How to use OBS Studio Virtual Camera to make your webcam look better

Razer Kiyo Pro Side Cable Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central

Recent times have inverse how nosotros piece of work, and for many, that ways more remote meetings using software like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. But what hasn't changed much, sadly, is how good even the best webcams are. And if yous're conducting business remotely, yous notwithstanding want to expect your best.

Fortunately, while webcam hardware has been treading water the software has been getting better and better. Merely 1 tool you may have disregarded is OBS Studio.

More than commonly known as a tool for streamers, OBS Studio also has what's known equally "Virtual Photographic camera" congenital in on Windows, Mac, and Linux. What this does is export whatsoever you have set up in OBS Studio to your system as if it were a webcam. And this means you lot tin can get really creative.

How to gear up upward OBS Studio Virtual Photographic camera

OBS Virtual Camera Source: Windows Key

The good news is that there is no setup required. Virtual Camera now comes standard in OBS Studio and so assuming you have the latest version you're all adept to go.

To send your scenes out to the residual of your system as a webcam you lot simply need to click the Starting time Virtual Camera push button in the Controls dock on the main screen of OBS Studio.

Then, whichever app yous want to use a webcam with, instead of selecting your hardware webcam, choose the OBS Virtual Camera option instead. You won't exist able to select your hardware webcam past accident as OBS Studio has sectional use of it, so you'll simply get a black screen.

How to make your webcam look better in OBS Studio

OBS Studio webcam settings Source: Windows Key

While using OBS Studio as your webcam is really like shooting fish in a barrel, unless you actually utilize the software to your reward there's little point to it. Fortunately, you don't have to be a production whiz to make things look a footling nicer on the center.

The first thing to do is add together your webcam.

In the sources dock, click the + button.
Select Video Capture Device.
Select the Create New checkbox and requite information technology an easy-to-remember name.

Source: Windows Central
Choose your webcam in the Device driblet-downwardly box.

Now, y'all tin either click OK or proceed to tweak some settings. If you lot do click OK offset, you can get back to this aforementioned menu past right-clicking on your webcam in the sources dock and choosing Backdrop.

In that location are quite a lot of settings you can change, but these are the most important ones to wait at. On Windows y'all'll first demand to select Custom under Resolution/FPS type, so alter these settings:

Resolution — Brand sure you lot're using 1080p resolution if your webcam supports it if you desire the sharpest image.
Frame rate — This volition be dependent on your webcam. Many only support 30 FPS at 1080p, needing a drib to 720p to go to sixty FPS. Try both and see which you lot prefer, just if your webcam allows 1080p 60 FPS become with that.

Obs Studio Virtual Camera Source: Windows Central

For well-nigh purposes, y'all can leave the rest of the initial settings on their default values. Now information technology's fourth dimension to go into the camera controls. On Windows, you'll first need to click the Configure Video push, while on Linux the controls will be in the aforementioned window. Try adjusting these settings in this social club:

Exposure — By default your webcam volition probably overexpose, blowing out the image somewhat. By taking manual control y'all can adjust the slider to something that looks more natural. This tin exist used in conjunction with Proceeds to get the best residual.
Zoom and Pan — Not all webcams will allow this, though it isn't a true zoom either. If enabled for you, you lot can use these to improve frame yourself, effectively cropping out unwanted empty infinite and making yourself appear larger and more than centered in the frame.
Focus — If you notice that your webcam hunts for focus a lot, set it manually. Again it's on a slider merely unless you're actually moving effectually presenting, you'll get a crisper, more than stable expect by setting the focus yourself.
Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and White Rest — All of these have individual settings merely if you lot alter ane y'all're more than than likely going to need to modify one of the others. All four settings permit you to tweak how your epitome looks, and it'll depend on your webcam and your room lighting. But they can all be adjusted manually, and you'll always get a better look than trusting the automobile settings.

By now your webcam should be looking better already. The final stage is to make sure it'southward filling the OBS Studio window (unless you're going to get really artistic) past only dragging the corners to resize. Virtual Camera will transport out exactly what you're looking at in OBS Studio, so if your webcam is the size of a stamp stamp, that's how it'll expect on your Zoom call.

Just in that location'due south still one more than thing you lot tin do with OBS Studio to brand your webcam popular a little more than.

How to add together filters to your webcam in OBS Studio

OBS Studio filters Source: Windows Central

All of the settings above are changes that you make to the video coming in from your webcam, but there'southward still more y'all can do. In the same manner you would edit a photo or a video after the fact, you tin can do the aforementioned in OBS Studio too with filters.

There are a number of filters yous tin utilise, only there are two in particular that volition aid make your webcam look better: Colour Correction and LUT.

To add together a filter, correct-click on your webcam in the sources dock and choose Filters. You now want to add a new item in the Furnishings Filters portion, selecting either of the 2 above. Here'due south what you can do with them:

Color Correction — Some similar settings to suit as in the webcam, with boosted ones such as Gamma and the ability to go more granular with your colour settings. Yous probably don't need to brand a desperate change to any of these settings, but yous'll be surprised how much of an improvement you can become.
LUT — This is the same as applying a LUT to a photo or video and there are plenty of places online you can grab gratuitous ones. There's a comprehensive pack available through the OBS Forums which is a great identify to kickoff. To employ, simply cull the file you want with browse and then use the slider to adjust the force. These can have a dramatic impact, just are also well worth experimenting with.

Additionally, if your webcam gives you peculiarly soft images you can also add a sharpening filter, but information technology's pretty potent so don't get overboard with it.

All of these are pretty piece of cake tweaks to make and they're also completely complimentary. This also but scratches the surface of what you tin can practice with OBS Studio. If you want to get more advanced you lot can gear up a whole presentation, with multiple scenes, and send information technology all out over your video conferencing software cheers to Virtual Photographic camera.

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