Elgato’s new 4K webcam lets you swap lens filters like a pro camera
Elgato is launching its Facecam 4K webcam today, which brings the price of 4K resolution and 60fps recording down to $199.99. While the Facecam 4K is $100 less than the Facecam Pro, it also has support for optional lens filters — a first for a webcam.
The Facecam 4K will support any 49mm lens filter, allowing owners to apply cinematic effects like diffusion or reduce reflections from glasses with circular polarizing (CPL) filters. Elgato is even offering a free CPL filter with Facecam 4K orders through its own store, or a privacy cap that attaches just like a DSLR camera cap does. You can also purchase third-party macro, black mist, and star filters to completely change the look of 4K recordings.
Elgato’s Facecam 4K uses Sony’s Starvis 2 CMOS sensor with a f/4.0 aperture, fixed focus, and Elgato prime lens. That means the Facecam Pro’s f/2.0 aperture will still be better for low-light situations. Much like the Facecam Pro, you can record at up to 4K with 60fps or up to 4K with 30fps and HDR enabled. The Facecam 4K will connect over USB-C, has a 1/4-inch thread for mounting, and weighs 0.25 lbs (112 grams) without the monitor mount and cable.
Elgato is pairing its latest webcam with its Camera Hub software that lets you manually adjust ISO, exposure, and shutter speed settings, as well as pan, tilt, and zoom to get the ideal crop for a webcam feed. You can also save all of these settings directly to the camera’s built-in memory, so you don’t have to keep Camera Hub running. If you have an Nvidia RTX graphics card, you can also get an improved DSLR-like depth-of-field effect with background blur.
The Facecam 4K will also work with Elgato’s Prompter hardware, thanks to a replacement backplate that will be available to purchase from Elgato’s web store. Elgato is also shipping Facecam 4K backplates with new Prompter purchases, replacing the existing Facecam Pro backplate. This suggests that the Facecam 4K will ultimately replace the Facecam Pro at a lower price point, much like how the company’s new 4K S capture device lowers the price for 4K 60fps gameplay recording.
Elgato’s Facecam 4K is also compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2, as long as you update the webcam’s firmware to version 2.32 or later. The Facecam 4K is available today at $199.99 in the US, £179.99 in the UK, and €199.99 across Europe.