Sharing and viewing documents in real-time online might be tricky. Imagine you want to show someone a drawing, but it is printed onto paper. If you have someone’s contact information, you can snap a photo and share it. However, if the situation is entirely different and you are on a zoom call or using any type of video conferencing platform and you need to present your blueprints, photographs, and sketches.
It appears impossible to share while you are video conferencing because you can’t hold your phone for a long period to show it to your clients or colleagues. Additionally, charts, drawings, and images cannot be displayed with absolute clarity on webcams or mobile cameras.
Furthermore, these cameras are not intended for such purposes, it is quite difficult for normal cameras to focus at such a close range. With the advancement of technology, even seemingly hard tasks have become much easier for us to do.
There are a variety of types and sizes available for document cameras. Some are designed primarily to take quick still photos of your documents. Others are made to function like a scanner.
Which one will therefore be most suitable for your needs? It depends on what you’re aiming to do, simply put. We will be examining several different document cameras today.
Document cameras are essentially high-resolution webcams. Think of it as an opaque projector for a meeting room. Instead of a wall, you will be projecting onto everybody’s screens. Document cameras undoubtedly provide greater utility than a projector without lighting.
Review of the Best Zoom Document Cameras
Here are the top options:
1. IPEVO DO-CAM: Overall Best Document Camera
Say goodbye to presentations and team discussions when you had to uncomfortably hold up papers or materials in front of the computer’s built-in webcam.
Introducing the most adaptable communication tool for the office or on the go. DO-camera CAM’s head can be turned around to become a webcam for video calls. Whenever you need to exhibit any physical documents during the call, simply flip it over and switch it back.
DO-CAM is composed of four components that connect via a USB cord. It has a metal base plate for stability and is lightweight and practical thanks to the durable plastic that makes up its body, arm, and camera head. All parts are adjustable to achieve the most flexibility.
The only button on DO-CAM is situated adjacent to the grip for rotating the camera. When users switch from document sharing to “face-to-face” chat, it rotates the image to make sure it is always displayed correctly.
Additionally, the DO-arm CAM extends your reach, allowing for simple document sharing or an increase in height while using the document camera mode.
Under the body, the cable is wrapped up into a manageable shape. Additionally, we created a unique hinge mechanism that permits the cable to pass easily through the hinges of DO-CAM without restricting its rotation.
Do CAM has an 8MP Sony CMOS image sensor for ultimate performance in noise reduction and colour production. It can easily capture details of the materials in Ultra HD resolution of 3264×2448 pixels.
DO-CAM is easy to use, store, and transport because it is the lightest on the market and has the size of a small pencil case (0.74lbs, 335g).
This document camera is compatible with USB Plug & Play on MAC, PC, and Chromebooks. Use it with IPEVO’s Visualizer and any other third-party program of your choice.
2. OKIOCAM T – Best Portable Document Camera for Zoom Meetings
Designed for use in classrooms and meeting rooms, the OKIOCAM T is very user-friendly. Many meeting and conferencing tools, such as Zoom, GoogleMeet, Mac Facetime, and Skype, are compatible with the plug-and-play camera.
OKIOCAM T also allows for multiple-angle captures and videos with its rotatable camera head and multi-jointed arm. Adjusting the white balance or colour temperature, exposure or brightness, and focus is quick, thanks to the camera on the button.
The foldable OKIOCAM S is light and portable, making it simple to transport to different work sites. The fantastic equipment that comes with the 2-in-1 camera enables Time Lapse and Stop Motion.
OKIOCAM can be used to display actual documents during conference calls and while you’re recording online lessons at work or remotely.
You can also use OKIOCAM to send worksheets, tests, and other materials to the entire class. It is very portable you can take it anywhere you want thanks to the compact design.
OKIOCAM supports Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime on Mac, Windows Camera, Chromebook Camera, and QuickTime.
The OKIOCAM T has the best flexibility. It is 1.6 inches thick, barely 0.8 pounds (363 grams) in weight, and has a retractable arm and a magnetic base that can be folded up.
You can take pictures and videos from all angles with the OKIOCAM thanks to its multi-jointed adjustable arm and 360-degree rotatable camera.
It also has Quad high-definition resolution of up to 2592 x 1944. It records videos up to 30 fps at 1920 x 1080 (Full HD).
3. Ipevo Do-Cam – Best High-End Document Scanning Camera
The Ipevo Do-Cam is a compact 4K document camera that you can use as a webcam and won’t fall over wherever you go. Simply adjust the four-section body and press the single button on the side of the lens to switch between capturing oneself or a document.
With a maximum shooting area of 13.93 by 10.47 pixels and the ability to transmit in Full HD at 30 frames per second, it has an 8MP CMOS sensor.
The lens features full-range focusing capabilities, allowing switching between orientations simple. The Ipevo Do camera can be turned into an upright position utilizing four connecting components for maximum adaptability and portability.
The video signal is transmitted to your Mac, Windows, or Chromebook device through a 3.28′ USB Type-A connection included in the DO-CAM.
The Ipevo Do-Cam is a visualizer that, in many presentations, performs the same function as the lens of an overhead projector.
To transmit live video to the interactive whiteboard, teachers can position the camera over an experiment or page, connect it to their PC, and do so (or over the web if teaching remotely).
You can use it with so much ease while on zoom video calls to show your important designs or blueprints. The Do-Cam is made with strong hinges and a body weight that can support the eight-megapixel camera, so slipping it into your laptop bag won’t be an issue at all.
The Ipevo software has modes for presentation, creation, reading, and scanning. So it’s easy to use the camera for all the tasks you do expect, plus a few extras like making stop-motion video or capturing slow-motion, which might be useful in some scientific demonstrations.
This camera is simple to carry to a new location and connect, the camera produced decent photos, more than sufficient for an audience to read the small print on paper.
While it surely has some quirks, the build quality is excellent and it offers a lot of capability. If you only need a great device with outstanding features you don’t need to look more.
4. AVerVision M5 – Best Budget Camera for Showcasing Documents on Zoom Calls
AVerVision M5 is a USB visualizer designed specifically for online education and remote training. Its folding design enables you to begin online courses immediately.
For a learning session, just turn the camera head to self-view and instantly locate the ideal stance for illustrative material.
You may maximize learning engagement even when live streaming if you incorporate the most recent AI features of AVerTouch software.
This camera has two hinges in the arm and is made of durable black polymer. You can view documents at an awkward angle because the camera head itself can pivot and swivel.
Unlike other document cameras, which have their USB cables tied to the side, this one has the cord completely wrapped around the arm.
It is simple to carry because the arm and camera both compactly fold away when not in use. However, the sleek design comes with a price.
However, you also receive a high-quality webcam in addition to a well-designed stand and arm. The M5 and IPEVO both have a 4K resolution. However, it can also record moving things flawlessly because of its 60 FPS speed.
Additionally, you have access to a 16x digital zoom with a minimum resolution of 1080p. If you want to take pictures of tiny stuff, this capability is excellent.
Consider the scenario where you only want to display a single diagram or chart. You can just zoom in to avoid capturing extra details.
The M5, or any well-designed video document camera, can also be used in combination with a projector. You can create a spectacular presentation if you connect it to a reliable projector.
You can also use it to enhance PowerPoint presentations or for a collaborative review of documents. The M5 is suited to teach at home, in a classroom, or while travelling because it only weighs 0.78 kg.
Due to its typical plug-and-play functionality, it seamlessly integrates with any live-video platform. The M5’s unmatched portability makes teaching online while working from home a delightful experience.
The first thing students notice when they join the online classroom is the image quality. 8M image quality of the M5 leaves a good first impression! Students who study at home will always feel like they are in the front row thanks to AVer’s famous video processing technology!
5. The Kitchbai 4K – Cheapest Option
The Kitchbai 4K is the greatest document camera it features brightness buttons that let you manually change the image brightness by 10 degrees, ensuring a clear image.
It features three brightness settings, which can solve shooting issues in tricky lighting situations and let you shoot things in bad lighting.
You can manually change the camera’s image reversal for video chat or photo output. Additionally, images can be freely shifted up, down, left, and right.
It comes with a USB-C connector that enables quick plug-and-play web conferencing and remote study, which is ideal for teachers.
It supports applications such as Windows, Macs, and Chrome books. Also it works with Google meet, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom.
It includes two integrated silicon microphones that can lower background noise and enhance audio quality.
Due to its small size, it is incredibly portable and can be taken almost anywhere.
The multiple joint support makes it simple to spin the USB camera to take high-definition pictures and films of 2D or 3D things.
The 8MP document camera has a high-end image sensor with 30 frames per second, and it creates ultra-detailed photographs and videos for live streaming.
What to Consider Before Buying a Document Camera:
1. Quality:
The quality of the document camera should be your top priority when purchasing one. You can read customer reviews to find out what people think about the product’s quality.
You can use this to decide whether or not to purchase the product. A good-quality product will last longer than a product of lower quality.
So be sure to purchase high-quality items that are durable and hard to destroy.
2. Price:
The most obvious factor to take into account is cost. Even while you should never compromise on quality, you should be aware that many high-quality goods are also reasonably priced.
Shopping around and comparing several brands and models will help you locate fantastic prices.
However, make sure to consider all the characteristics before making a decision.
3. Durability:
High-end document cameras can be costly, but if they outperform less expensive models in terms of durability, they might be useful.
If you buy an expensive document camera that lasts four times as long as a cheap pair, it will be less expensive in the long term because you won’t have to replace them as frequently.
Final Verdict:
After reviewing all the best document cameras for Zoom conferencing we can finally say that all the cameras come with great features and specs.
Some cameras are very cheap and some are a little pricey, it depends on the user what features they need and how they wanted to use them.
Pricing is a very important factor while choosing, so go for a model which best suited you in terms of price and usage.