Where to buy external isight

I bought my G5 right before internal isight -- I can't seem to find the old external isight cameras anywhere. Any suggestions?

Welcome to Apple Discussions, tgrace
Does this help? http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=4015518&messageID=5966817
or these alternatives? http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5725045&#5725045
Because you are using Leopard, you can consider all the alternatives mentioned.
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

Similar Messages

Where To get an external iSight camera

Where Could I get an external iSight camera?

For those considering buying iSights now .... (in case you need this)
If you consider buying an external iSight now from eBay or other internet seller, even if the external iSight you are considering is advertised as an NOS (new, old-stock) iSight, 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 needs parts from the discontinued Kit or some part those listed in the iSight Service: Frequently Asked Questions page and cannot locate them in your area, I recently found that the kind people at http://www.synaptech.com will help users obtain those that are still available.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.10) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5) External iSight

Where can I get an external iSight repaired?

Does anyone know who can repair an older external iSight camera? I have 2 that are not working. Suspect it is from moisture on circuit board.

If you do not have Access to a Store or Authorised Service Centre then take a look at this page.
About two or three years ago when EZ Jim looked in to this it seemed that the cost of repair was more than the original cost of the External iSights.
Most USB Web cam replacements will need you to be running at least 10.4.9 for iChat to access the camera and have a USB 2.0 port on your Computer.
This is to take advantage of the UVC Driver (USB Video Class) included in the OS
USB 1.1 cameras are difficult to get hold of and would require Mac Drivers either from the manufacturer of the camera or a third party such as macam or IOXperts.
in addition to that you would also need this Utility for iChat.
The Fire-i Firewire Web cam seems to be still on Sale. (Most others seem to have been discontinued).
8:17 PM Monday; June 6, 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( 10.6.7)
 Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously
Message was edited by: Ralph Johns (UK) (please note English (UK) spellings)

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

External iSight not recognized by Photo Booth, MBP, lid closed

When there is an external iSight and an external screen is attached to my MacBook Pro (where the lid is closed), Photo Booth does not seem to recognize it. I can use the camera with iChat, though.
Any ideas for a trick to make it work?

Hello Rainer Joswig
I do not believe that Photo Booth allow you to do what you want.
See this recent post: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6967961&#6967961
We are still waiting to see whether any MacBook Pro users can offer a solution or workaround.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

Female to femal adapter for external iSight?

I have a 2011 mini and an external iSight connected by a 6pin - 9pin cable that I got with a hard drive. It works fine but I cannot use the apple mounts because they only work with the apple 6 pin cable. I know I can use a 6 pin to 9 pin adapter on the OEM cable but it won't work well where I have my mini situated because it will increase the back area needed by around 5 inches.
So my plan is to connect my OEM cable with the 6pin-9pin cable I already am using. Would this work with an adapter like this ?
http://www.computercablestore.com/FireWire_Adapter_6_pin_Fe_PID2345.aspx
This should effectively turn the apple cable into a 6pin to 9 pin. However I am worried that the 1.8m + 3feet would be too long and cause problems. Anyone try out this method?

I have not tested what you describe.
However, adding three feet to a 1.8 m cable will not cause a Firewire cable-length problem. Maximum (total) supported Firewire cable length for Mac is 4.5 meters: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2952
One more thing for your consideration, though: External (Firewire) iSight may not play well with multiple connected Firewire devices.
(More info: http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/EZJim/EZJimpage6.html )
In my experience, Firewire compatibility problems are also possible with certain cables or adapters. Therefore, if you experience a problem in your first test, I suggest you disconnect all other Firewire devices during testing. You can then try at least one additional different connection alternative to determine whether your problem might be related to a bad or incompatible connector.
Message was edited by: EZ Jim
Mac Pro Quad Core (Early09) 2.93Ghz OSX 10.7.4 24" LED Cinema Display
iPad2 iOS 5.1 5th Gen AEBS
MBP 15" i7 (Early'11) OSX 10.7.4 External iSights
13" MBP (Mid'09) 2.26GHz OSX 10.7.4 iBook SE 366MHz OSX 10.3.9

Is there a plan for Apple to continue offering the external iSight camera?

Hi All,
I'm thrilled to be the new owner of a Mac Pro w/Cinema display, but I'm getting jealous of my partner on his MacBook Pro with built-in iSight camera, having all the fun with video iChats and video Skype calls.
Since Apple has discontinued sales of the old external iSight camera, does anyone know if they have any plans for a new (even cooler) version? Or, if not, any recommendations on another product that would work just as well?
Thanks!

Hello John and Peter
¶2.1.1 of Apple Discussions' Terms of Use prohibits us from speculating on Apple's plans here. If you want to pursue that question, you can search the web for some of the many Mac or Apple rumor sites.
Some of the many available iSight alternatives are discussed in this link. Because you are using Leopard on your new Mac Pro, all of the alternatives mentioned there are available to you.
At present, the Apple Store sells the Logitech QuickCam Ultra Vision. However, any of the alternatives from the link in the paragraph above will work as long as they are compatible with your system and the applications you plans to use with your camera. The package documentation for many cameras list compatibility info for popular applications. Carefully check the documentation for any apps and cameras of interest before you buy.
Also check the camera's advertised features to be certain your compatible camera has all features that are important to you (examples: auto-focus, auto-exposrure, zoom capablility, integrated microphone, etc..) You may not need many, or even any, of these features, but many low priced Mac compatible cameras omit at least some of the features that you may need.
You will not have any difficulty finding cameras that will work with both iChat and Skype. For specific camera recommendations for iChat, search the iChat and iChat Sharing Forum for threads like this one.
For Skype-specific questions beyond what Webcams that Skype sells for use with their software, see the Skype Help pages.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.2) External iSight

External iSight with Intel MacBook

Hi everyone, can I use an external iSight rather than the built in one, I have a 3 month old MacBook with dual core Intel proc.

Hi grindrod,
Yes.
iChat will add a drop down to iChat > Preferences > Video section where you can switch between the two.
iChat will default to the Firewire cam without making a selection.
iChat does not need restarting to recognise the Extrernl cam has been unplugged.
PhotoBooth will also default to the Firewire cam but not give you a choice anywhere.
If the camera is now unplugged PhotoBooth has to be restarted.
iMovie already has a drop down for the camera selection but will only list one cam if that is all that is attached.
Have not tried Comic Book that is bundled on my MacBook Pro.
10:55 PM Monday; July 23, 2007

External iSight died

I've got an external iSight that has worked just fine until a couple of days ago. Now the green light turns on briefly when I try to turn the camera on, then with kind of a click and a sigh, the light goes off and the camera won't work.
I'm running a 1.8 GHz PowerPC G5, OS 10.4.9
Never had a problem with the camera in the past. It did get quite warm while in use, but not so overly warm that it couldn't be touched.
Anybody have any ideas of how to revive the iSight or is it likely just toast?

Hello, Paul
... the green light turns on briefly ... then ... the light goes off
Don't get sidetracked by the green light. It is normal for the light to turn on briefly and then go out when you plug in iSight or boot up your Mac. The fact that the camera will not work is where we will concentrate.
You can test your iSight to determine whether it is functional using these tips. By using these tests, you may be able to rule out some parts of your system as the cause of your problem. The trouble may be as simple as a faulty connection or cable.
Try to eliminate as many system elements as you can that might be the source of your trouble. These can include your iSight, the iSight's Firewire cable, your Mac's Firewire port connections, a Firewire circuit that needs to be reset, or possibly even damaged hardware inside your iMac. The smaller the list of possible problems, the smaller your list of possible corrective actions will be.
If you have changed any hardware or software since your iSight worked, carefully consider the Possible hardware or software conflicts suggestions.
When you try Apple's "iSight: How to Troubleshoot," be sure to test your iSight camera in another user account to determine whether the issue is user-specific.
If your iSight works with some applications but not others, tell us which worked and which did not.
It did get quite warm while in use, but not so
overly warm that it couldn't be touched.
This, too, sounds normal, so I would suggest that you not be concerned unless your iSight now stays cool. That could indicate that your connection, cable, or Firewire circuitry is bad. An iSight that is not functioning at all would also be cool while plugged into a running Mac.
Anybody have any ideas of how to revive the iSight ...
If none of the above suggestions correct your problem, you can try the following:- Repair permissions.
- Then download and apply the Mac OS X 10.4.9 Combo Update (PPC).
- 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.
If none of these suggestions help and you do not get better suggestions here, I suggest that you contact your Apple-Authorized Service Provider for a professional check. There are no user-serviceable parts inside iSight, but your Service Technician may be able to repair it.
Jim
Mac OS X (10.4.9) G5 DP 1.8 External iSight

External Isight wont plug into my mini mac 2010

I have an external isight and a Mac OS X 10.6.7 (Mini Mac) but the firewire that goes with the Isight doesn't fit into the firewire port on the Mini Mac. Is there some type of adapter I can buy, and if so, will the external Isight work with my mini mac. I spent the entire day trying to figure out a webcam/audio system to go with my mini mac, and come to fine out we had an old external Isight hidden in the closet.
Thank you.

Well, I just learned the word firewire today by googling it and looking at a picture. This one is from 2004, and I just read the box, and it is for sure a firewire. UGH..
Ok, I will find an adaptor for FW800 to FW400 ports.
Thank you!

Trouble using external iSight with MacBook Pro (which has built in camera)

Hey Jim,
Have a question for you. I have a new MacBook Pro 17". I also have a 23" Cinema Display, and a left over Firewire external iSight camera (which I used to love).
Frequently I "dock" my MBP with my 23". I either use the dual-screen between the two, or I close the lid on the MBP, let it go to sleep, then wake it back up with a BT keyboard or mouse, letting it go to a single-screen mode on only the 23" Cinema Display.
So, I'm trying to use my external Firewire iSight with my MBP, and I'm getting mixed results -- the best of which is where I am getting some video with regular, occasional freezes with the picture being split (like a v-hold problem on an old TV). After a pause it goes back to smooth video.
I guess primarily, I'm wanting to know what the world of two iSights (FW and built-in) look like, and can they work together? I cannot for the life of me get this FW iSight to work consistently, but I know it works perfectly in another G5 tower (which has no built-in camera).
Any suggestions or guidance?

Hello Exivus
... two iSights (FW and built-in) ... can they work together?
You can have two iSights connected at one time, but, as explained in Apple's iSight "Your camera is in use by another application" message, iSight can be used by only one application at a time. (my emphasis)
Different apps select between multiple connected cameras in different ways. For instance, iChat > Preferences... > Video settings can select which camera to use with the iChat app, but iMovie 6 uses a drop-down menu as shown in this picture:
The suggestions in How to Troubleshoot iSight should help you determine whether one of your iSights is causing trouble. I suggest you test each one separately and without your external display or other peripherals to rule out possible conflicts.
After you are certain that your iSights are working individually, test them when both are connected. After your system successfully passes these tests, you can add your external devices back one-by-one to be sure one of them is not causing the problem.
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

Using External iSight with MacBook Pro / iMac.

Posted in both forums.
Internal iSight is great, but the external iSight offers so much more flexability, and been able to position the camera where you want it is much better than tilting the screen and moving the computer.
So can you use external camera's with the MacBook Pro's and iMac's?
*nathan

Great! Thats awesome.
Have you tried it? If so, does the Mac automaticlly switch to the external iSight, or do you get an option to choose between internal and external.
Thanks,
*nathan

External iSight Camera Usage

Currently using a Power Mac G5 2GHz DP with firewire iSight attached and will be buying an iMac DC to simplify my life.
I can envision times when I would want to connect the external FireWire iSight into the iMac. Is it possible to turn off the internal USB bus iSight camera so that the external camera can be used with iChat and QuickTime?
Power Mac G5 DP 2GHz Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Currently using a Power Mac G5 2GHz DP with firewire
iSight attached and will be buying an iMac DC to
simplify my life.
I can envision times when I would want to connect the
external FireWire iSight into the iMac. Is it
possible to turn off the internal USB bus iSight
camera so that the external camera can be used with
iChat and QuickTime?
Power Mac G5 DP 2GHz Mac OS X
(10.4.4)
I'm sure that it will be possible in some way or other. In QuickTime you are suppose to have an input selection for you video recording device (under preferences) but I do know about iChat yet. Perhaps when my iMac DC arrives, I'll try hooking up my DV camera and seeing what I can do. After all, the external iSight is just a firewire camera.

External isight camera with imovie on maverick?

Can someone please recommend an external iSight (or other) Camera to use which can record video directly into iMove on Maverick?
When trying to import a video, a drop down window shows the built-in iSight camera, as if options could possibly be available. If so, what might they be?
Thanks for any and all help!

You're welcome, Bill.
Bill Cruise wrote: ... camera ... compatible with iMovie ...
Use built-in iSight camera or a tape-based camera or camcorder: iMovie '11: Record video directly into iMovie.
If you have access to an old tape-based mini-DV camcorder with Firewire connection capability, you can use it. For example, my old Sony DCR-TRV17 and DCR-TRV70 camcorders work great with iMovie, both for import and, when connected via Firewire cable, for recording directly into iMovie. Both give better resolution than my old external Firewire iSights, and the camcorders offer the possibility of manual focus and zoom controls when needed.
As an alternative to recording directly into iMovie, record video and save movie files using QuickTimeX and a camera built into your Apple display or Mac, a DV camera connected via FireWire, and some USB webcams. Then Import the movie files into iMovie for editing.
Bill Cruise wrote: ... Apple iSight camera ... is no longer sold or supported by Apple... I may go ahead and buy one...
My external iSights (I have two) are great webcams, but they are getting old as consumer electronics go. Both of mine still work as well as they did when they were new. However, some previously owned or even NOS (new, old stock) iSights may have been damaged by rough treatment or improper storage.
An honest seller may offer you return or exchange privileges. If not, and if you don't want to spend the money to have your external iSight serviced, consider a new, Mac-compatible USB cam instead.
A new cam will include a current manufacturer's warranty, and a USB cam is not subject to the possible conflicts that can cause difficulties with the old Firewire-connected iSights.
Bill Cruise wrote:...Wonder why this info is so far to find? ...
It should not be. Let us know the specifics, and we will try to guide you to any other info you still need.
Bill Cruise wrote: ... better alternatives...using external cameras, and then importing the movie....works, but seems like quite a bit of extra hassle versus direct input to iMovie.
When your Mac recognizes more than one connected compatible camera, the others will also show in your a drop down window that shows the built-in iSight camera.
In fact the best alternative I have found for recording directly into iMovie is to use the built-in iSight camera in my MacBook Pros and my Apple LED Display. The resolution of any of these built-ins is better than the 640x480 of the old external Firewire iSights. The built-ins are also higher resolution than my old Sony camcorders.
As for your "extra hassle" comments, once you try using QuickTimeX and importing into iMovie, I doubt that you will find it a problem unless recording video is your primary use of your Mac. It is very easy to do, and you can use the QuickTime file as a good backup for your original source material that is easy to offload to a different disk for safekeeping.

External iSight camera's compatibility with OS 10.5.8 / iMovie 09

I'm new here and joined because I couldn't find the answers to my questions anywhere on the net.
I just upgraded my OS to 10.5.8 and then installed iLife 09, only to discover that my USB iMage webcam won't capture video in iMovie 09. So I've been researching a replacement, only to get totally overwhelmed by the options. I don't really need a more expensive digital camcorder . . . just a good quality webcam for vcasting.
I found an "A" model external iSight camera still new in box from an Amazon seller but am hesitant to push the BUY button for fear it won't do what I want or isn't compatible in some way with either the new OS or iMovie 09.
I surely would appreciate some input for you all about this iSight camera option and whether it's the best choice.
Thanks,
Janae

Welcome to Discussions, Janae
(1) Although iMovie Help says you should use a firewire webcam, as shown here, your USB iMage webcam should be compatible with 10.5.8 and iMovie '09:
http://www.ecamm.com/mac/imagewebcam/apps.html
Restart your Mac with your webcam connected and check iMovie function again. If you don't already know, this tutorial will show you how to record from a built-in USB iSight:
http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#imovie-isight
To use your USB iMage webcam, the only thing you need to do differently from what is shown in this tutorial is to *be sure your webcam is selected* (instead of iSight) in the "Camera:" choices bar in the recording preview window.
(2) If you still have problems, try the relevant suggestions from
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1059#4
If you still have problems, post back any new info you discover during troubleshooting. We will try to offer specific suggestions based on the details in your response.
(3) If you want more info about camera alternatives, see Ralph's User Tip:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2018211
A couple of Firewire webcams that may still be available are:
http://www.firewire-1394.com/fire-i-webcam-unibrain.htm - and -
http://www.welovemacs.com/isweet1.html
Other readers should be aware that some webcams do not have built-in mics, auto-focus, etc., so check carefully for any features that are important to you.
In case you find any of these, this old review gives some opinions on the relative merits of a few different Firewire webcams:
http://www.macworld.com/article/27783/2003/12/firewirewebcams.html
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

Where to buy external isight

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for