Jan Brittenson
Senior Subscriber Member
Since Nikon release their webcam utility that allows using many of their current cameras as webcams, I've been using my Z7 for remote work - with generally excellent results.
One problem however is that the video is 16:9 and gets pillboxed top and bottom to fit into the more generally expected 4:3. I can't seem to find any way to change the video aspect in the camera... it ONLY supports FX or DX. (Another problem is that it connects to the computer/hub with the USB-C port, but my work MacBook Pro or the powered external hub can't provide enough power for it, so it has to run off batteries. The AC adapter uses the USB-C port, and only one can be connected at any one time.) I can set up OBS with its virtual camera plugin (for export) - and this has some benefits since I can pip myself in a corner with my desktop as the main source on a scene, and switch between scenes, but each time the camera is shut off, for example to swap batteries, I have to remove the Nikon webcam utility from the sources and add it back in for it to reappear. And even then the virtual camera sometimes locks up and I have to restart it as well. Pretty flakey all around and not really something I can rely on for work. Of course with OBS it can be cropped, resized, stretched, color balanced, filtered, etc to whatever I wish. Any thoughts on how to make this setup more usable? The image quality is infinitely better than my Logitech 920C, with a better suited focal length (the 920C is too wide IMO, and noisy AF).
One problem however is that the video is 16:9 and gets pillboxed top and bottom to fit into the more generally expected 4:3. I can't seem to find any way to change the video aspect in the camera... it ONLY supports FX or DX. (Another problem is that it connects to the computer/hub with the USB-C port, but my work MacBook Pro or the powered external hub can't provide enough power for it, so it has to run off batteries. The AC adapter uses the USB-C port, and only one can be connected at any one time.) I can set up OBS with its virtual camera plugin (for export) - and this has some benefits since I can pip myself in a corner with my desktop as the main source on a scene, and switch between scenes, but each time the camera is shut off, for example to swap batteries, I have to remove the Nikon webcam utility from the sources and add it back in for it to reappear. And even then the virtual camera sometimes locks up and I have to restart it as well. Pretty flakey all around and not really something I can rely on for work. Of course with OBS it can be cropped, resized, stretched, color balanced, filtered, etc to whatever I wish. Any thoughts on how to make this setup more usable? The image quality is infinitely better than my Logitech 920C, with a better suited focal length (the 920C is too wide IMO, and noisy AF).
