Jordan's Definitive Guide to Remarkably Awesome Webcam Video

What You're About to Discover

So, you want remarkably awesome webcam video? You want to show up on Zoom with a blurry background, crystal clear video, and skin-flattering light? Despite what your college friend told you, you CAN have it all-- and this short guide will show you how.

How do I know you're interested in this voodoo? Because so many people have asked me how it is that they too could show up on zoom with a more "cinematic" look.

Yes it's geeky, and perhaps it's even a little vain.

Yet here we are.

One thing I can assure you is that people *will* notice you on Zoom and Teams calls.

This video-boosted article will detail every piece of kit I use, but I don't necessarily recommend what I use. My setup was made from my pre-existing stills photography gear. That's why I also will give you a recommended equipment list which will save you some money.

And that saving money aspect might be key, because a there is significant costs involved. I think between $1,000 and $2,000 is a reasonable expectation for the kind of setup we're talking about, though I'll do my best to keep costs to a minimum.

Expensive? Yes. But if you'd spend that much on a dress or suit, then why not on this?

Still interested? Onward then!

My Sitch

1. My camera is a Panasonic g9. There is nothing particularly special about this camera. I had it for regular photography stuff before. The key features you need in any camera you plan to use for this are "clean HDMI out" and decent autofocus (you don't strictly need autofocus at all, but it's a "very nice have").
2. An HDMI cable... this plugs into the camera and it sends a clean video feed down to...
3. An Elgato Camlink 4k. This doodad takes the HDMI video feed coming out of the camera and makes your computer see it as webcam footage. Mine can be a bit fussy— it only works plugged directly into the computer, not through a USB hub. But so far the other options I've tried looked noticeably worse, particularly in terms of skin tone, so I can only recommend this particular model.
4. A USB to USB-C adapter if you have a Macbook like I do. This will go onto the Camlink and then into your usb-c port.
5. The lens is the most important component for beautiful images. Prepare to spend some money here because you need a wide aperture & wide-to-normal focal length lens. That sounds complicated but all it means is you need a lens that lets you keep the camera relatively near to your face and also one that will blur out the background. It turns out, that tends to be an expensive sort of lends. I’m using a crazy specialized zoom lens— the Panasonic 10-25 1.7. But it’s extreme overkill for this situation. I'll give you some better options later.
6. The last thing you need is a way to keep the camera powered on for long periods of time. Pretty much any decent camera will offer and accessory AC adapter that goes into the battery compartment. This particular *is required*. You may find that for whatever camera you buy there are off-brand cheaper power adapters. I suggest paying extra for the one made by your camera manufacturer.
7. You also want to think about improving your audio quality? You'll need a high quality USB mic. I'll give you a recommendation below in the "Q&A" section.

An Artsy Black & White Video Tour of My Setup

Gear Lists (links go to to Amazon or B&H but are not affiliate links currently)

My Micro 4/3 Gear

What I use:

• Panasonic G9
• Leica 10-25 1.7 (Due to the high price and large size, I wouldn't recommend this. But it does offer zoom flexibility, great quality image, and good autofocus.)
• Camlink 4k
• HDMI cable (use one lying around)
• USB to USB-C adapter (if needed)
• Wall outlet power adapter

Recommended Micro 4/3 Gear

What I recommend:

• Panasonic G7
• Sigma 16mm 1.4 (NOTE: this has no zoom, so to change the size you show up, you'll need to move the camera itself further from or closer to you.)
• Camlink 4k
• Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable (you need a slightly different cable with this camera vs the G9)
• USB to USB-C adapter (if needed for you computer)
• Wall outlet power adapter

Q&A

I'll add more stuff here as questions come in...

QUESTION: "But Jordan, what about lighting?"

ANSWER: I use my window, and keep my desk pressed right up next to it. In addition, I keep white sheer curtains on the window that soften the light a little bit. But even without any curtain, this is the best way to get a nice even light. If you can't do this, I'd suggest buying one or two of these: https://www.elgato.com/en/gaming/key-light

QUESTION: "So where is the mic recommendation?"

ANSWER: Right here! You want a USB "dynamic" microphone, NOT a "condenser". I'd recommend this.

The reason you want a dynamic mic is so that it doesn't pick up so much other noise like cars driving by, people talking in the background etc... That means you need to find a way to get the microphone pretty close to your face. Mic stands and boom arms are your friends!

If you have a truly quiet space and you want to keep the mic at a distance, you could try something like this (R?de is my favorite mic company) or the famous Blue Yeti.

Interested in learning more? Connect with or follow me on LinkedIn.