Whether you want to hold a video conversation over the net, record your own video blog or simply take a few snaps of yourself at your desktop, you’ll need a webcam.

Microsoft’s LifeCam VX-3000 is intended to make all the above tasks simple.
Setup is certainly a breeze. Install the software, plug the camera into a USB socket and find a suitable place for it to perch.

The stand folds out to become a grip for fixing it to the top of your monitor. After which a step-by-step software wizard guides you through the rest of the setup in a couple of clicks.

Getting started is slightly complicated by the need to install an instant messenger (IM) program. There isn’t one included on the CD and the setup wizard prompts you to download and install Windows Live Messenger – Microsoft’s latest IM client.

The LifeCam is ‘optimised’ to work with Windows Live Messenger, although in truth this doesn’t mean a great deal and it will function perfectly happily with other IM clients.

If you already use AOL or Yahoo!’s equivalents, then there’s no need to install Windows Live Messenger.

Those fond of tweaking can open up the camera’s Properties settings and fiddle with brightness, hue, saturation and all kinds of other options until they’re happy.
The trouble is that picture quality isn’t very good.

The video resolution (640 x 480 pixels) isn’t particularly amazing and video images (either recorded or streamed live) are smeary and jerky with lots of video noise. Even the 1.3 megapixel still picture was quite poor.

Sound from the camera’s built-in microphone is weak, too. We had to turn the setting up to the max in order for it to pick up the spoken voice. Even then, sound was muffled and out of sync with the image.

In all honesty, webcams aren’t known for their outstanding picture or sound and the VX-3000 is about average for a cam of its price.

It has a few neat extra features, such as a manual focus ring, automatic face tracking and some fun animations that can be added to your videos – just don’t expect broadcast quality.

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Logitech QuickCam Fusion
Overall: A tiny webcam that comes with a good plastic stand which attaches to a monitor. The only drawback is the price; there are far cheaper webcams around, but few that can match the quality of this one.
Rating: 4
Price: £80