drbatsandwich]

If admission depends on the ability to buy an expensive webcam, then medical schools are not going to achieve their goals of building a diverse class and help close the gap in equality of opportunity.

The camera that comes with my laptop is just fine. Nobody is expecting candidates to have super crisp 4K/HD/whatever picture.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

You might as well be suggesting, all things being equal, that the candidate dressed in a $2,000 suit will be better perceived than the one in a $300 suit. Maybe at Goldman Sachs, but not on a med school interview.

Damn, you are saying I wasted $$$$s on buying suits at Nieman Marcus/Nordstrom for my spouse and at Brooks Brothers for my son for interviews? I thought they contributed to getting As.

 

[HopeP]

Damn, you are saying I wasted $$$$s on buying suits at Nieman Marcus/Nordstrom for my spouse and at Brooks Brothers for my son for interviews? I thought they contributed to getting As.

I am waiting for them to file bankruptcy so that I can buy in $$$.

 

[KnightDoc]

Damn, you are saying I wasted $$$$s on buying suits at Nieman Marcus/Nordstrom for my spouse and at Brooks Brothers for my son for interviews? I thought they contributed to getting As.

Depends. If you have the money and want them to have nice things, then, no, not a waste at all. If you did so thinking it was going to confer an advantage over the applicant who spent $499 to buy 3 suits, 3 shirts, 3 ties, 3 belts, 3 pairs of socks and a free toaster at Ricky's Bargain Bin, then yeah, you wasted your money. If adcoms gave a crap about such things, there would be no concerted effort to recruit URMs, low SES, etc. Given that there is such an effort, no, adcoms are not going to be influenced by your ability to spend money at Niemans or Nordstroms or Brooks Brothers.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Depends. If you have the money and want them to have nice things, then, no, not a waste at all. If you did so thinking it was going to confer an advantage over the applicant who spent $499 to buy 3 suits, 3 shirts, 3 ties, 3 belts, 3 pairs of socks and a free toaster at Ricky's Bargain Bin, then yeah, you wasted your money. If adcoms gave a crap about such things, there would be no concerted effort to recruit URMs, low SES, etc. Given that there is such an effort, no, adcoms are not going to be influenced by your ability to spend money at Niemans or Nordstroms or Brooks Brothers.

You are too idealistic, read this

Relationship of physical appearance and professional demeanor to interview evaluations and rankings of medical residency applicants - PubMed

Faculty members rated 54 applicants to a medical residency training program on their social skills and professional commitment. Independent ratings of the candidates' physical attractiveness, neatness and grooming, and (for 18 of these applicants) professional demeanor also were obtained...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[KnightDoc]

You are too idealistic, read this

Relationship of physical appearance and professional demeanor to interview evaluations and rankings of medical residency applicants - PubMed

Faculty members rated 54 applicants to a medical residency training program on their social skills and professional commitment. Independent ratings of the candidates' physical attractiveness, neatness and grooming, and (for 18 of these applicants) professional demeanor also were obtained...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oh, if a paper from 40 freaking years ago says I'm wrong, I must be wrong.

Have you and your fellow parent cheerleader been paying attention to the changes in the med school admissions landscape since 1983????? If not, I'm sure you'll be in for quite a shock when you learn who is going to be your kids' classmates, wherever they end up.

Being poor (or frugal) and unable (or unwilling) to pay for a wardrobe from Neiman Marcus or Brooks Brothers in no longer a sin.

 

[HopeP]

Oh, if a paper from 40 freaking years ago says I'm wrong, I must be wrong.

Have you and your fellow parent cheerleader been paying attention to the changes in the med school admissions landscape since 1983?????

Being poor (or frugal) and unable (or unwilling) to pay for a wardrobe from Neiman Marcus or Brooks Brothers in no longer a sin.

Lol I never wanted to drive this thread into SES, Covid and what else. I stated that earlier as well. However your act as a parent thread killer hijacks the thread in wrong direction You better changed ID to ParentThreadKiller, welcome suggestions others may have.

 

[KnightDoc]

Lol I never wanted to drive this thread into SES, Covid and what else. I stated that earlier as well. However your act as a parent thread killer hijacks the thread in wrong direction You better changed ID to ParentThreadKiller, welcome suggestions others may have.

Well, exactly WHY are parents starting threads, complete with convenient links to products offered for sale on other sites, that ultimately have nothing to do with anything of any actual value to a premed trying to get into med school? Why aren't you sticking to running your kid's life rather than coming here and sharing the love with the rest of us???

 

[HopeP]

Well, exactly WHY are parents starting threads, complete with convenient links to products offered for sale on other sites, that ultimately have nothing to do with anything of any actual value to a premed trying to get into med school? Why aren't you sticking to running your kid's life rather than coming here and sharing the love with the rest of us???

Do as I say not as I do Best Webcams for VITA and other Interviews

 

[KnightDoc]

Do as I say not as I do Best Webcams for VITA and other Interviews

True, but I'm not a parent, I didn't start a thread with an inappropriate product link, I'm not expressing opinions on subjects that will NEVER have anything to do with me (or are you planning a med school application anytime between today and when you depart this life?) and I'm not attacking other people for derailing threads, especially when I wasn't the one who turned the conversation from "best" webcam under $26 to Brooks Brothers suits and how important "physical attractiveness" and "neatness and grooming" (I'm still not exactly sure just how this translates to expensive clothing) were important for residency admissions in 1983!

 

[HopeP]

True, but I'm not a parent, I didn't start a thread with an inappropriate product link,

Didn't you read upfront addressing to mods that states if it is violating....

I'm not expressing opinions on subjects that will NEVER have anything to do with me

but you stayed in Holiday-Inn express last night on every matter.

I'm not attacking other people for derailing threads,

Sounds like every criminals first defense.

I wasn't the one who turned the conversation from "best" webcam under $26 to Brooks Brothers suits

But you did dragged and bundled another parent Best Webcams for VITA and other Interviews

So peace and back to webcam audio/video quality discussion.

 

[gyngyn]

Knock if off, all of you.

 

[KnightDoc]

Knock if off, all of you.

Why not just shut it down? Is there really anything else that needs to be said about webcams? Or Brooks Brothers suits?