How to use any DSLR or mirrorless camera as a webcam
I think there's one thing we can all agree on. And that is most laptop webcams suck!
Let's say you've got an important business or school meeting, or if you got a virtual date, you'd want to make sure you're looking your best in that meeting as it's hard to make a good first impression over video calls.
If you have any interest in photography, chances are you have a DSLR or Mirrorless camera at home. If you do, this video is for you. There are many ways to connect your camera to your laptop. Some manufacturers have started to offer apps to use your camera as a webcam, but usually those are limited to the newer models.
This method won't require you to rely on the app from the manufacturer, so almost any camera with an HDMI out should work.
A lot of YouTubers have been recommending CamLink, which is a capture card that's been pretty popular over the years. Unless you're streaming professionally, the CamLink is too expensive for the average person. So, I looked on Amazon to see if I could use a non-branded capture card for the same functionality. I ordered the one in this video from Amazon for $25 and it's been working exceptionally well for me.
All you have to do to start using your camera is the USB stick and an HDMI cable appropriate for your camera. In my case, both of my cameras take a micro HDMI cable, so that's what I went with.
Once you plug in your USB stick, you can select the USB camera in the camera selector of your video conferencing app of choice.
It works with Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, and any other app you might use for online meetings.
To increase the quality even further, you can use a spare light to add that studio like feel to your video.