Desktop video cameras have been around for years, but until recently the technology behind them coupled with slow serial ports and even slower internet connections led them to be more of an amusing gadget than a practical tool. With the advent of USB, faster internet connections, and an overall improvement to the technology, affordable desktop video cameras are now of a high enough quality to enjoy video conferencing and other capabilities.
iRez recently released a USB version of their unique-looking Kritter camera while Ariston's iSee-U2 bundle, which includes two of the company's iSee-I video cameras, puts more emphasis on the practical aspects of desktop video cameras than on their appearance.
Resembling something from another planet, the Kritter's design is as functional as it is attractive. It's also one of the smallest video cameras on the market. The Kritter's claw allows it to rest firmly on a flat surface or on top of a laptop's screen. When not in use, the Kritter's claw folds up and doubles as a lens protector, making it the ideal solution for users on the go. The Kritter is also available in four plastics to match your Mac: blueberry, tangerine, ice, and black.
Compared to the Kritter, Ariston's iSee-I video camera, which weighs in at nearly triple the size and weight of the Kritter, is downright unappealing. Its dedicated base is equally as stable as the Kritter's claw, although the added weight helps it from being knocked over. Despite the base, which allows the iSee-I to swivel and tilt, the Kritter can be angled up higher than the iSee-I, which ideally must be placed on top of a monitor or an object that's closer to your upper torso/head level.
The first two Kritter's we received were both defective; products of an early production run. iRez tells us that they fixed the production problems and the subsequent cameras we received both worked flawlessly.
While the Kritter is rated as being able to capture video at 30 FPS at 320x240, our camera was never able to capture video that smoothly, especially when other applications were running in the background. Likewise, the iSee-I, which Ariston claims can capture video at 25 FPS at that resolution generally sputtered along at around 15-20, depending on which application was being used to capture the video.
The Kritter's software will automatically calibrate the camera's color fidelity depending on lighting conditions. Like the iSee-I, however, the Kritter was better at reproducing the highs and lows of a color than the in between, resulting in an image that only came close at best to duplicating the actual colors. The Kritter's image quality is also strongly dependent on what kind of lighting is in a room; under strong, white halogen lights the image quality is dismal, with the camera ideally suited for lighting under the softer white of incandescent bulbs. If the lighting in the room was anything but bright, several diagonal lines came across the Kritter's capture window. While the iSee-I didn't suffer from that problem, it functioned best when the room was as bright as possible.
The Kritter comes bundled with a lite version of the company's Real Eyes video capturing and editing software, which is great for capturing video and snapshots but its editing capabilities are minimal and inferior to those found in QuickTime Pro. iRez also bundles the freeware iVisit video conferencing software, an adequate solution but one that doesn't compare with the quality found in commercial titles.
The iSee-I, on the other hand, comes with a more impressive software bundle that includes full versions of CU-SeeMe, one of the best pieces of video conferencing software for the Mac; Adobe PhotoDeluxe, for touching up images and creating photo albums; and PhotoGenetics, for optimizing image color and quality. While PhotoDeluxe and PhotoGenetics are nice pieces of software, desktop video cameras are far from ideal solutions for sharing still photos. It would have been nicer to see Ariston include a full version of QuickEditor, a relatively robust movie editing package, instead of the 30-day trial version that the cameras come with. Otherwise Ariston's software bundle is marred only by the fact that you have to go on the web in order to download or register some of the applications.
In order for video conferencing to be effectively used a fast internet connection is a must. Being a DSL provider themselves (using Covad's and Nortel's lines), Ariston offers free installation, setup, and DSL modem to any iSee-U2 purchaser who agrees to a two-year contract with them. While most DSL providers offer free installation and setup regardless, a DSL modem can set you back anywhere from $150-$300, making Ariston's bundle even more of a value for anyone looking to take advantage of DSL. DSL connections can be more than ten times faster than traditional dial-up modems, making it an ideal means for video conferencing.
End note
$130 will get you two distinctly different products. The Kritter USB is clearly the better camera and a more practical solution for PowerBook users, but the two cameras that Ariston includes with their iSee-U2 bundle along with the excellent CU-SeeMe software (a $70 value) is hard to resist. If you're looking for the best USB video camera, get the Kritter; if you're looking for the best value in USB video cameras, the iSee-U2 bundle is more appealing.
