Verdict
The Obsbot petite 2 Lite is the cheapest gimbal - controlled webcam I ’ve occur across , but scarcely any sacrifices are made to strike this price . If you want to step up your streaming setup with some motion - controlled camera action , this is one of the best options around .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
While the Insta360 Link might be the humanity ’s most famous gimbal - controlled webcam , Obsbot beat it to the lick , launching the Obsbot Tiny back in 2020 , and the supersized Obsbot Tail back in 2019 . With all this experience under its belt , it ’s safe to say that Obsbot knows how to make a great webcam , and with the introduction of the Tiny 2 Lite , this technical school is now more low-cost than ever .
Just like theInsta360 linkup , this webcam can track you and autonomously follow you around the elbow room . It can also be set to aim at predetermined location , show top - down desk views , whiteboards and more . The big dispute here is the cost . It starts at just $ 179/£149 – making it a fraction of the price of cameras like the Link and Tiny 2 .
The question is , what nook had to be write out to hit such a tempting price point ? And does this stipped - back version still provide enough to be a compelling pick for both pennon and television league users . I ’ve been using it for the retiring few weeks in an attempt to come up out .
Design and Features
Outwardly , the Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite count quite similar to the Obsbot Tiny 2 , only it ’s missing the status indicant LED bar on the front . There ’s still a small guide indicator at the top leftfield of the crystalline lens , and this will flash to let you make out it has acknowledged your gesture controls . When the camera goes to sleep , it automatically point at its base so you know you ’re not being spy on .
Despite being called lilliputian , it ’s much larger than the Insta360 Link , but believe this is a webcam that ’s intend to spend most of its time on your computer monitor , portability is n’t much of a concern .
Another variety is with the hop on solvent . On the petite 2 , the adjustable monitor mount was a separate musical composition , but on the Lite , it ’s incorporate , just like the Insta360 Link . It still has a 1/4 - 20 tripod yarn for attaching it to a tripod or other photographic supplement , so in practice , there ’s no conflict in its versatility .
It connects to your microcomputer with a removable USB - degree centigrade cable , and the boxwood follow complete with a USB - C to C line , along with a USB - ampere-second to USB - A arranger to ensure maximal compatibility with notebooks and desktops .
The Tiny 2 Lite has a 2 - axis vertebra gimbal , just like the more expensive flyspeck 2 . This intend it can pan and tilt but there ’s no roller axis , so it wo n’t automatically level your horizon like the Insta360 Link . For the most part , this does n’t matter , your monitor should be pretty level already , and most tripod also feature level adjustment .
It ’s only a downside if you want to use your webcam to shoot perpendicular content . The Insta360 Link can go around the camera 90 degree for vertical shooting , and that ’s just not possible here .
you’re able to crop into a vertical frame using the Obsbot Center software , but you ’ll be lose a lot of caliber in the process . That allege , I ’m not sure how often people are using webcams for erect videos , I ’d opine using a telephone set is much more vulgar .
Performance and Video Quality
The Tiny 2 Lite has a smaller sensor than its more expensive sibling , it ’s a 1/2 - inch unit rather than a 1/1.5 - inch . This does , however , agree the size of it of the importantly pricier Insta360 Link .
The comparatively small sensor size mean that you do n’t get much of a raw background blur , unless you keep back something right up close to the crystalline lens . However , the sensor is still much big than the absolute majority of webcams , and as a upshot , it provides fair video with less noise in gloomy - light situation .
alas , I do n’t have the received diminutive 2 on hand to liken , but I have been using the Insta360 Link as my primary webcam for the last couple of eld . Compared to the connection , the diminutive 2 Lite looks just as detailed but with slightly less contrast and a wider dynamical range .
If you kick it into HDR mode , that dynamic range gets even more impressive , rule in highlight item from even the most heavily backlit scenes . The Link also has a HDR mood , but it maxes out a 1080p result , while the Tiny 2 Lite can pip HDR in 4K.
Overall , I incline to prefer the image from the Obsbot , my skin tone looks more natural and the low default demarcation means that it retains more tincture entropy . Both look great , and with some options tweaking you could get them depend very standardised , but collapse that the Tiny 2 Lite is so much chintzy , it ’s an impressive showing .
AI subject trailing has a standardized storey of reliability to the Link , and it sometimes does a better job , although its maximal move speed seems to be slightly low . There ’s a good range of question on both axes and the camera can spin around almost 360 degrees on its base . Autofocus also competes with the pricier Insta360 television camera , it ’s truehearted and reliable , pure if you like to showcase product by holding them up to the camera .
There are dual omnidirectional microphones set on the front , and they sound quite decent , by webcam standards . They ’re never give-up the ghost to replace a consecrated microphone for streamers and message creators , but for the odd Zoom call , they do the occupation nicely . There does n’t seem to be support for voice command this clock time , but that ’s no major loss , as the gesture ascendance works excellently .
Software
The Obsbot petite 2 Lite employ the same background software as the flyspeck 2 , it works with both Mac and PC and it ’s very comprehensive . Of course , you get full control over the gimbal position , AI trailing modes and preset angles but you also get a stack more control over the image than I was expecting .
The software system allows you to switch over between facial expression and global priority for autofocus and photograph , or if you favour , you could take full manual control of the options . There are also curb to tweak the line , vividness , hue and sharpness , if the received image is n’t to your liking .
Beyond that , you could apply filter , glaze over your background and you get the most comprehensive selection of beauty filters that I have ever get along across . It ’s not something that I ’d ever want to use , but they ’re a popular choice in some markets and the largeness of options here is wild .
you could do anything from dentition whitening to changing face and consistency flesh , you could even make your pegleg longer . Some effects are more convincing than others , and it ’s easy to make yourself look very , veryweird . I had quite a lot of fun with it .
There ’s also support for the Obsbot Tiny Smart Remote 2 , which is sold separately for around $ 59 . This accouterment looks like a TV remote , and it allows you to control all the basic functions wirelessly . For most hoi polloi , the computer software will work just ok , but if you have majestic broadcast dream that require a removed robot photographic camera operator , this could be very handy .
The standard software throng in more than enough feature film for anything I can imagine doing with the webcam , but if you desire to take thing even further , there ’s a good amount of reenforcement for external applications programme . you could verify the camera occasion with an Elgato Stream Deck ( or you will be capable to when the plugin is updated ) and you could also control the television camera with the OSC communications protocol .
To be honest , the OSC control stuff is a petty advanced for me , but as I understand it , it intend you could insure the camera using some serious program equipment . This means it could be an likeable option for those working in professional broadcast environments .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
This is the most low-cost webcam with pan and tilt control that I ’ve come up across so far , and the fact that there are very few compromise made to make this price hit it a very appealing option .
With a 1/2 - inch sensing element , you ’re not going to get much natural bokeh , you ’ll require to appear at webcam with large sensors for that including some of those in ourbest webcamlist .
Final Thoughts
The Obsbot midget 2 Lite has affect me on all fronts . Not only is it one of the crummy gimbal - controlled webcam uncommitted today , but it ’s also one of the best . It easily rival theInsta360 Linkin image quality , autofocus , tracking and features , but it does so at a fraction of the toll .
The only thing it really miss is a roll axis . This intend there ’s no automatic celestial horizon levelling , and no support for aboriginal vertical shooting , but most streamers are n’t likely to care about those too much .
Personally , I would do it to see a larger sensor used to make some backdrop separation , but that ’s still amazingly rare in the webcam market – and it ’d no doubt drive up the price . If that ’s what you ’re looking for , the best option is in all probability theDJI Osmo Pocket 3 in webcam musical mode , but that ’s a much more expensive solvent .
If you ’re looking for a webcam that can mechanically follow you around the elbow room , the Obsbot bantam 2 Lite is easy to recommend , the quality is great and the monetary value is even better . Even if you ’re not that nark about the motion controls , the character here gives similarly priced 4 super acid rivals a run for their money .
Trusted Score
How we test
Used as my main webcam for weekly meetings and general remote workings use for a couplet of weeks .
Used for more detailed study on a tripod , moving it around the room and presenting meeting note remotely .
Tested for multiple day during normal workplace margin call and presentations
Compared to similar webcam rival
FAQs
The Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite connects with a obliterable USB - C cable , and it also come with a USB - A adaptor to maximise compatibility .
Yes , the Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite has a 1/4 - 20 threaded climb on its root word , so it ’ll work with tripods as well as other photographic accessory .
