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Why is good webcam recording software so hard to find?

I need a program that will take high quality photos with my webcam. Most webcam software I found is ridiculously cheap/old and ugly to interact with.

I tried using movie maker, but it will only record video at 640x480. I need to take a few photos at 2560x1920 (my webcam supports it @ 7fps).

I would screw it all and write my own Flash/Air application to do it, but I seriously don't have the time.

Please recommend a good program. I don't care if it costs money, as long as I can see a preview, set the high resolution, and take a high-quality photo.

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Most webcams come with software that allows you to use the hardware to its fullest...are you sure that your webcam supports almost 5 megapixels? Nowadays I guess I have to ask but if it is an integrated webcam on a laptop, it most probably is not going ot have that sort of resolution... – g19fanatic Feb 2 '11 at 12:22
@G19fanatic Yes, it is 5MP, and it came with just the drivers, it's this webcam: amazon.co.uk/TeckNet-Webcam-Camera-MegaPixel-microphone/dp/… – Tudor Feb 2 '11 at 12:44
I bet it's only interpolated software 5MP... But see my tool. – sinni800 Feb 2 '11 at 17:17
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3 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

  • http://www.irfanview.com/. It supports recording capture sources.

  • "AMCAP". It supports all resolutions the webcam supports, automatically. It's usually included with every webcam from any cheap chinese manufacturer that doesn't want to create it's own program, since it's from Microsoft (or so I think!).

Also right now I am on making a Silverlight application for making webcam snapshots... Maybe I'll make it soon enough! :)

EDIT: I did it;

http://metalgearsonic.de/WebcamPhoto/

You can also install it, to run it out-of-browser. It supports all resolutions the webcam supports. My Logitech HD Webcam makes 1080p pictures absolutely fine with it.

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I had no clue that irfanview, which I have, records from webcam! Also, +1 having a site called metal gear sonic :D and thanks a bunch for the app! – Tudor Feb 2 '11 at 18:01
No problem. So it works? :). Also my avatar is a 5-second-to-draw representation of Sonic (the Hedgehog)... ... Yeah. – sinni800 Feb 2 '11 at 18:41
Works like a charm! – Tudor Feb 2 '11 at 19:43
'kay, have fun :) – sinni800 Feb 2 '11 at 21:02
just to add, 1080p is a specification only for motion picture i.e. video; not for still picture. rather still picture is specified with the resolutions in pixel like 1720 x 1080. – Vineet Menon Mar 22 at 6:00
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up vote 2 down vote

Cheese is a good simple "photo booth" application for taking pictures with web cameras.

(If this answer doesn't work for you, please specify an OS.)

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cheese is the solution i'd go with. Even if you need to try to use it with a livedisc, it'll work great (usually) – g19fanatic Feb 2 '11 at 17:39
well, I'm mainly on windows7, but I do also have Ubuntu, so cheers! – Tudor Feb 2 '11 at 17:59
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up vote 0 down vote

Logitech- Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.0/3.7. The resolution and quality of pictures this webcam produces is just ridiculous. Outstanding. I take my computer to places just to use my logitech webcam to take photos becuase its so fantastic.

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