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Technical Details
Color: Blue
- 1.3 Megapixel Photos To Share With Friends & Family
- Built-in Microphone Automatically Picks Up Your Voice
- Superior Low-light Performance
- World Class VGA Optics
Product Details
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Product Description
Color: Blue
From the Manufacturer
Introducing the Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 – Featuring Windows Live compatibility, World Class VGA Optics, superior low-light performance and a fun flexible design. Share more experiences with family and friends. Optimized for Windows Live and Windows 7, the LifeCam Cinema also works with Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Skype for video calls and messaging.
Product Features:
Share more
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Hear more
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Fun, Flexible Base
* Echo cancellation available with Windows Vista, Windows Live Messenger, and Microsoft® Office Communicator. |  |
How to Make a Video Call:
With a simple calling interface and integration with Microsoft LifeCams, you'll find that video calling is the next best thing to being there. It's easy, it's free, and you can get started today. All you need is a PC, an Internet connection, an ISP, a webcam, and a friend. Then follow the steps below to make a video call.
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| Step 1 Buy and install a LifeCam. Don't have one? Start shopping. | Step 2 Sign in to your Windows Live™ Messenger account or other messenger service that supports video calls. | Step 3 Once you are signed in you can either choose a contact on the Instant Messenger window, or press the video call button on your webcam. Then click the Video link to start a video call. |
Find a Webcam That's Right for You:
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| Webcam | LifeCam Cinema | LifeCam Show | LifeCam VX-5500 | LifeCam NX-3000 | LifeCam VX-5000 | LifeCam VX-2000 | ||||||
| Video Sensor | 720p HD | 2.0 MP | VGA | VGA | VGA | VGA | ||||||
| Photo Size | 8 MP | 8 MP | 1.3 MP | 1.3 MP | 1.3 MP | 1.3 MP | ||||||
| Focus Type - Always Focused means that no fine tuning is needed as the webcam is always in focus from a depth of 21" to 60" | Auto Focus | Always Focused | Always Focused | Always Focused | Always Focused | Fixed Focus | ||||||
| Digital Zoom - delivers realistic, up-close-and-personal video, so you can see the contours of every smile | 5x | 5x | 3x | 3x | 3x | 3x | ||||||
| Wide-Angle Lens - the 71 degree wide angle lens ensures no one gets left out of the pictures | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||
| Built-In Microphone - a built-in unidirectional microphone cancels out acoustic noise and echo for crystal-clear audio | Digital, Noise-Cancelling | Noise-Cancelling | Noise-Cancelling | Noise-Cancelling | Noise-Cancelling | Noise-Cancelling | ||||||
| Fits Laptops or PCs | Both | Both | Both | Laptops only | Both | Both |
LifeCam VX-5000 System Requirements:
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Recommended Accessories:
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| Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 Headset | Microsoft LifeChat LX-2000 Headset | Microsoft LifeChat LX-1000 Headset |
Product Description
Introducing the Microsoft LifeCam VX-5000 – Featuring Windows Live compatibility, World Class VGA Optics, superior low-light performance and a fun flexible design. Share more experiences with family and friends. Optimized for Windows Live and Windows 7, the LifeCam Cinema also works with Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Skype for video calls and messaging.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
421 of 431 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Blue|Amazon Vine™ Review
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This camera is worth buying in this price range for people who generally use Windows Live products (messenger, etc) and normally do basic web cam sessions with a resolution no greater than 640 x 480. If you'd like to do full screen video using other software like Skype, you'll want to get a higher end Microsoft camera or something like the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 (my favorite). I've been using the Quickcam Pro 9000 for the past year and have really liked it, however, it seems to be at least double the price of this MS camera. One downside to this Microsoft camera is that the microphone can be a bit faint and the sound can be a bit off. That said, unless you have high expectations for crystal clear web cam chats, then I can certainly recommend this camera for people mainly interested in ease of use with Windows Live Messenger and other Instant Messaging programs. It was easy to install and is extremely easy to use. I recorded this video in 320x240 resolution using the included software. Thanks and have fun shopping!
203 of 207 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Blue
Microsoft's LifeCam VX-5000 is a good all around webcam at a reasonable price. While some of the features are improvements, this is not the highest end model you can get and not even the top of the line in Microsoft's line-up. You may have to do some more research and demanding users will want to step up. But for those that are looking for the best bang for their buck, this model should definitely be in the running.
Pros
+ Good Price for basic webcam
+ The flexible base is probably the best design out there for working with a variety of monitors, including laptops, flat screens and traditional monitors
+ The included software is very easy for non-techies to install and configure using simple buttons
+ Ability to zoom, pan and tilt are nice, though now standard, extras
+ Easy settings also allow for easy video effects
+ Advanced features are just a click away, allowing customized settings
+ For those who want to do IM and chat, this seems to be tightly integrated with those applications and Windows Live
+ Integrated Microphone is a nice feature and one less thing for your desk
+ Nice indicator light alerts you to when webcam is capturing
+ The options to take a snapshot, record video or record sound are nice and useful for basic multimedia stuff
+ Nice range of model accent colors: i.e. Blue, Green and Red
Cons
- Video quality perhaps not good enough for professional (work) use yet
- The video capture (listed at 30 frames per second) still seems to perform too slowly to capture fast movement (try waving your hand)
- The microphone sensitivity is average and the camera must be directed at you for it to capture sound adequately
- The highly touted low light performance and auto-adjustment works slowly and not as well as the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000
- The software installation includes too much scumware, adware and software for chatting and other things you may not want; just more stuff to remove
- The 640 X 480 video resolution does not easily scale to full screen and won't satisfy demanding users
Comparing Against The Alternatives
Yep, despite some strong points, this guy still has a lot of cons. If you are a basic user many of those cons will be irrelevant in light of the excellent price. Most of my main points are highlighted in the pros and cons. But there are a few points that need emphasis.
The Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000 offers a *true* 2.0 megapixel sensor, while this guy only gives you 1.3 megapixels, and those are interpolated which basically means they are not based on the direct sensor but are *enhanced* from the VGA resolution that is captured by the camera. So one would expect the VX7000 to capture video better. Similarly, the Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000 captures high definition video at twice the video resolution. Either of those might be options, but each at slightly higher price tags.
If you really want a very clear picture and don't mind spending twice as much, then the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is worth looking into. It definitely has a better auto-adjustment feature than the VX-5000 and also sports Zeiss optics for those that are into that. The Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF is another high end camera that also has some auto-focus features at a higher price tag, around $100. Do your research depending upon your needs.
While it's not really a con, all three versions of the VX-5000 camera that I've seen look black. The accent color is not very noticeable. So my advice is to just get the cheapest one. They are selling at different prices and the prices fluctuate so you will definitely want to watch them carefully.
If you need an inexpensive webcam and don't need high definition video, this unit is one of the best options. More demanding users should step up to higher end Logitech and Creative units.
Enjoy!
Pros
+ Good Price for basic webcam
+ The flexible base is probably the best design out there for working with a variety of monitors, including laptops, flat screens and traditional monitors
+ The included software is very easy for non-techies to install and configure using simple buttons
+ Ability to zoom, pan and tilt are nice, though now standard, extras
+ Easy settings also allow for easy video effects
+ Advanced features are just a click away, allowing customized settings
+ For those who want to do IM and chat, this seems to be tightly integrated with those applications and Windows Live
+ Integrated Microphone is a nice feature and one less thing for your desk
+ Nice indicator light alerts you to when webcam is capturing
+ The options to take a snapshot, record video or record sound are nice and useful for basic multimedia stuff
+ Nice range of model accent colors: i.e. Blue, Green and Red
Cons
- Video quality perhaps not good enough for professional (work) use yet
- The video capture (listed at 30 frames per second) still seems to perform too slowly to capture fast movement (try waving your hand)
- The microphone sensitivity is average and the camera must be directed at you for it to capture sound adequately
- The highly touted low light performance and auto-adjustment works slowly and not as well as the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000
- The software installation includes too much scumware, adware and software for chatting and other things you may not want; just more stuff to remove
- The 640 X 480 video resolution does not easily scale to full screen and won't satisfy demanding users
Comparing Against The Alternatives
Yep, despite some strong points, this guy still has a lot of cons. If you are a basic user many of those cons will be irrelevant in light of the excellent price. Most of my main points are highlighted in the pros and cons. But there are a few points that need emphasis.
The Microsoft LifeCam VX-7000 offers a *true* 2.0 megapixel sensor, while this guy only gives you 1.3 megapixels, and those are interpolated which basically means they are not based on the direct sensor but are *enhanced* from the VGA resolution that is captured by the camera. So one would expect the VX7000 to capture video better. Similarly, the Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000 captures high definition video at twice the video resolution. Either of those might be options, but each at slightly higher price tags.
If you really want a very clear picture and don't mind spending twice as much, then the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 is worth looking into. It definitely has a better auto-adjustment feature than the VX-5000 and also sports Zeiss optics for those that are into that. The Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF is another high end camera that also has some auto-focus features at a higher price tag, around $100. Do your research depending upon your needs.
While it's not really a con, all three versions of the VX-5000 camera that I've seen look black. The accent color is not very noticeable. So my advice is to just get the cheapest one. They are selling at different prices and the prices fluctuate so you will definitely want to watch them carefully.
If you need an inexpensive webcam and don't need high definition video, this unit is one of the best options. More demanding users should step up to higher end Logitech and Creative units.
Enjoy!
59 of 61 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:Blue
The life cam seems to me to be a better camera especialy in lo light areas around your computer. It has shown me a clearer and brighter picture than my old HP. The one thing I was very upset about it when you down-load the CD that comes with it, it atomaticaly down-loads a bunch of un nessasy crap that slowed my computer down considerably every time I booted up my computer. I had to uninstall the whole program and go directly to Microsoft, find the correct boot-up program and reinstall the program from there. This could take you around 45minutes to a hour and I have a brand new top pf line core two duo. This became a whole lot of spam sales garbage that no one should have go through with out their concent!! I hope taging on this garbage to any little thing you buy STOPS or I would consider not buying anything else from Microsoft!Brian W.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Satisfied. Good product for the price paid.
This little webcam was a surprising bargain! A great price and a good working unit. Unfortunately we have an older laptop and it does not run it as well as I'm sure a newer one... Read more
Published 2 days ago by R. A. Behrens II
Great camera
Product works well and arrived on time in good condition. Easy set up, so far have been using it for a few weeks no complaints. Thinking about buying one for family and/or friends.
Published 9 days ago by RRW
Good
First time I bought Microsoft webcam ,it works very well.My wife likes Microsoft mouse better than Logitech, so I bought this one for her,we like it.
Published 13 days ago by Feng Zhao
Perfect
I bought this as a gift for my aunt so we could video chat. It worked perfectly and has given us a chance to reconnect. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Kris
Nice, economical webcam.
Audio pick up is very clear and image is great. Plugged in and running within 2 minutes. Microsoft items may cost a bit more but functionality and compatibililty cannot be... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jamie Washtock
Great little camera.
What more could a simpleton like me need. Easy to set up and never had an issue. It does video chat on Skype well and my 10 year old cousin had hours of fun with the face altering... Read more
Published 3 months ago by nickm
Good for a cheap webcam
I bought this webcam for my grandmother. It was easy to install and the quality was very good. I especially liked the button on top though i wish it was programable or at least... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Rodney
Awesome
This was my first webcam and its great. I wasn't sure if certain OS had webcams that went with it but this worked for my Windows 7. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Cenedra
Awesome clarity!
We purchased for Christmas gifts so we could see our children & grandchildren that live so far from us. The picture is as if we were sitting across from each other. Amazing! Read more
Published 4 months ago by vablessed
Very happy with this product!
I bought this webcam for my sister since we Skype on a regular basis, and she was having problems with the one on her laptop. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Heather
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