Built in iSight Camera - Video Grayed out

Just got a brand new smokin' iMac yesterday but I'm having trouble with the iSight camera that is built in. The video I see is all grayed out. Help!
Bonnie

Check if you can see the lens, it might still be covered. The iSight is placed in the middle on top of your screen. Make sure the iSight has a clear view.
If you have iChat already up and running click on the camera icon next to your name in the buddy list.
Have a look at [this|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1462] brief tutorial that explains how you can use your iSight.

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HT3964 my built-in isight camera will still not work on my macbook pro after completing smc reset. The green light comes on but no video.

my built-in isight camera will still not work on my macbook pro after completing smc reset. The green light comes on but no video.
Any Suggestions?

Restart the computer.

Video recording using the built in iSight camera on a MacBook Pro

Hello,
Where do I find directions to record video using the built in iSight camera on a MacBook Pro?
Thank you,
Deb

Hi macosxlover,
Those are the instructions.
Open iMovie
Move the slider to the camera (use it as a drop down if more than one cam is available)
Press the record button to add the video feed as a clip.
Edit as required.
12:00 AM Monday; June 12, 2006

How can I use the built-in Isight camera with an external camera (usb/firewire) at the same time?

How can I use the built-in Isight camera and an external video camera at the same time?
I'm wanting to stream over Oovoo/Skype/etc. using 2 cameras.
Thanks

Simple question with a not so simple answer.
(a) If you mean that you want to run multiple apps simultaneously using a different camera with each app, you may encounter computing power limitations. Digital video is processor intensive. The only way to know if your Mac can do this it to try it. If the video does not work together but each app works when it it the only app running, you are likely overloading your Mac's ability to process and/or move all the required data in your data bus. You can get a better indication of whether this is the case by watching your Activity Monitor utility while running the apps you want to use.
(b) If you mean that you want to have more than one compatible camera connected to your Mac simultaneously for ease of changing between video sources, some, but not necessarily all, apps you are using to operate your camera(s) allow you to select between your cameras.
How you select among connected cameras depends on which application you are using. Here is how camera selection works in a few examples:
(1) For iChat, you can choose which iSight you use in the "Camera:" choices bar in iChat > Preferences... > Audio/Video that appears when more than one compatible camera is connected. Although your camera choices will be different, the choices bar will look something similar to the Preferences settings shown here:
If you cannot see the "Camera" choices bar, your Mac is recognizing only one (or none) of your cameras. In that case, consider the suggestions fromhttp://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 for iSight problems or refer to your other camera's documentation for help.
This particular choices bar solution applies ONLY to iChat. Most other applications also have settings that allow you to choose which camera to use. However, they do not all work the same way.
(2) For instance, iMovie HD's camera choice is NOT set via Preferences. When you have more than one compatible camera connected, iMovie6 HD uses a drop-down menu choice something like this (depending on which version of iMovie you use):
Note: Because I had no built-in iSight connected when I made this example, and because my external iSight was not connected, the drop-down menu showed only "Time Lapse." Because your Mac has a built-in iSight, your built-in iSight would show in the drop-down menu even when no other camera is connected. Connecting an additional Mac compatible webcam should allow you to choose either camera.
Other iMovie versions work slightly differently.
iMovie 9 (from iLife '11) uses a different camera choice button shown in this article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iMovie/9.0/en/mov39f84285.html
iMovie 8 (from iLife '09) is slightly different as explained in this article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=iMovie/8.0/en/10172.html
In general, you can use your Mac's help for the application in use to find out how to select among more than one connected camera.
(3) Photo Booth in Snow Leopard 10.6.x and later uses the Photo Booth > Camera menu command to select which camera to use.
Note for readers with older Mac OS X: The previous version of Photo Booth that came with Tiger (10.4.x) is such a simple, basic app that it offers no menu selectable choice. Unless your built-in iSight is already occupied as the camera being used by some open application before you launch Photo Booth, Photo Booth will use ONLY your built-in iSight.
However, you can use the trick from ¶ 4 of http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302781 to let Photo Booth use an external camera.
(If you have an external Firewire camera connected, it may be used in preference to any USB webcam. If that is a problem for you, merely disconnect the problem Firewire device.)
(4) For FaceTime, launch the app and click the Video menu item.
If your Mac recognizes more than one connected compatible camera, a "Camera" section listing the cameras from which you can choose will appear there. Clicking on the desired camera name will let you select the one you want as shown in this image from my Mac Pro and LED Cinema Display:
If your Mac recognizes only one compatible camera, the "Camera" section will not appear in the Video menu, but FaceTime will automatically use the connected camera that is recognized by OS X.
(5) I do not use Skype oir Oovoo. For those or other apps, see Help for each app for info on how to select your desired camera.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Built-in iSight cam randomly stopped working. All I get is a green screen!

I used it just yesterday with both Photobooth and iChat with no problems what so ever. Now all it shows is a green screen! Anybody know what the problem may be and how to fix it??? Thanks!
-Jonathon

Welcome to Discussions, -Jonathon
Here are the solutions that help most users who encounter green-screen problems. None are complicated, but the only way to find which one will work for you is to try them one-by-one until you find the one that fixes your Mac.
(1) Check your System Preferences as explained in this kbase article about Built-in iSight camera produces blue or green pictures.
(2) If your System Preferences are set correctly, try every suggestion re: Built-in iSight in the "How to Troubleshoot iSight" article.
Be sure to include the checks for whether the problem is "application-specific" and "user-specific".
If you need help creating a new user account to check whether your problem is "user-specific" during Troubleshooting, see this Help article.
(3) If resetting or the other suggestions do correct your problem, try the following:
• Backup your Home Folder, or at very least, your important files.
• Repair permissions. (Click here if you need help.)
• Then download and apply the Mac OS X 10.4.10 Combo Update v1.1 (iNtel).
• Finish with another Permissions Repair, and then check your iSight again.
Users have reported fixes to a variety of audio, video, connectivity, and software conflicts and unreliability issues after properly applying Combo Updates.
(4) A few iNtel Mac laptop users have also reported success after unplugging their Macs and leaving the battery out for half-an-hour to overnight.
(5) If none of these suggestions help, contact Apple or your Apple-Authorized Service Provider for a professional check.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.10) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

Built-in isight camera suddenly stops to work

Almost one year later after buy a Macbook Pro (Mac OS X 10.5.6), the built-in isight camera suddenly stops to work. It was doing well until now. It's a program and user independent bug. During a video conversation, it just stops. It happens when I use mercury or skype (the only video chat programs I use). And just after, when I try to restart the chat, the program doesn't recognize the camera.
Only when I boot the computer (shut down -> cable unplugged -> battery out -> 5s pressing boot button -> battery in -> cable on -> turn on) the problem is fixed for a while... but then the problem happens agains... the problem occurs after the 4th or 5th time Im using the program...
Any suggestions??? Thank you in advance.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 How to Troubleshoot iSight
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2411 "Your camera is in use by another application" message
my isight camera is not working-not recognised with photo booth or ichat
Are you aware that you marked your post as Solved? That is what the green star means at the top of this thread.
Message was edited by: CMCSK

IMovie 6.0.3 does not recognize built in iSight Camera on new iMac

New iMac, Intel, OS 10.5.4, QT 7.5.
Built in Camera works with Photo Booth, the new iMovie 7.1.3 and iChat.
iMovie HD 6.0.3 or 6.0.4 does not recognize the camera. Opening a new project results in a No Camera Connected error. I have tried selecting various options in the video format drop down when creating a new project. I have repaired permissions, tried it under various users, removed the imovie plist, reinstalled imovie (both 6.0.3 and 6.0.4) without success. All 10 of the new computers are exhibiting this problem.
Any help would be appreciated.

That is not an option that I can select on the imac's. On my iBook under 10.5.4 with iMovie HD 6.0.3 or 6.0.4 I can click on the triangle next to the camera icon and select the built in iSight camera. On the new iMacs that does not work. The built in iSight is not listed as an option.

Built in iSight camera no longer showing up or recognized by iMac

Hello there - I have a white 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac with a built in iSight camera, and the camera is no longer showing up, or is not recognized by the computer any longer. Very strange! The little green LED by the camera is not lit any longer, and the camera is not recognized any longer by Photo Booth, iChat AV, or any of the other apps that would use the camera. This is a real pain, because I am leaving for France in a couple days and am taking my MacBook Pro with me, and am hoping that I can use iChat AV to talk to my kids at home on the iMac. I do have an extra iSight camera that I have hooked up to the iMac and can use in a pinch, but I really want to use the built in camera on the iMac. Any hints / ideas / suggestions on what to do for this problem would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

No, unfortunately that did not help. I did the following...
1. See if the issue is application-specific. - Nope. Camera is not recognized in any of the apps that it should be recognized in, I tested iChat AV, PhotoBooth, ImageCapture, and iMovie.
2. See if the issue is user-specific. - There's only one user account on this Mac, so I couldn't do that.
3. Find out if the computer recognizes the iSight. I went into System Profiler and checked the USB profiler, and the camera does not show up.
4. Reset SMC or PMU. These just looked like different ways of restarting, which I did multiple times.
I have also run my Software Updates (on OS 10.5, which I did with a clean install from an OS 10.5 DVD by the way) and still no camera. This problem started happening with the original OS 10.4 (which it came with) and I was hoping a clean install of the OS would help, but no.
I'm wondering if resetting the PRAM might help, but I can't remember those keys you hold down while restarting (was it Apple-Option-P-R ?) or if that is just reaching waaaaay back to the pre OSX days.
Here's the kicker though - if I plug in a FireWire iSight camera, all is well. I'm really hoping that the camera isn't jsut dead, but it's starting to look that way. Would Disk First Aid or maybe DiskWarrior help?

How to I get the built-in iSight camera to work?

My built-in iSight camera is working but the "capture" button is greyed out and I can't record.

Hi there,
You may want to take a look at some for the troubleshooting steps found in the article below, specifically the section titled "Built-in iSight cameras"
How to Troubleshoot iSight
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2090
Hope that helps,
Griff W.

Can I use my MacBook's built-in iSight camera to record footage in FCE?

I want to know if I can use footage I shot with the built in iSight camera. My regular video camera is not working, and I have some footage taken from my iSight camera. Is there anyway I can use my built in iSight camera in Final Cut Express 4?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2264
you can also capture from your iSight using Quicktime Player and then export the movie for use in FCE

Built in iSight camera quality

I have found that when I turn the built in iSight camera on my MacBook Pro for video through Yahoo, AIM or even Photo Booth, the auto setting results in an image which is too dark. When I put my thumb over the camera and let go, the image looks good until the auto white balance "corrects" the image and I'm back to a dark image.
Do I have a faulty camera, is it a faulty system, is there any adjustment I can make?
TIA

I find the internal iSight cameras, in both the MBPs and iMacs, have difficulty in many situations where lighting isn't perfect. So try increasing the available lighting, especially to your facial region. Additionally, try getting closer to your camera if you can. Sounds odd but I think part of the lighting calcluation is lighting from your display.

MacBook pro does not recognize built in iSight cam even after restart/ reset

After years of using Sony hdr500 video cam, iMovie stopped recognizing it and then stopped recognizing the built in iSight cam as well. Now photo booth does not see it either. I have restarted the computer to reset SMC and that did not resolve the problem. I would appreciate any help offered. Thanks JJMANN

see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1151 Check cables, connections, too many devices, etc., suggested there.
If your issue persists, try these steps:
Shut down the computer.
Disconnect all devices and cables except the keyboard and mouse cable(s).
Disconnect the computer from the power outlet and wait for 3 to 5 minutes.
Plug the computer back in and turn it on.
Reconnect the device(s) (one at a time if there is more than one) and test. Test with each port if you have more than one.
With all you have already done, if no USB devices are recognized or work on your Mac after you have also considered all the above, you likely have a hardware problem. Contact Apple or an Apple-Authorized Service Provider for service.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
MBP 15" i7 (Early'11) OSX 10.7.3 13" MBP (Mid'09) 2.26GHz OSX 10.7.3

Built in iSight Camera dark

My built in iSight camera stays dark even though every light in the room is on.Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Hi, you can d/load iGlasses
it just needs iGlasses. Apply easy preset settings and fun effects to your ... iGlasses also activates video conferencing on G3 computers which fall below ...
www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/
The iSight is not a high quality digital camera, it is mainly for iChat etc..L

Change preferences for built-in isight camera?

I have a MacBook Air Rev C, 120GB, and it has a built-in isight camera. I wanted to change the video settings as I look really dark on camera and looked for isight in Applications and couldn't find it. Is that because you can't change any settings for isight camera?

applecore_eater wrote:
... I look really dark on camera ...
Add light to the room is the best fix: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3097
iSight apps adjust automatically when your video area is bright enough.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.2) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.2)
LED Cinema Display G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

Can I adjust built-in iSight camera angle?

Hi, I'm considering to buy iMac G5 (iSight), since I'm so impressed by my first iPod (w/ video).
So I'm pretty new to Apple computer.. please understand.
Question is ;
Can I adjust built-in iSight camera angle?
Left-Right, or Up-down?
Or it's just fixed?
Thanks in advance.

As posted by Kayle, the camera is fixed on the front panel but you can easily adjust it's "view" by rotating the iMac on it's pedestal; right/left or up/down. I have done this and don't notice a significant difference in the angle of the display after doing so. What I mean is, a change of a few degrees of the display (up/down or side to side) isn't really noticeable when looking at the display, but makes a real difference in what the camera takes in (your face, vs you chest level, or over your shoulder).
If you want the camera pointing 30 degrees off the straight ahead position, while looking at the display straight on, you would be better off with an externally mounted camera.
I also love my new iMac.
kayjh
iMac iSight 20, 1.5Gb RAM | iPod Video 60GB White Mac OS X (10.0.x)

Built in iSight Camera - Video Grayed out

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