Papalook PA552 1080p Webcam Review.
Finding a good webcam on a tight budget can be tricky because cheaper webcams often have tight limits. It is especially difficult to find good, affordable webcams that will allow you to stream HD quality videos. If you are looking for a good and inexpensive webcam for streaming, then the Papalook PA552 is your answer.
This webcam has a number of useful features so it’s worth considering, but with a typical retail price of around $ 90, it won’t cost you much either. As we check out this impressive webcam, we’ll go over the pros and cons to help you decide if the Papalook PA552 is right for you in this extensive review.
Papalook PA552: Design
The first thing you’ll notice about the Papalook PA552 is the design. With a white round outside around the main 5-layer camera lens, you’ll be dealing with the camera a little more than Logitech’s rectangular webcams that you might be used to.
This is entirely by design, as the white exterior of the camera hides a feature that users might enjoy in low light conditions. Unlike many third-party webcams, the Papalook PA552 includes an adjustable ring light that you can use to enhance the illumination of your calls or broadcasts.
If you are in a dark office or workplace, then the ring light included with the PA552 kit is almost essential as it will give you a lighting boost that will make you visible to your audience. You can adjust the light intensity by touching the panel at the bottom of the camera to switch between three brightness levels or turn it off completely.
The webcam has other tricks as well as fancy lights. Like most webcams, the camera is built into a flexible stand that can be attached to PC monitors or laptop screens. However, if you want to place it further away, you can use the included tripod instead, which offers a 75-degree field of view.
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It screws into the webcam base in seconds, allowing you to mount your webcam without attaching it to anything else. The tripod is small, but it can be adjusted, allowing you to adjust the position and focus of the camera as needed.
A microfiber cloth is also included to protect the lens and body from dust and dirt. While not strictly a design feature, it’s a nice touch to help you keep your webcam up and running.
Papalook PA552: Features and Specifications
If you are thinking of purchasing a webcam like the Papalook PA552, then it is important to take a close look at the possibilities that it has to offer. Luckily, the PA552 has all the features you’d expect from a good quality live streaming webcam for casual and professional users.
Many high-quality webcams only offer 720p quality for live streaming, but this is not the case with the Papalook PA552. This impressive webcam delivers 1080p HD video streams and live broadcasts at 30 frames per second (frames per second).
With ring light, you can also compensate for poor lighting, remove harsh shadows, and even out colors in a video or stream. The built-in DSP (Digital Signature Processing) chip will also play a role as it automatically tries to balance colors and exposure for the best video quality.
The PA552 also comes with two noise canceling microphones on either side of the camera lens, which should help reduce excess noise that might be picked up by any calls or streams you make. This is especially important if you are recording video because you want crisp, clear audio for your audience.
To further enhance video quality, the PA552 comes with a fixed focus lens. Instead of worrying about manually focusing the lens, the camera does it for you, making it easier to focus on an important part of your video or stream: yourself.
If you are worried about unauthorized webcam access, you can take it one step further with the Papalook PA552 design. The webcam can be adjusted downward at a 90-degree angle, completely excluding you from the frame and leaving the curious to see your blank screen instead.
Papalook PA552: Software
Papalook PA552 is great for video calling, but it’s designed with real-time streaming in mind. Support for OBS and other streaming software is included, making it a great option for streaming to Twitch and other streaming platforms.
For Windows users, the Papalook PA552 manual recommends downloading and using AMCAP, which can be downloaded from the Papalook website It allows you to test webcam functions, record live video, or take snapshots. You can also use the Windows 10 Camera app to quickly capture videos and photos if you like.
Mac users can use the built-in Photo Booth app instead. This is available to all Mac users and can be launched from the launcher. However, you will need to switch to using the webcam by selecting the Papalook webcam from the Camera menu in the menu bar.
Testing the webcam on macOS and Windows computers went smoothly. The built-in Camera app in Windows 10 and the Photo Booth app in macOS recognized the camera as soon as it was inserted, without additional configuration.
Ring light is not necessary in good daylight, but it will definitely help improve your appearance at night or if your office or workplace has poor ambient lighting. This puts it in direct competition with other ring-lit webcams such as the Razer Kiyo.
While it’s a shame there isn’t a Papalook-branded app to manage your video stream or set up your webcam, you’re well served by a number of built-in camera apps on Windows and macOS, as well as a number of third-party apps including AMCAP for Windows.
You can use other third-party tools for calling, recording videos, or streaming online, from setting up Zoom to streaming live on social media.
Using Papalook PA552: Is It Your Webcam?
Papalook PA552 was not meant to be the best webcam, but it definitely gives it a shot. The PA552 is easy to use, attractively designed, and has all the features you need for regular video calls or live streaming to a wide audience. With 1080p support at 30 frames per second, you can stream high-quality and smooth live streams.
At around $ 90, it also competes well on prices with some of the best live streaming webcams (not to mention features). With built-in ring lights, you can be sure not to look blurry when you start streaming.
After you’ve tested a webcam like the PA552, you won’t want to go back to the low-quality grainy cameras built into laptops or Macbooks anymore. You will be able to make Zoom video calls as soon as you plug in your new camera, but if you are having problems, there are tons of quick solutions to try if things don’t work.
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