Built in isight - resolution

Is there any way to change the resolution and or colors with the pictures taken from the built in isight? My pictures aren't up to par even in a well lit light source compares to others. I was just wondering if there was a way to fix the resolution or the colors. Does anyone also know how many MP the built in isight camera takes? Thanx!

thatgirl718 wrote:
Is there any way to change the resolution and or colors with the pictures taken from the built in isight? ... how many MP the built in isight camera takes?
Welcome to Discussions, thatgirl718
(1) _Camera resolution_ is a function of hardware and cannot be changed. If you do not know your iSight's resolution, you can find it by using QuickTime Pro.
If you don't have QT Pro, use the test explained in this page to find the native resolution of the iSight in your Mac.
If your iSight makes 640x480 images, it is a Ø.3 MP camera. If your images are 1280×1024, your iSight is a 1.3 MP camera.
(2) The _resolution of the images_ iSight can make is separately controlled by each software application used to operate the iSight. You can try some of the other applications from this list to see if they allow increased resolution:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage7.html
(3) As explained in this article, you should use good lighting for the best possible iSight picture:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3097
(4) You can change the _color of images you have already made_ with your Mac's Preview or iPhoto apps. For more controllable or complex adjustments, use image-editing software such as PhotoShop Elements or PhotoShop.
The easiest way to change the color of images that you will capture is by changing the color of the light on your subject. However, you can use iGlasses software to take manual control of several of iSight's functions, including color balance, that are normally automatically operated by the software being used to drive your iSight. If you are interested, see this page:
http://www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/
(Readers who are using Snow Leopard should check iGlasses' compatibility info.)
EZ Jim
“I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link."
G5 DP 1.8GHz w/Mac OS X (10.5.8) PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

Similar Messages

Built in iSight is no longer working after hard drive was replaced

I have a 2008 MacBook Pro that has served me well up until recently.
I had my hard drive replaced about a week ago and now I've noticed that my built in iSight is no longer working.
It doesn't work with any application or on any user.
The green light no longer comes on.
I noticed this the other day on my gmail account, no longer showing the camera icon next to my name when i'm online.
So I tried pulling it up on photobooth and ichat etc...no luck.
What should I do?
Please help.
Thank you.

Take your MBP back to whoever replaced the drive and ask them to resolve the rest of the problem.
(Before taking it in, make a current backup if you have added ANYTHING since you got the new drive)
If you want to try some things on your own before you take it back for professional resolution, here are a couple of relatively simple things you can try:
Reset the SMC. Instructions here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Troubleshoot Flash as Adobe Suggests: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/908/cpsid_90893.html

Built-in iSight vs External iSight

Hello.
I have a late 2008 MacBook Pro with the built-in iSight camera. But also recently found an external iSight camera at an auction website that I might want to buy. How do the quality of the cameras compare?
Also with two cameras attached, am I able to switch between the two while using quick capture in iMovie 09 without stopping the recording?

eightsecond wrote:
... recently found an external iSight camera at an auction website that I might want to buy.
I suggest that you *test any external iSight before you buy*, even if you get a warranty or performance guarantee from a retailer that you know and trust.
Some users who have recently bought used external iSights have posted about their difficulty in the iSight Forum. Here is one example if you do not want to search for yourself:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9015271
External iSight is a great camera, but they are getting old as electronics go, and you have no idea how the one you buy now has been used or treated by its previous owner(s).
I suggest that you buy locally and test any external iSight you are considering on your Mac before you pay for it. That way you know whether it will work, and a local seller may be able to answer questions, if any, about connecting and using iSight before you buy. If you need help with how to make sure an external iSight works, see "How to test your iSight to ensure it is functional."
Even if the external iSight you are considering is advertised as NIB (new, in box) or NOS (new, old-stock), it may not be covered by Apple Warranty. If the seller is not providing you service guarantees or warranty, you may be want to check Apple's iSight Service: Frequently Asked Questions, especially if you cannot test the iSight before you buy to be sure it is working.
Moreover, if you buy an external iSight now, verify whether all connectors, cables, and iSight mounts that you need are included. If some items you need are missing but you still want to buy the iSight, this info may be of interest. (Note that Apple no longer offers the "iSight Accessory Kit, Part Number: M9314G/B" that is mentioned there.)
If you or your Apple Service Technician need but cannot locate something from the discontinued Kit or something from the list in the iSight Service: Frequently Asked Questions page, http://www.synaptech.com can help obtain parts that are still available.
If you consider buying an external iSight sight-unseen from eBay or other internet seller, I strongly suggest that you (try to) get a written guarantee that you can have the iSight examined by your Apple Authorized Service Provider and can have a refund or exchange if the iSight doesn't pass his condition verification.
If you are willing to consider alternatives to a used external iSight, you may find this user tip of interest: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2018211
How do the quality of the cameras compare?
Quality is subjective. You should judge it for yourself by testing.
Here is one comparison example I did some time back. The one on the left is with a built-in iSight, but the current iSights may perform differently.
As is normal for different digital cameras, images comparing two cameras are very different. Which you like better will likely depend on personal taste and may vary with subject matter and lighting conditions. To remove as many variables as possible, I made the following comparison image showing the same subject in the same location during the same video chat using the two different cameras (internal vs external iSight) on same iNtel iMac Core Duo. You can see some of the differences in color balance, sharpening, and contrast settings used by the two cameras. Click the image below if you want a larger picture:
One other possible difference is resolution. All external iSights are 640x480 (Ø.3MP) cameras. I think that all the 2008 MBPs are 1,280x1,024 resolution (1.3MP). To be certain, you can test your MBP's iSight's resolution with QuickTime Pro if you have it. If you don't have QT Pro, use the test explained in this page.
However, depending on which software you use, this resolution difference may not have any practical importance for you. Not all apps can use the higher resolution of the 1.3MP built-in iSights, so there's no need to trade Macs or cameras purely on account of which built-in iSight you have (unless you have a definite need increased resolution.)
Testing is the only real way to determine how images from a particular iSight will look on a particular display when driven by a particular software application. With those tests, each individual can decide whether the image quality is sufficient for his particular need. If higher quality is needed, a good camcorder or digital still camera will give better results than any webcam.
Also with two cameras attached, am I able to switch between the two while using quick capture in iMovie 09 without stopping the recording?
Probably not.
Capturing, converting, processing, and writing video to disk imposes a significant load on your Mac. The exact extent of this load may vary depending on a wide variety of factors including which app(s) you use, the configuration (example: how much RAM is available) of your Mac, which apps are running, how much disk space is available, and possibly even the lighting and complexity of the subject of your recording.
Moreover, although iMovie '09 (iMovie v8.x) can continue to record while a different app is active, not all apps can. For instance, Photo Booth immediately stops recording unless its recording is the currently active window.
Even if you have two apps that each can record in background, trying to process two video streams simultaneously may be beyond your Mac's capability. The only way to know for certain is to test.
EZ Jim
G5 DP 1.8GHz w/Mac OS X (10.5.7) PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

WARNING: EyeTV Nuked My Built-In iSight

Ye EyeTV runners probably already know this, but I just want to let everyone know that a known issue with the current version of Elgato System's EyeTV software is that it nukes both (a) the resolution of video/pictures shot with your built-in iSight, and (b) the effects in PhotoBooth.
The company says the new version (currently in beta) doesn't have this problem, but for TV-watching purposes, that product has issues of its own.
Just so you're forewarned.

Hello Christopher Schuller,
Welcome to Apple Discussions! And thanks for the heads-up.
If you could post any hardware or software that you run on your Mac that may affect the problem and exactly what ElGato said or a link to the issue on their site would be helpful.
I've never heard of this before and appreciate the post. Anyone else w/EyeTV experience problems?
Respectfully,
Bill Gallagher

IMac w/ built in iSight V standalone iSight

Hello,
In a few days time (I can hardly wait!), I will be the proud owner of a 20" iMac iSight. I have a couple of questions, if anyone can oblige:
Is the iMac's iSight better quality than my standalone iSight?
Will I still be able to use my standalone iSight with my new iMac (i.e. override the built in iSight)?
Thanks.
p.s. - Hope that you all have a great Christmas/Hannukah/New Year.
G4 iBook 14 Superdrive - eMac combo 700mhz - 3G 20gb iPod - iSight - Mighty Mouse Mac OS X (10.4.2)
G4 iBook 14 Superdrive - eMac combo 700mhz - 3G 20gb iPod - iSight - Mighty Mouse Mac OS X (10.4.2)

Hello Zach. Although I cannot cite specific facts in answer to your questions, I decided to post in to say congratulations on your new iMac!
Re quality: the published 640x480 dot resolution is the same for both iSights. However some published reviews report that the software has changed to allow operation in lower light levels. You will soon be able to tell us whether you find the changes to be improvements. Please do so.
If you do not get better info here, you might find some of the info in The built-in iSight in the new iMac G5 (iSight) will give you some reading to help the time pass more quickly during your wait.
I KNOW you will have a happy holiday!
Jim

ISight resolution in iChat

Have just got my new iMac and done my first video Chat. I was surprised by the low resolution. iChat 5 displays the resolution in Connection Doctor, and I only got 176 x 144 in and out, although I have a very fast cable modem connection.
The picture quality was visibly lower than on Chats with my old G5 and an external iSight.
Is there any way to control the resolution of the built-in iSight in iChat?

Michael Gordner wrote:
Have just got my new iMac and done my first video Chat. I was surprised by the low resolution. iChat 5 displays the resolution in Connection Doctor, and I only got 176 x 144 in and out, although I have a very fast cable modem connection.
The picture quality was visibly lower than on Chats with my old G5 and an external iSight.
Is there any way to control the resolution of the built-in iSight in iChat?
Hello Michael.
Whenever this happens to me, I shut down everything in the system.
Then I restart the modem and allow its self-test to run. (See users guide for help if needed.)
When the modem test is complete, I restart the router (if you use one) and let its self-test run.
When the router self-test finishes, restart your Mac.
With NO other apps running, launch iChat and verify that your performance is as it should be.
(If you like, you can run http://speedtest.net/ to see if your system is delivering all the speed you are buying.)
Another possibility - if your Mac is new, it may be working hard to index the startup disk, and, possibly, to make its initial Time Machine backup. Both these tasks are processor intensive. Let your Mac run until Spotlight (upper right corner) does not give you an "indexing" message and System Prefferences... > Time Machine does not show that it is making a backup. FYI only-When I first got Leopard, I let my previous Mac run overnight to do this. The process will be quicker with your fast i7.
Enjoy iChat,
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

ISight Resolution on Macbook Pro

I have a Unibody Macbook Pro from last summer (2.8ghz, 500gb HD, 4gb RAM). The iSight camera records in a 4:3 aspect ratio when I use it in Camtasia for Mac - is there any way to get it to record in 16:9, or does the built in camera have a native 4:3 resolution?
If not, maybe I'll need to start a thread about upgrades (just try not to tell me that the 27" Cinema Display would do exactly what I what I'm looking for with its built in iSight camera!).

neilcauldwell wrote:
I have a Unibody Macbook Pro from last summer (2.8ghz, 500gb HD, 4gb RAM). The iSight camera records in a 4:3 aspect ratio when I use it in Camtasia for Mac - is there any way to get it to record in 16:9, ...
No. It will record only 4:3. The only way to change that ratio is to edit it after recording.
... or does the built in camera have a native 4:3 resolution?
Yes.
If not, maybe I'll need to start a thread about upgrades (just try not to tell me that the 27" Cinema Display would do exactly what I what I'm looking for with its built in iSight camera!).
I don't use Camtasia for Mac, but after I have saved a recorded clip from my iSight using iMovie or QuickTime, I can crop the recorded clip to 16:9 in iMovie or resize the video to my desired aspect ration using QuickTime Pro. I would think that Camtasia for Mac would offer capabilities at least as flexible as those.
If your only question(s) is(are) about using Camtasia for Mac, see Camtasia for Mac support:
http://techsmith.custhelp.com/app/answers/list
or search or post for help in Camtasia for Mac's dedicated user community pages:
http://forums.techsmith.com/forumdisplay.php?f=36
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz Mac OS X (10.6.4); MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display; G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11); iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9); External iSight; iPod touch 4.1

Presenter 8 fails using built-in iSight on Bootcamp

Presenter 8 won't work with my Apple built-in iSight camera in Win7 in bootcamp
I have 3 different generations of imac and 1 macbook pro that have the same problem.
Presenter tries to start the camera, the indicator turns on, then after about 20 seconds, it errors out saying the camera is turned off.
If I remove Presenter 8 and re-install 7, it works. If I connect an external USB camera, it works.
I'm caught in the middle on this, as is always the case when I find something weird in my labs.
Neither Apple, or Microsoft, or Adobe seem to care about this because it's a poor configuration. And it is too easy to blame the "Other Guy"!
Please don't tell me I should have bought a windows machine, It wasn't my decision, only my responsibility to maintain.

Hi,
I've been working on computers for over 30 years and it always amazes me how troubleshooting hints are stumbled upon.
Your questions prompted me to check the settings in video creator again. I hadn't previously looked at the resolution settings.
The iSight cameras that were giving me problems are not HD. Changing the setting to SD resolved the issue.
Thanks much for the hint.
Dan

Built-in iSight video is jerky when recorded into iMovie.

Hello,
When I record video in iMovie directly from my built-in iSight, the resulting video is rather jerky - it doesn't look like the frame rate is slow, it's just that if I move my arm quickly, for example, while it may be a smooth motion in real life, the recorded video has little stutters in the motion, almost if some of the frames are out-of-order. I don't have this issue when using iChat - everything looks fine there. I have a MacBook Pro 17-inch (Mid-2009), with iLife '09, Mac OS X 10.6.7, 4 GB RAM, and about 100 GB of free space on my hard drive. Everything is completely up-to-date via Software Update, and I just ran Repair Disk Permissions in Disk Utility last week. The last time I recorded into iMovie, I didn't have any other applications running on the computer, and it still happened. The computer was sitting stationary on a table. I was using a professional microphone through a FireWire interface, and the audio recorded perfectly - it was just the video that had issues. The audio and video stayed perfectly in-sync the whole time, too. The video looked jerky in iMovie immediately after recording, and still looked jerky after being uploaded to YouTube. I've seen other people's videos on YouTube that exhibit this behavior, and they generally look fine if I go down to a lower resolution for playback, so I'm guessing I'm not alone - it could either be an iSight issue or an iMovie issue.

Sorry, I meant when I use the 'Q' command to put the video onto the storyline. I use the Import files to bring the files into my library of videos and it looks fine there before using 'Q' to stack the video onto the storyline. 99 percent of the time it works fine, it just has this flipped error when building multi-video composites, it has never happened when I build a normal video project.

Integrated isight Resolution and Quality.

Hello,
I-ve just bought ( it arrived yesterday ) a brand new Mac Book Pro woth 2,8 Ghz 4 Mb of Ram and so on...
I've been playing around with it a bit just to know my new computer and i noticed the bad quality of the image of the webcam...
It only takes pictures at at the resolution of 640x420 pixel... ( I've also tryed with other program than photo Both )... when I go to check the hardware it says...
Built-in iSight:
Product ID: 0x8507
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 4.19
Serial Number: 8H9C7007F6V23L00
Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Location ID: 0x24400000
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 500
I've read on internet that the
Product ID: 0x8507
It's an old webcm.. is it possible on a brand new computer??
Shouldn't I have a 1.3 Mpx camera??
Thank you for your attention.
Message was edited by: Sp1ke85

Mark Cockram wrote:
I would like to add to this question. I purchased an MBP 13 2.53 manuf June 2009 and a MB manuf oct 2009. When I use skype i see people in gloriuous widescreen but everyone sees me in only 4;3 with black bars down either side. Can anyone explain why this is the case. Do I have an inferior camera?
Thanks
mark
It seems to me that you have found a software feature (limit?) of Skype for Mac, Mark.
This Skype Help page states, in part, that Skype's "High Quality Video will transmit video images at 640x480 resolution at up to 30 frames per second."
http://tinyurl.com/y89568y
640 x 480 is normal (4x3) screen format, not a widescreen one. Moreover, according to this Skype Help page:
http://tinyurl.com/yz8nezk
Skype's "Standard Video" offers a resolution of up to 320X240 pixels (QVGA) at 15 frames per second (fps). 320x240 is also a normal (4x3) screen format.
Based on this info directly from Skype, although your preview monitor image on your Mac may be showing your webcam's full widescreen capability, it appears that neither video quality level in Skype for Mac can transmit widescreen images to your contacts.
IF you have other Skype-specific questions, you may get better and faster help from Skype Help
http://www.skype.com/help/guides/
if you do not not get the answers you need here in this Apple forum. The users who post in the dedicated Skype Community Forums linked in the Skype Help pages may have already answered your Skype related questions for their own use.
See http://share.skype.com/sites/mac/video/ for some examples of more Mac related video info.
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

Is there any way to change the settings for the built in isight camera?

I'm sure someone else has probably already asked this, but is there any way to change the settings for the built in isight camera? The resolution is horrible.

Welcome to  Discussions, Prissymissysays
The last Apple-published resolution data I saw said that iSight's resolution is 640x480 VGA. I do not know of any way to change iSight's resolution, but that level is plenty of quality for my webcam needs.
The software you use to operate your iSight controls it, so specific answers will depend on what software you are using when you need more resolution. Check Help in that application to see if it can change iSight's resolution.
Some software, such as Apple's QuickTime 7 Pro allow you to change iSight's video quality and compression level with its QuickTime Player > Preferences > Recording > Quality: setting. You can add iGlasses software to manually override some iSight settings that are otherwise controlled automatically by the software using iSight. However, I do not think either of these options really changes iSight's resolution.
Check whether your iSight's lens cover has fingerprints or smudges on it. Then check iSight's image quality of your face in full sunlight about two feet from the lens. Best image quality requires more light than what most people would consider normal room lighting.
If you are still having problems, consider the applicable suggestions from How to Troubleshoot iSight.
If you need better resolution than iSight can deliver for some special imaging requirement such as close-up or high-accuracy images, you may need to consider using a different camera that better meets your special needs.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.10) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

Isight resolution

Ok i hsve ne questio that iwas ondering about.... in my macbook pros built in iSight is there any way to make the resolution better?

Actually, iGlasses plugs into the following programs:
iChat AV 2.0 or higher
iMovie 4.0 or higher
QuickTime Pro Player 7.0
Apple Photo Booth
BTV and BTV Pro
SecuritySpy
iSpQ 6.3.1 or higher
Yahoo! Messenger v2.5.3 and v3.0 Beta
QuickTime Broadcaster
EvoCam 3.5 Preview 1 or higher
GCam 1.2 or higher
iVisit
vChat
Web-based video chats via Safari
iCamShare
ohphoneX
ineen
WuffCam
Blog.Mac
Boinx iVeZeen
Boinx iStopMotion
MulleSight
aMSN
Mercury Messenger
SightSpeed
Skype 1.5 BETA (Video Preview) or higher
Journler
Gawker

ISight Resolution...a final reply

I have a macbook unibody end 2008 and I want to know what's the resolution of the built-in iSight? because I read different parts that apple had increased the resolution of 1280x1024 but my webcam isght records at 640x480 ... Why?

cpptnow wrote:
if i record with Quick time x at the maximum quality , the video is still recorded at a resolution of 640x480 ... why?
Because applications control the resolution and other operating functions of your iSight.
Apparently QTX is checking system parameters. The original built-in iSights were 640x480. Some may still be. Are you certain that your iSight's native resolution is 1280x1024 rather than 640x480?
Although I do not know, processor power also may be a determinant. On my MacBook Pro, when saving a movie recorded with my iSight, the QTX File > Save As... menu command options are limited to HD 480p (640x480) maximum. This seems consistent with what you report. However, on my Mac Pro, the same save menu in the same (QTX) app allows HD 720p and HD 1080p in addition to HD 480p.
If you know that your iSight is capable of1280x1024, you could check some of the other apps that can record movie clips with your iSight to see if any of them can give you more resolution than QTX or iMovie. If you do not already have other candidates, you can start with apps from the Movie Capture section of this list:
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage7.html
However, *be sure to test recording quality before doing anything important* to determine whether the higher resolutions overpowers your system's processor or disk storage capability and results in poor quality of recorded videos.
Finally, if you need more resolution and find no better solution, the best and least cost solution may be a compatible digital camcorder or still camera that offers HD movie modes.
you able to register in 1280?
Yes. My Mac Pro can record 1280 using the iSight built-into the Apple LED display that I use with it.
EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.3) MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.3)
LED Cinema Display G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11) iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9) External iSight

IMovie '08: Built-in iSight camera not recognized in Yosemite

On this page
http://support.apple.com/en-us/TS2472
iMovie '08: Built-in iSight camera not recognized
it says:
In Finder, navigate to /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/
Select the file com.apple.mio.VDCAssistant.plist and delete.
Restart your system.
You should now be able to use your iSight camera with iMovie.
However, in Yosemite, it only has this file name
com.apple.cmio.VDCAssistant.plist
and I don't want to delete it as instructed without someone who knows telling me it won't hurt my newly installed and thus far working well OS 10.10.1, with iMovie 7.1.4 on my iMac 24 inch, Early 2008, 2.8 GHz Intel Dore 2 Duo, 2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM. It worked with Leopard, and I don't recall having to use the above mentioned support page.

Contact Apple. I believe you have a hardware issue there if it's not showing up in your System profiler.
Dave M.
MacOSG Founder/Ambassador  An Apple User Group  iTunes: MacOSG Podcast
Macsimum News Associate Editor  Creator of 'Mac611 - Mobile Mac Support'

Built-in iSight will not work with Skype

I have a new Macbook Pro that I purchased about a month ago, running OS
X 10.5.8.
I've been using Skype to video chat, and at first everything was working
very well. In the middle of a chat, however, the video stopped working
altogether.
If I go to the video tab in Skype preferences, the camera will then turn
on and I can see myself, but once I go back to the call, the camera
won't turn on (the green light on my camera stays off too). In video
preferences I have the following options checked: Enable Skype Video,
Automatically receive video from: People in my Contact list, and Show
that I have video to: People in my contact list. I have also tried to
enable the "Start my video automatically" option but to no avail. The
video camera it is set to use is the Built-in iSight.
I have tried reinstalling skype, including deleting all the preference
files on the computer, but that did not help.
The video works fine in other applications such as Photobooth, iMovie and Google Chat. I have browsed through the many Skype forum posts about similar issues, as well as Apple forums and have tried every fix that people have suggested including resetting my SMC, updating all my applications, trying Skype under different user accounts, reinstalling Quicktime, reinstalling Skype (as outlined in the Uninstall guide for mac), repairing permissions, etc.
I am pretty sure that this problem began directly after I switched to
SCREEN SHARING during a video chat. When I switched back to Video, it
did not work.
No other applications that use my camera are running.
I am assuming that since it originally worked with Skype, and since I had not touched ANY of the options in Skype and have done nothing other than try screen sharing, and since I did a complete Skype reinstall includeing preferences, that the problem should NOT be with the Skype program itself, but rather something that was modified in the operating system configuration during screen sharing.
The only other thing I can think of trying is to reinstall iSight, although I haven't been able to figure out how to do that, or to reinstall my entire operating system, which I don't see as an acceptable solution.
I am using Skype Version 2.8.0.659
Any help getting this fixed would be greatly appreciated.
I have posted a similar topic in the Skype forums along with a screen shot of my Skype preferences window: http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=422861
From my online reading in both the Apple and Skype forums, it seems as though this is a relatively common problem. If I can find a solution from either Skype or Apple, I will post the solution in both of the forums.
Update: I just upgraded my OS to 10.6.1 and my camera started working again. Then, I was in a chat and I lost my internet connection. As soon as I got back online I restarted the conversation and the camera doesn't work again. This is getting to be ridiculous.
Thank you for your time,
rystheguy

Hi,
It is years since I tried Skype. (Probably in Tiger)
I use Little Snitch, a utility that can report the ports and IPS any App is trying to contact.
For Video chats it seems the Skype process spreads the load across many "Servers" wanting to connect to about 3 doz (I got fed up with clicking the accept Button)
For this reason I do not think it is very secure.
I only today read a post that said Skype had Screen Sharing.
iChat 5 makes it clear (well if you run /Applications/iChat.app/Contents/MacOS/iChat -errorLogLevel 7 In Terminal) that there is a "camera" setting for the Desktop which may be a forthcoming thing or is about produce the Screen Sharing pic. (i.e iChat lists two "cameras" in the log produced by the above Terminal command).
iChat 4 and 5 use the Apple Remote Desktop engine to do Screen Share as does the Screen Sharing App invoked from the Finders Go Menu > Go to Server and using VNC:// as the Link type.
I would have no idea what protocol Skype are using.
They created their own Video protocols and similar with SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) for Connecting to POTS (Plain Old Telephone Systems) Phones in disregard for Internationally agreed Standards.
I doubt that it makes use of the ARD engine. It will probably be a reinvention of the wheel again.
I took a look around the Skype web site but could not find any mention of how they are doing Screen Sharing.
I would guess it is similar to the iUSBCam method of Desktop as Video Feed.
Do the Console or System Log in Console (Applications/Utilities) have any messages about this ?
9:59 PM Monday; September 21, 2009

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