Sharpness of iSight Camera

I am unhappy with the clarity of my iSight camera when sending video emails. I have tried sitting at various distances, but none of them are acceptable. I have used other cameras that are much better. Is there a way to adjust the focus of my iSight camera for a sharper image?
Thanks for your suggestions!

Hello Steeler Nation,
And Welcome to Apple Discussion!
Sorry to hear your not happy with your isight. Just a couple of questions to clarify(no pun intended) what you are experiencing. You are using the iSight cam to record short clips and are then attching them to email?
Have you tried more light?
Asuming so, you might try iGlasses found here:
http://www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/
to see if that works on their free trial, but you also could have a possible focus problem.
If possible perhaps you could send me a short clip to demo what the clairty looks like. Or if not, additional details might help.
Respectfully,
Bill Gallagher

Similar Messages

  • 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'

  • Can't capture video using iSight camera in QuickTime 7.4 (92)

    OK, I see that there are plenty of "bugs" with Quicktime Version 7.4 (92), but I don't see the problem I am having, posted anywhere. Here goes...
    I cannot capture video using my [Firewire] iSight camera on my CoreDuo MacMini. I definitely used to be able to do this. When I go to File>New Movie Recording, I get a back/blank Movie Recording window and that's it. I click on the Red/Record button and nothing happens. The timer doesn't even advance. Just sits there. When I try to stop the recording, I get the following message:
    *"Recording failed because no data was received.*
    *Make sure that the media input source is turned on and playing."*
    I can still capture audio, although had some problems and had to "downgrade" to version 7.3.x and subsequently reinstalled 7.4. Now the audio works but still no video.
    A few things:
    1. YES, the iSight camera works - I can use it in iMovie, iChat, Photobooth, etc. - for both video and audio.
    2. As I mentioned, I tried "downgrading" (using "Pacifist") but still no video.
    3. I re-installed Version 7.4 and the audio problems cleared up, but again, still unable to capture video.
    3. All software updates installed.
    Any ideas???
    Thanks!

    "As I mentioned, I tried "downgrading" (using "Pacifist") but still no video."
    See QuickTimeKirk’s posting in the following thread:
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1357579&tstart=0
    Try the following:
    Trash com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
    It's located in your account:
    HD/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
    Delete the file, restart (a new .plist will be created) and quicktime hopefully will work again w/o doing an Archive & Install.
    +If you want to do an A&I:+
    Do an archive and install of your OS from the OS disc. Stop at the QT upgrade you need.
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301270 Scroll down to "Archive and Install”
    IMPORTANT: Maker sure you select "preserve user preferences and data" when you performed the A&I?
    Good luck!

  • How do I attach my iSight camera to my Apple Cinema Display?

    I've just bought two iSight cameras, and found nothing in the accessory kit with them that would allow me to attach the camera to my Apple Cinema Display. This is because the back of the Cinema Display is beveled rather than flat, so the flat base of the accessories won't set firmly.
    Does anybody have a solution for this?

    Robert,
    Isn't it it nice to have your issues solved.!!
    I was wondering if you would help us out, & mark you posts so that this message on top of your threads are gone:
    "This question is "Helpful" answers available: 2. "Solved" answers available: 1"
    Thought this might be appropriate reading, regarding those Helping You to Solve Your issues.
    Answers, Helpful and Solved
    Marking simply as Answered does not award points.
    You are the Original poster and only you can do this.
    Thanks, for your Time and effort !!
    Eme

  • How do I use my isight camera live?

    I have a 27 inch Imac. How do I use my Isight camera as a web cam? I have flashplayer 10, but it still won't work. Help?

    Software always operates webcams, so you need to find software applications that does what you want.
    Use your Mac's  > App Store... menu command to search for "webcam"
    (without quotation marks).
    You can also search for other terms like "video chat",  "video conferencing",  "video surveillance", etc.
    If you need other functions, some of the older apps in the list in this link are also still available:
      http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage7.html
    BTW, Flash 10 is out of date for OS X 10.7.2.
      • You can find the latest Flash version that works with you system using this page:
          http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
    If you update, use your Mac's Disk Utility to repair permissions.  Then follow Adobe's instructions here: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/908/cpsid_90893.html
    Be sure to uninstall your current Flash player before installing the new one.
    Repair permissions again immediately following installation of the updated Flash player.
      • Be aware that the current Flash Player Preferences can  be configured in your Lion Mac's  > System Preferences...    These settings may be blocking Flash on a system-wide basis.
      •  Individual Flash settings are still configured in the same way as older versions:
          http://tinyurl.com/5kjv3
    Message was edited by: EZ Jim

  • How do I activate my Isight camera to take an image of my gift card?

    How do I activate my Isight Camera to take an image of my Gift card so I can redeem it?
    The camera sees the card OK, but I don't know how to make it take an image.
    Please help.
    Greg.

    I don't think that you can do it with older MacBook's which have iSight cameras on them, the redeem by camera lists requirements as :
    Mac with a FaceTime camera (an Apple Display with FaceTime works too)
    I think that you will need to manually enter the card's code

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Battery wont charge and isight camera wont turn on-macbook, battery wont charge and isight camera wont turn on-macbook

    i bought a macbook from a guy and when i started it up... surprise it wont turn on if its not connected because the battery is not being detected.... then what i checked first was photobooth surprise the isight camera is not working... i searched in internet about smc but i do not understand it.... is there a way to recover it using the cd?

    Try resetting the PMU - Resetting MacBook and MacBook Pro System Management Controller (SMC). If you have no success then you'll need to take it in for service or replace the AC adaptor if it's gone bad.

  • ISight camera "in use by another application"

    Hello. I'm having trouble using my built-in iSight camera in my brand new MacBook Pro. I can get the thing to work while using iMovie 08, but it won't work with Photo Booth, iChat, or iMovie HD. The very first day I had the computer, it worked with Photo Booth, so I'm fairly certain it's a software problem. I've loaded a ton of software.
    The error message I get for iChat and Photo Booth is "Photo Booth cannot open because no camera is attached or the camera is in use by another application." It isn't. I swear.
    After reading through a bunch of posts, here's what I've tried:
    1. Reinstalling QuickTime
    2. Updating the OS
    3. Rebooting
    4. Repairing permissions
    5. Deleting the Photo Booth preferences
    6. Zapping the PRAM
    7. Resetting the CMU
    8. Logging in through a brand-new user account
    9. Checking to make sure the camera shows up under the About This Mac/More Info section
    10. Trashing everything I can find related to the HP Scanner software (though I'll need that again in the future)
    11. Getting rid of other devices listed under the Image Capture folder in my Library
    12. Re-installing Photo Booth
    13. Calling Apple Support. They gave up and told me to "archive and reinstall," but after spending several weeks installing software, I don't want to do that. Archiving and reinstalling is a pain in the butt. They also offered to "escalate" the issue, but after 1.5 hours on the phone, I decided to try back another day.
    In the meantime, I wanted to see if anyone else had some advice.
    It feels like the old days of OS 9 extensions conflicts. But I'm just not sure how to problem solve these things. Like, for example, if it IS a problem with HP scanner software, how do I get rid of all of it? Might it be a problem with having both iMovie HD and iMovie 08 on the same computer...? How can I systematically problem-solve this thing?

    Welcome to Apple Discussions, schmargle
    I think you are on the right track. The fact that you have "loaded a ton of software" makes me think possible conflicts.
    For your HP issue, parkersal's solution at http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=4246676#4246676 might help you. In addition to some more details about parkersal's tip, you can find some other users' suggestions in Shelia Addison's sightless iSight ... thread.
    If HP is not your only problem, your quickest fix may to be an Erase (your entire startup disk) and Install (of the OS.) Update to the latest version, and test your iSight before you install anything else to be sure it works. Then install the additional software you need one-by-one, testing iSight between each one to make certain you know which one is breaking it.
    EZ Jim
    PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.1)  External iSight

  • Kisight: How do I get my iSight working ?  Trouble Shooting an iSight Camera.  (Version 3)

    Replacement for the second draft of this Thread   (To be removed if Published as Tip)
    kisight: How do I get my iSight working ?
    Trouble Shooting an iSight Camera.  (Version 3)
    Hi,     On many subjects Apple has Articles and Documents that can help.
    In some case they are written by an Engineer or similar and can miss the mark for the average user.
    In other cases they are crafted, detailed responses to an issue that has popped up many times in the Apple Discussions and take the best from many responses in those User-to-User Discussions, creating something that can not be surpassed.
    This is the case of the Apple Article HT2090 on Trouble Shooting an iSight.
    It lists steps and processes to go through for both Internal iSights and External ones.
    However as with most things it does sometime pay to reword things differently so that people grasp the points in language they understand.
    The info here is a reworking itself of two pages at ralphjohns.co.uk/EZ Jim pages namely EZ JIm's page 2 Where can I Find Help With My iSight ? and his page 4, How Can I Test My iSight is Completely Functional ?  which were written several years ago and predate the Apple Article, being aimed at the External iSight.  They have been updated since to address the Internal iSight as well but some of the comments are useful between the two types.
    External First.  For Internal iSights Start at 2b)  (you will need to adjust some options/steps as the Internal is USB)
    Steps
    1) Pre Purchase
    If buying an External iSight you should if you an get to see it in action.Apple no longer sells the External iSight so you will be buying it second hand.If you cannot get to see the device plugged in and working on  Mac then check the smaller print of the seller and selling site as to nature of Returns and Faulty Goods.
    2) Does it work ?
    a) First of all Plug it in.  It should come with a suitable mount (although there are variants on this) and a 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire cable.
    Ideally it should have it's own Firewire port/socket on your computer. Connecting it "DaisyChained" to other devices can be a problem as they do not all use Firewire at the same Data speed.
    It will then go through some checks as the OS powers it up and checks it's firmware.
    Do not be concerned that the little green indicator light atop your iSight illuminates for a few seconds and then goes dark when you first connect your iSight or power on your Mac. Do not be concerned if you hear a soft whir as iSight attempt to focus either. Both these occurrences are normal. If your iSight passes the following tests, do not worry about this sound or the status of the green light.
    There is no ON switch as such.  It does have an iris mechanism that can be controlled by the User.  The iris should be turned so you can see the Lens for the iSight to send pictures to an application.
    b) Pick an Application to see the picture the iSight produces.iChat is one application you can use. Photobooth is another. iMovie (Version 4 or above for external iSight -- Version 6 or above for in-built iSight) and Comic Book (if bundled on your Mac) are yet more.
    See this Users Tip for more applications Or this page for yet more.
    Photo Booth is probably the simplest as it has no Preferences to choose a camera in the original version and is done from the Menu items in later versions  (nor is there any setting in the OS) and Photo Booth will default to the External Camera if one is plugged in before the application is started.     If you see your self or what the camera is pointing at, It Works !!
    3) If it does Not Work
    a) Check Cables/leads.  Re-seat the cable at both ends. DO this carefully as although Firewire cables are keyed to fit the right way it has been known to force them the wrong way.
    Try another 6 pin to 6 pin firewire cable.
    b) Unplug the cable from any other FireWire device and give the iSight it's Own FireWire port/socket on the Mac (exclude issues with other FireWire devices). It is important that this be a port/socket on your computer and that you know that it works. Do not use a port in a FireWire hub or another FireWire device or a FireWire port in an Apple Display for testing.  (Also see d below if you have an 800 FIreWIre Computer)
    c) Check System Profiler (Apple Icon menu top Left > About this Mac. > More Info Button)Open the Reveal Triangles to see the list and go to Hardware > FireWire.  (Use USB for Internal Cameras)
    If it appears here try booting or Logging in as another user on the Mac (Create a Test account if you don't have one) and try item 2b) above again.
    d) With FireWire 800 computers you may have to change your FireWire 400 to 800 Adaptor or Cable to get full Audio functionality with Lion Apps
    If it is not in the System Profiler you are almost certainly going to need the Trouble Shooting Article from Apple at this point.  This Article may also be of help (number HT1317 What to do if your computer won't recognise a FireWire or USB device).
    If you have not resolved things at this stage it is going to be time for an Engineer with Apple credentials.There are no user serviceable parts inside any iSight.
    Other Items
    Audio.
    The External Camera has two mics inside.The volume it records at or plays through for iChat is controlled in System Preferences > Sound > Input tab (select device) and this should be set to get the blue response bar to at least half way (preferably three quarters) when you talk.The same applies to any other Mic, even the Internal one on laptops and some other Macs.
    Firmware.
    The System Profiler as detailed above should tell you the Firmware the iSight has.  The current version is 1.0.3 and was updated in Panther.  (Essentially it is an Audio compatibility update but does seem to help in other situations)
    If your computer is running Panther (10.2.x) then use this Updater
    If running Tiger (10.4.x) or Leopard (10.5.x) then navigate manually to your Hard Drive/System/Library/Core Services/iSight Updater and run the updater found there.
    If an iSight is Plugged in on the Computer when you do an  OS update and the firmware needs updating on the iSight this app is supposed to be triggered but it seem it may need a hand at times.
    Focusing on the External iSight
    Essentially the External iSight is self or Autofocusing.
    If in doubt then try better lighting and strong colours as opposes to light or pastels.
    (All built-in iSights are fixed focus. Therefore, unless a built-in iSight lens cover is dirty or smudged, any built-in iSight whose image is blurry needs service by an Engineer with Apple credentials.)
    EZ Jim has these more specific recommendations for piece of mind.
      Make a cross whose lines are about one-half inch or more wide on a plain background to use as a focus target. (I have even used black electrical tape.)
    Turn on plenty of light and hold the target very still at about two or three feet from the lens. Watch iSight focus. (You may need to use a tripod or brace yourself to hold the target still enough.)
    Then quickly move the target and hold it very still at about one foot away from the lens. Watch iSight focus.
      Finally, move in to about six inches from iSight, and check focus there, too. (Holding the target still is more important as you get closer to iSight.)
    This Users Tip by Ian Bickerstaff  can give you clues for any application really  "Look  and sound good in iChat"
    Other Info and Links
    iSight Support info at Apple Links to Users Guide, Manual and many other topics on the External iSight.
    Apple's iSight Firewire Connectivity FAQs
    Apple's iSight Service FAQs
    If you feel you have not understood or think you have not grasped something here or in the links so far try the iSight Discussion Forum
    1:13 PM      Saturday; October 8, 2011
    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

    Replacement for the second draft of this Thread   (To be removed if Published as Tip)
    kisight: How do I get my iSight working ?
    Trouble Shooting an iSight Camera.  (Version 3)
    Hi,     On many subjects Apple has Articles and Documents that can help.
    In some case they are written by an Engineer or similar and can miss the mark for the average user.
    In other cases they are crafted, detailed responses to an issue that has popped up many times in the Apple Discussions and take the best from many responses in those User-to-User Discussions, creating something that can not be surpassed.
    This is the case of the Apple Article HT2090 on Trouble Shooting an iSight.
    It lists steps and processes to go through for both Internal iSights and External ones.
    However as with most things it does sometime pay to reword things differently so that people grasp the points in language they understand.
    The info here is a reworking itself of two pages at ralphjohns.co.uk/EZ Jim pages namely EZ JIm's page 2 Where can I Find Help With My iSight ? and his page 4, How Can I Test My iSight is Completely Functional ?  which were written several years ago and predate the Apple Article, being aimed at the External iSight.  They have been updated since to address the Internal iSight as well but some of the comments are useful between the two types.
    External First.  For Internal iSights Start at 2b)  (you will need to adjust some options/steps as the Internal is USB)
    Steps
    1) Pre Purchase
    If buying an External iSight you should if you an get to see it in action.Apple no longer sells the External iSight so you will be buying it second hand.If you cannot get to see the device plugged in and working on  Mac then check the smaller print of the seller and selling site as to nature of Returns and Faulty Goods.
    2) Does it work ?
    a) First of all Plug it in.  It should come with a suitable mount (although there are variants on this) and a 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire cable.
    Ideally it should have it's own Firewire port/socket on your computer. Connecting it "DaisyChained" to other devices can be a problem as they do not all use Firewire at the same Data speed.
    It will then go through some checks as the OS powers it up and checks it's firmware.
    Do not be concerned that the little green indicator light atop your iSight illuminates for a few seconds and then goes dark when you first connect your iSight or power on your Mac. Do not be concerned if you hear a soft whir as iSight attempt to focus either. Both these occurrences are normal. If your iSight passes the following tests, do not worry about this sound or the status of the green light.
    There is no ON switch as such.  It does have an iris mechanism that can be controlled by the User.  The iris should be turned so you can see the Lens for the iSight to send pictures to an application.
    b) Pick an Application to see the picture the iSight produces.iChat is one application you can use. Photobooth is another. iMovie (Version 4 or above for external iSight -- Version 6 or above for in-built iSight) and Comic Book (if bundled on your Mac) are yet more.
    See this Users Tip for more applications Or this page for yet more.
    Photo Booth is probably the simplest as it has no Preferences to choose a camera in the original version and is done from the Menu items in later versions  (nor is there any setting in the OS) and Photo Booth will default to the External Camera if one is plugged in before the application is started.     If you see your self or what the camera is pointing at, It Works !!
    3) If it does Not Work
    a) Check Cables/leads.  Re-seat the cable at both ends. DO this carefully as although Firewire cables are keyed to fit the right way it has been known to force them the wrong way.
    Try another 6 pin to 6 pin firewire cable.
    b) Unplug the cable from any other FireWire device and give the iSight it's Own FireWire port/socket on the Mac (exclude issues with other FireWire devices). It is important that this be a port/socket on your computer and that you know that it works. Do not use a port in a FireWire hub or another FireWire device or a FireWire port in an Apple Display for testing.  (Also see d below if you have an 800 FIreWIre Computer)
    c) Check System Profiler (Apple Icon menu top Left > About this Mac. > More Info Button)Open the Reveal Triangles to see the list and go to Hardware > FireWire.  (Use USB for Internal Cameras)
    If it appears here try booting or Logging in as another user on the Mac (Create a Test account if you don't have one) and try item 2b) above again.
    d) With FireWire 800 computers you may have to change your FireWire 400 to 800 Adaptor or Cable to get full Audio functionality with Lion Apps
    If it is not in the System Profiler you are almost certainly going to need the Trouble Shooting Article from Apple at this point.  This Article may also be of help (number HT1317 What to do if your computer won't recognise a FireWire or USB device).
    If you have not resolved things at this stage it is going to be time for an Engineer with Apple credentials.There are no user serviceable parts inside any iSight.
    Other Items
    Audio.
    The External Camera has two mics inside.The volume it records at or plays through for iChat is controlled in System Preferences > Sound > Input tab (select device) and this should be set to get the blue response bar to at least half way (preferably three quarters) when you talk.The same applies to any other Mic, even the Internal one on laptops and some other Macs.
    Firmware.
    The System Profiler as detailed above should tell you the Firmware the iSight has.  The current version is 1.0.3 and was updated in Panther.  (Essentially it is an Audio compatibility update but does seem to help in other situations)
    If your computer is running Panther (10.2.x) then use this Updater
    If running Tiger (10.4.x) or Leopard (10.5.x) then navigate manually to your Hard Drive/System/Library/Core Services/iSight Updater and run the updater found there.
    If an iSight is Plugged in on the Computer when you do an  OS update and the firmware needs updating on the iSight this app is supposed to be triggered but it seem it may need a hand at times.
    Focusing on the External iSight
    Essentially the External iSight is self or Autofocusing.
    If in doubt then try better lighting and strong colours as opposes to light or pastels.
    (All built-in iSights are fixed focus. Therefore, unless a built-in iSight lens cover is dirty or smudged, any built-in iSight whose image is blurry needs service by an Engineer with Apple credentials.)
    EZ Jim has these more specific recommendations for piece of mind.
      Make a cross whose lines are about one-half inch or more wide on a plain background to use as a focus target. (I have even used black electrical tape.)
    Turn on plenty of light and hold the target very still at about two or three feet from the lens. Watch iSight focus. (You may need to use a tripod or brace yourself to hold the target still enough.)
    Then quickly move the target and hold it very still at about one foot away from the lens. Watch iSight focus.
      Finally, move in to about six inches from iSight, and check focus there, too. (Holding the target still is more important as you get closer to iSight.)
    This Users Tip by Ian Bickerstaff  can give you clues for any application really  "Look  and sound good in iChat"
    Other Info and Links
    iSight Support info at Apple Links to Users Guide, Manual and many other topics on the External iSight.
    Apple's iSight Firewire Connectivity FAQs
    Apple's iSight Service FAQs
    If you feel you have not understood or think you have not grasped something here or in the links so far try the iSight Discussion Forum
    1:13 PM      Saturday; October 8, 2011
    Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
    "Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

  • Built-in iSight camera doesn't work all the time...?

    This started on iChat... When starting a video conference I see a black picture, the green light turns on but my buddy only see's a video of herself and is still able to hear me. I tried opening the audio/video preferences and the preview is still black. I also tried opening photobooth and it shows a black picture as well. This only happens on occassions, it works most of the time but this problem seems to be occurring more often. I've tried all the troubleshooting listed but nothing seems to work..?

    "I've tried all the troubleshooting listed but nothing seems to work..? "
    Please list them. This will avoid the +"been there, done that"+ scenarios when users try to provide you with troubleshooting solutions.
    Otherwise, +"since you've tried all the troubleshooting listed"+ then send your computer to your local AASP or contact AppleCare if you are still under warranty.
    Tried everything in Article http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090 How to Troubleshoot iSight and this thread my isight camera is not working-not recognised with photo booth or ichat?

  • Web cam does not override iSight camera. Any suggestions how to do so?

    I bought a Logitech webcam but cannot get it to work. The iSight camera comes on instead and overrides the web cam. Any way to fix this?

    If your Logitech webcam is Mac-compatible, it should be menu-selectable in the app you are using. Different camera apps work differently. Your Mac's Help in each application should give you more info on how each particular app works, but here are a few examples:
      • Messages:
      • Photo Booth:
      • FaceTime:
      • Skype:
      •   QuickTimeX:
    If your camera recognizes only one camera, apps may not display even the inbuilt camera in the menu.
    Different iMovie versions support different cameras in different ways.  Search your iMovie > Help for info on your version.

  • After upgrading to Lion, my Macbook Air's built in iSight camera has disappeared.  I'm not sure how to get it recognized again.

    After upgrading to Lion, my Macbook Air's built in iSight camera has disappeared.  I'm not sure how to get it recognized again.  Help -Sami

    Well, if you did then you may be able to track it, if you did not it's not possible.

  • 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

Maybe you are looking for