The lovely people at OkioLabs have very kindly sent me one of their OkioCam S cameras to try out.
So, before we get started, what is the OkioCam S? It’s a 3-megapixel camera, providing resolutions of up to 1920 x 1440 (4:3), mounted on a foldable, adjustable arm with a 3 X 7 inch (7.6 X 17.8 cm) base that folds out to 7 X 13 inches (17.8 X 33 cm) flat.
What is the OkioCam S for? First of all, it functions as a high resolution, plug and play, webcam for Windows, Mac, or Chormebook, so it’s perfect for Zoom, Skype, and all those other video call platforms we’re all using. The Selfie Mode, with the camera turned towards the user, is designed specifically for this, and delivers images with 3 times the resolution of a standard, in-built, webcam. It also has a 33% larger field of view than a standard built-in webcam. The OkioCam S does not have an in-built microphone, however, so you’re looking at using either your computer’s in-built mic or whatever plug-in mic you usually use. Not a problem, obviously, but just something worth clarifying.
Standard Mode sees the base folded out flat and the camera pointing down towards it. With the kind of work I do, almost every meeting I have ends up with me referring to some documents or images which I’ve sent ahead. “Did you get the email/link for that? Have you got that open now? Can you see Page Twelve of that?”. Lots and lots of that. The OkioCam S is designed for classroom and presentation use and, in Standard Mode you can get crystal clear images of books, notebooks, or just about anything else. No more holding a pad up in front of the laptop, awkwardly trying to get things in focus to show to people on a video call who are politely pretending to understand what you’re talking about.
Because it has been designed for classroom use, the OkioCam S‘s controls are incredibly simple and effective. Auto-adjust adjusts the camera’s focus, exposure, and white balance automatically. Flip rotates your image 180 degrees. Darkness decreases the camera’s exposure (brightness), and Brightness increases it. This means that getting a book or page (or anything else) on screen and legible is fast and easy to do, and switching between modes (going from talking on-screen yourself, to showing a document) is not the massive, time consuming (“hang on a minute…”), pain it might otherwise be.
Now, obviously, Standard Mode, has many other uses other than my example here; it’s perfect for capturing images of documents and pretty much anything else in a top-down view, but it would also be fantastic for capturing process. So, if you’re an artist, a maker, or anyone who wants to capture video or images of what you’re up to, the OkioCam S is an incredible, simple, plug and play option for that. There is also a free to download (and incredibly easy to use) OkioLabs Time Lapse application which is perfect for capturing whatever you’re up to on your desktop. I have a couple of build reviews I’m really looking forward to doing, and I will 100% be using the OkioCam S Time Lapse feature to document them.
First Person View gives you a bit more flexibility in terms of the angle you’re viewing and recording things at. Again, it’s perfect for photos and videos of just about anything you have on your desktop, and can be used equally well with the Time Lapse app to record process stuff. There is also a free to download Stop Motion application which is super easy to use and outputs high-quality video files. Again, perfect for process recording stuff but also loads and loads of fun. I haven’t yet let our kids get their hands on it, but it’s been a rainy half term so far, so I’m probably a day or two away from starting them on their animation careers. At about £65 GBP, the OkioCam S is a fantastic, simple and affordable option for anyone (kids or otherwise) thinking about having a play around with stop-motion animation.
The OkioCam S does not have an onboard zoom function (although the OkioCam T – the next model up from the S, which has a 5 MB camera – does) but the zoom can be adjusted using the free to download Snapshot and Recorder application. This means that Macro Mode – with the camera positioned close to the base – is able to capture incredibly detailed close-up images.
The OkioCam S is an incredibly powerful, yet really easy to understand, and simple to use piece of kit. There are so many ways I’m already thinking about using it for my own work and hobby stuff, but I can also see how incredibly useful it could be to so many others – schools, workshops, artists, makers… so many possibilities. Folded flat, the OkioCam S isn’t much bigger than a mobile phone and weighs less, so it’s about as portable as it gets.
Prices for individual OkioCam S start at $69 USD or £64 GBP but schools and businesses can also purchase via www.okiolabs.com/sales-inquiries