Hey friends, a few weeks ago I made a video about using the Canon EOS M200 for livestreaming and walked you through the best settings on the camera for doing so! Since posting that a lot of people in the comments have asked me if I can show you guys exactly how to set it up on your computer using a capture card like the CamLink 4k by Elgato.
However, if you own a recent Canon camera like the Canon EOS M200 that I showed in that video, you no longer need a capture card to use your camera as a webcam!!!
While I am still planning on making a video showing how to connect a camera to a computer using a capture card this particular video is about Canon’s new app that’s currently in beta that allows you to just plug your camera in via USB and use it as a webcam without the need to even buy a capture card like the Elgato CamLink which has been the go to option!
While you do get the absolute best quality (at least for now) by still using a capture card with your camera, you’ll still be surprised how good the camera looks versus using a webcam if you can’t afford a capture card right now but do have a Canon camera that is compatible with the software.
You can find a list of compatible cameras on Canon’s website which I’ll make sure to link down in the description below.
Today, we’ll be testing this out with the Canon EOS M200 as that’s the one I previously did a video on and in my opinion is the best option for any streamer looking to upgrade from using a webcam to their first budget friendly camera.
It’s not only great for use as a webcam replacement but also is a great all around starter camera for content creation in general!
I’m super excited for this one!
ROLL THE INTRO
Welcome back to the channel friends hope you are doing well…
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So guys, this is big news for streamers everywhere who have been interested in upgrading from a webcam like the ever popular Logitech C920 to their first digital camera.
Whether you have a DSLR or Mirrorless camera Canon’s new app probably allows you to use it as a webcam if it’s been released within the last couple years.
If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, a good starting camera like this Canon EOS M200 or the Sony Alpha 5100, which has been popular as well, can be had for $400 – $500 USD. This is currently the best value you can get for your money if you’re looking to upgrade from a webcam like the Logitech C920.
However, on top of that, you then need to purchase some type of capture card which allows you to connect your camera to your computer and actually use it as a webcam. The most popular option being the CamLink 4k by Elgato which approximately adds another $150 USD to your cost.
With this new app, if you own a compatible Canon camera, you no longer need a capture card to enjoy most of the benefits of upgrading to a camera like a wider field of view, the ability to swap lenses, and more detail in your subjects. This lowers the barrier of entry for smaller streamers, which is total cost, and allows them to upgrade their camera setup sooner.
It’s not all great news, there are some limitations with the software still being in beta.
First off, the list of supported cameras while not bad for beta software, is still limited. Canon has said they would be adding more cameras to the list as the software is developed.
Also, the max video resolution via USB is currently 576p or 1024×576 to be exact. This isn’t as big of a deal as you’d think because of two reasons.
First, resolution isn’t everything… for example, here is a clip of the Logitech C920 at 1080p and now here’s a clip of the Canon EOS M200 at 576p. As you can see the Canon, while a lower resolution, still looks better in my opinion.
Also, you don’t typically have the camera filling up the entire canvas of your stream and instead it’s simply a small rectangular box somewhere on the screen.
Again, there is speculation that over time as they refine the software they could create a video codec that is compressed enough for USB to allow 720p or even 1080p resolutions.
Also, this is for current cameras in their lineup. As newer cameras get released with faster USB speeds like USB 3.1, they may come with 720p or 1080p resolutions straight out of the box.
So let’s assume your camera is on the list of currently supported cameras, what’s the next step? How do we get this setup and working?
It’s actually easier than you’d think!
First, download the software from Canon’s website, again link in the description below, then install it on your computer. After you finish installing it you’ll need to restart your computer for it to start recognizing your camera.
Once restarted, simply plug in your camera via USB.
Now when you load up OBS it will appear under your Video Capture Device source automatically.
The software is not complicated at all. There are no standalone recording or streaming features. In fact, there isn’t even any options to change camera settings from your computer directly through the software. It simply allows your computer to view the connected camera as a video device.
In fact, if you want to do any color correction or adjustments to the camera without having to do them inside the actual camera’s settings, you’ll have to add filters inside OBS to the Video Capture Device source.
There are a couple settings you’ll want to make sure you have set in your camera like turning the stabilization off since you’ll most likely have the camera on a tripod and setting the camera’s resolution to 1080p 30fps.
Again, as they bring the software out of beta, you may be able to do 60fps at some point, but currently 1080p 30fps gives the best quality via USB from my experience. If you try to have the recording set to 60fps on your camera you’ll experience stuttering video inside OBS when you add it to your scene.
Besides those couple things, which again, I think will be addressed over time as the app is updated, this thing works perfectly!
If you you absolutely need a higher resolution or frame rate today, then you’ll still need a capture card, however, for most streamers I believe USB will work just fine! And again, eventually they could release an update that allows for both a higher resolution and a higher frame rate.
Since at the time of this video, Elgato’s CamLink 4k is sold out everywhere anyways, I’d recommend waiting a bit to see what Canon does with future updates to the software!
With that said, thanks so much for watching today’s video and again if you’re new around here and like videos related to streaming including tutorials like this one, make sure to hit that red subscribe button below and don’t forget to ring the bell next to it to be notified when I post new videos.
Again, as a way of saying thanks, don’t forget to hit the like button and one last reminder that I, myself, stream every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evening. Link here on the screen or down in the description below.
If you try out Canon’s new beta app, make sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it works for you and share your settings or tips you’ve discovered for getting the most out of it!
Until next time, peace out everybody!