Installation

   Installation is easy with the included quick start guide. The guide advises you to install the QC Pro 4000's driver and software first, and then to plug the camera into a USB port. On-screen instructions tell you when to plug in the camera so there can be no misunderstanding about the procedure.
 

Only the camera driver is required for operation but Logitech's ImageStudio is recommended.

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On-screen instructions tell you when to hook up the camera to the computer.

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   Other software besides the driver is included on the main CD, and while only the driver is necessary for the camera to function, (as you can import its images into almost any image editing program), Logitech's ImageStudio is recommended as it provides a central program in which you can access all of the camera's functions to accept still image and video input, and then use another program to edit those images or videos.

Standard camera control.

Advanced settings.

ImageStudio provides one program that accesses all the camera's functions.

The motion detector takes a picture everytime the sensitivity threshold is exceeded.

   The camera's drivers allow for a great deal of adjustment, and almost all of these adjustments can be automated should you not wish to fiddle with them. However, I found that sometimes manually adjusting the white balance for certain situations resulted in a picture that had better colours and contrast, but for most daylight situations automatic white balance is perfectly fine.

   The ability to mirror or flip images can also come in handy though most of the time this can be done easily after the image has been captured into an image editing program. The camera's software supports still image capture in one of four sizes: 160x120, 320x240, 640x480 and 1280x960, which is the 1.3 megapixel maximum resolution vaunted by Logitech on the packaging. Video capture can be done in all the image resolutions except for 1280x960, though for most people 640x480 should suffice for the kinds of tasks one should expect of a webcam-type device.

Basic settings.

Microphone control; other microphones can be used in conjunction with the camera.

Digital zoom, pan and tilt controls.

   In addition to providing easy to use image capture and video capture, ImageStudio also has other neat functions like motion capture and webcam functions. The motion detector function was particularly nifty as it allows a picture to be taken every time the sensitivity threshold, which can be adjusted, is exceeded. In addition, the onboard microphone can be configured in the settings, but if you prefer to use an external microphone that can be positioned closer to you, you can select and configure that microphone from within settings as well.

   Lastly, the digital zoom, pan and tilt controls are useful for when you want to focus in on a specific object, but for actually capturing an image, you are probably better off using the functions of an image editing program. The controls can be adjusted in realtime, and the image viewed accordingly, so this can help you see whether a portion of the image is in focus.

Testing

   To test this camera, I took several pictures at different light levels and compared them with pictures obtained from my old webcam, the Kodak DVC325.
 

Kodak DVC325 - Daylight 1.

QC Pro 4000 - Daylight 1.

   In the picture of a completed Rubik's cube, the QC Pro 4000 produced a picture with a better balance of colours, more representative of the true colours of the desk and cube. The DVC325, while producing a slightly sharper image (I adjusted the focus of both of the cameras to the best of my ability) increased the contrast of the colours a bit too much.

   In these set of pictures, direct sunlight is being cast upon these boxes. The DVC325 fares well here, accurately representing the colours and producing a very sharp image. The QC Pro 4000's image has its colours a bit washed out, and some of the text appears to be fuzzy.

   In room light, neither camera produces an excellent picture, but the QC Pro 4000's appears to be more anti-aliased, producing a 'softer' image, while the DVC325's image is more sharp in its interference. Overall, the QC Pro 4000 was easier to work with in that it was easier to take pictures without having them subject to the effects of an unsteady camera. The software appeared to better adjust the shutter speed to suit the lightning, thus resulting in pictures that were less subject to blur if the camera was slightly moving.

   But where the QC Pro 4000 really shined was at video capture. I was able to capture at near 30fps at 320x240 with a Celeron-II@850MHz w/ 256MB of RAM by turning off some of the Auto-adjust options, and at 640x480 I was able to capture at about 15fps. The video quality was surprisingly good and fluid considering this product falls into the web cam category.

Conclusion

  The QuickCam Pro 4000 turned out to be a great product. The ability to take 1.3-megapixel photos is highlighted by the fact that it is easy to take pictures without experiencing the effects of jitter. The ImageStudio software is just as easy to use as the camera itself. The QC Pro 4000 appeared to fair better under trying lighting conditions better than my older Kodak DVC325, but the daylight pictures didn't appear to be a lot better. However, video capture was a breeze and the included microphone really made things a lot nicer. The only real drawbacks are the quirky focus ring on the lens ring and the price, which is set at a MSRP of $99.95 USD.

Pros

• Great "out of box" experience - easy to install, setup and get running.

• ImageStudio software integrates all the functions of the camera into one program and is easy to use.

• 9ft (3m) long USB cord allows great freedom of movement.

• Taking pictures while holding the camera on an unsteady surface is fairly easy.

• Great at capturing video, with a decent system.

Cons

• Camera can come loose from its pedestal.

• Image quality in daylight pictures is not a whole lot better than my DVC325.

As a closing statement, a big thanks goes out to Logitech for supplying the QuickCam Pro 4000 for review! And, thanks also goes out to all of you for reading this review!