Best webcam settings for streaming
Most bad webcam pictures are a light problem, not a camera problem. Fix the light first, then the settings.
Light first
Put a lamp or window in front of you, slightly above eye level. Never sit with a bright window behind you. Dim rooms make webcams drop their frame rate to collect light, which looks like stutter.
Resolution and frame rate
1080p at 30 fps is a good default. If your webcam only reaches 30 fps at 720p, use 720p. Check what your camera really delivers with the webcam test.
Turn off what hurts
- Switch off “low light compensation” or “auto frame rate”, which can drop you to 15 fps.
- Lock exposure and white balance once the light is set so the picture does not pump.
- Plug it into a USB 3 port directly, not a hub.
Better than a webcam
A recent phone camera is far better than most webcams. Use your phone as the camera: scan a code, nothing to install.
Questions
What frame rate should I use?
30 fps for talking, 60 fps only if your camera, light and PC all keep up.
Want all of this in one app?
Streamdzy is a free streaming and recording app for Windows: several cameras, your phone as a camera, going live to many places at once, and recording first so a bad connection never costs you the show.