When it comes to video conferencing technology in the workplace, it might seem like you don’t have a lot of options. We don’t agree with that — every meeting experience is unique, and there are always opportunities to make your meetings better in quality, experience and workflow. What works for you and your team might not fit the team that sits across the room. Here are our picks for the best video conferencing systems and a few things to look for when investing in a video conferencing camera.

The 6 best video conferencing cameras for your meetings

A good video conferencing camera will get you on screen and in the call. A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self, plus a little extra. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2020:

A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self in any video conference. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2019.

Best conference camera for 4K video conferencing: Icon 700

You don’t know what you’re missing in your conference room until you try out true 4K video conferencing with full-motion 4K content sharing. Meant for those looking for an all-in-one solution to conduct modern high-quality meetings, the Lifesize® Icon 700™ is 10x better than anything else on the market.

  • Supports dual display so you can share your presentation and engage with active video participants in the meeting space 
  • Powerful 20x zoom and rich camera optics for unmatched image clarity
  • Full-motion 4K content sharing and stunning 4K video high definition quality 

 

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A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self in any video conference. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2019.

Best huddle room camera: Icon 300

The Lifesize® Icon 300™ fits perfectly into your small huddle rooms for those short, spontaneous meetings or working sessions. Get the highest quality video conferencing solution for even your smallest meeting spaces.

  • Ultra-wide field of view to capture everyone at the table even in the smallest meeting rooms
  • 4K content sharing for pixel-perfect presentation quality 
  • Mounts easily above or below your meeting room display 

 

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A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self in any video conference. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2019.

Best for small meeting rooms: Icon 450

If you’re looking for a solution that is simple, scalable and high quality to outfit your small meeting rooms, the Lifesize® Icon 450™ is what you’ve been waiting for. Not only is it a plug-and-play conference room system, it’s also easy to deploy, manage and integrate with however you and your team may work.

  • Enjoy meeting room flexibility with the camera’s smart-framing sensor and pan/tilt/zoom camera controls
  • Compact enough to fit on a credenza or wall mount
  • Capture everyone in your meeting space with the 82-degree wide-angle lens (perfect for small groups)

 

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A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self in any video conference. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2019.

Best camera for large meeting rooms and boardrooms: Icon 700

Big teams meet to talk about big ideas. With the Lifesize® Icon 700™, let large teams connect and build relationships with full HD face-to-face conversations for higher engagement and productivity.  

  • Supports dual display so you can share your presentation and engage with active video participants in the meeting space
  • Powerful 20x zoom and rich camera optics for unmatched image clarity 
  • Full-motion 4K content sharing and stunning 4K video quality

 

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A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self in any video conference. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2019.

Best for auditoriums/large classrooms: Icon 800

The Lifesize® Icon 800™ is designed with the intent to bring large classrooms and auditoriums to life with video collaboration. Designed to easily integrate with third-party solutions and support for multiple inputs and outputs, the Icon 800 is flexible for your largest meeting spaces.

  • Integrates with third-party solutions
  • Rack-mountable and designed for podiums to insure secure installation
  • Supports long cable runs and multiple audio and video inputs

 

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A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self in any video conference. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2019.

Best webcam video solution: Lifesize Dash

Lifesize Dash™ is a great way to get started with high quality video conferencing at an affordable cost. Transform your small, underutilized phone rooms meant for one to two people into video-connected hotspots with a conference webcam from AVer, Huddly, Konftel or Logitech.

  • Tablet-controlled
  • Includes wireless sharing to eliminate unnecessary cords and dongles 
  • Affordable and flexible for your mini meeting rooms

 

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A great video conferencing camera will help you reliably present your absolute best self in any video conference. Here is our breakdown of the best video conferencing cameras in 2019.

7 things to consider before buying a video conferencing camera

When it comes to selecting a video conferencing solution, it’s important to consider how you and your organization will be using it and how the system will be positioned in the meeting room. Don’t let a bad video solution cost you a good meeting experience — consider these few checkpoints before choosing a solution for your team.

1. Streaming Video vs. Live Video

There are a couple of big differences between the video clips you watch on the internet and the live video conferences you hold at the office. Streaming video clips (your standard cat video variety) are designed to download portions of the footage ahead of time to make up for network instability during the course of the playback. Video conferencing, on the other hand, relies on packets of data being sent and received consistently and in real time to ensure that the call remains clear, with every inflection, gesture and word correctly transmitted. A video camera only captures data, whereas a video system also handles the transcoding and processing required for live video calling.

2. Camera Quality

You don’t want to jump on a call that constantly freezes or shows callers pixelated. Get a platform that utilizes the highest quality camera optics to make up for the traditionally poor lighting conditions of the conference room. It will make a difference for the in-room and on-screen experience.

3. Zoom Length

Zoom functionality along with integrated pan and tilt controls can play a major role in a meeting room’s ability to adapt to the needs of the meeting. Rather than displaying an empty room with one or two participants off in the distance, optical zoom can help people feel closer and more connected without any distortion to quality.

4. Field of View

Think of how you want to be framed on screen in your meeting room. For smaller rooms, a wide field of view will get everyone on screen; for larger rooms, a narrower field of view with the ability to zoom might be a bigger priority. The dimensions of the meeting space can help determine the field of view you are looking for.

5. Microphone Quality 

If you work in an open office that frequently deals with a lot of background noise, make sure you invest in a microphone that has good noise reduction technology built in. If you’re looking to outfit a larger conference room, make sure your microphone has the range to capture the audio of everyone at the table.

6. 4K Video and Content

People no longer buy 720p or even 1080p video TVs for their homes. They are buying 4K TVs because they’re the best, they’re future proof and the prices can’t be beaten. Similarly, 4K video conferencing technology is a future-proof solution for anyone who wants the absolute best quality communication for years to come. With 4K, lines are sharper, curves are smoother and the level of detail is far greater. 

7. Room Size

Different room sizes need different video conferencing capabilities — large auditorium spaces might need more audio inputs or a dual display feature, while smaller huddle spaces might need a wide-angle camera to get everyone around the table on screen.

Learn how to design, set up and deploy the perfect meeting room based on your unique needs.

Take your video conference calls to the next level with wireless screen sharing

You’ve deployed the best video conferencing cameras throughout your office, and you’re enjoying more productive meetings and better relationship building throughout your organization. Now what? Meeting room wireless screen sharing helps you take your video conference calls to the next level.

The fundamental purpose of meetings is to share information and collaborate on ideas to make more informed decisions. From sharing applications, presentations and files to live streaming video and audio in the meeting room, Lifesize Share removes the complexity of having to bring the right cord or dongle with you to the meeting. Dongles get lost, cords get broken and nobody likes a mess of wires cluttering up the meeting room table.

Wireless meeting room connectivity not only empowers users to seamlessly share their screens, it also eliminates the frustrations that come with trying to connect to a fragmented conference room. Check out the recent Frost and Sullivan Analyst Report for a deep dive into the benefits of wireless screen sharing in the meeting room.

Ready to get started with Lifesize?

Hundreds of thousands of business professionals use Lifesize every day to connect face to face with their colleagues, partners, customers and prospective customers. After more than fifteen years of developing conference room systemswireless meeting room presentation devicesvideo conferencing apps and the global cloud network that ties it all together, we don’t settle for anything less than amazing. Lifesize delivers an unmatched unified meeting experience that you can trust to work the first time, every time. Schedule a quick demo to learn more.