As professional photographers, we have very high expectations for both cameras and lenses. So, what happens when a studio of pro photographers & videographers tests out a webcam? In this EMEET SmartCam S800 review, you’re about to find out!
We all know how frustrating it can be to try and use the little tiny camera on your laptop or phone. You can’t change the angle of the camera without changing the angle of your screen, of course, and sometimes this means that you make a pretty bad compromise either by having an unflattering camera angle, or a screen angle that isn’t practical or has lots of glare.
For these reasons, and much more, we’re highly interested in seeing how well this SmartCam S800 works. We’ll talk about its key advantages and who should consider buying it. We’ll also talk about not just the pros but also the potential cons so that you can make the best decision for you!
EMEET SmartCam S800 Review | Who Is It For?
Whether you work remotely for a company that does a lot of Zoom meetings, or you’re a professional streamer, you definitely need some sort of webcam. They help you stand out from the crowd when doing job interviews, business meetings, or online workshops. A good webcam can also be worth its weight in gold if you’re making money streaming as a gamer, a vlogger, etc.
Honestly though? Even for everyday home use, it’s wonderful to have a clear image of your loved ones who might live far away or be traveling. Everyone wants to see more than the poor quality “selfie” camera
EMEET SmartCam S800 Review | Key Advantages
Let’s be honest, the built-in camera on most laptops or other computer and tablet displays is really not the best, and on some older laptops, it’s just terrible! Some of the latest phones have decent screenfacing cameras, but they’re still not as good as the cameras on the front of a phone, of course.
So, first and foremost, the biggest reason to use any dedicated webcam is indeed the image quality. It is leaps and bounds ahead of anything we have ever tried that was built-in on any device. Also, as we already mentioned, there’s the simple fact that you can place the camera anywhere you want, and change the camera angle any time to any direction, which gives infinitely more versatility than any built-in camera.
What gives the EMEET SmartCam S800 advantages over built-in devices as well as other webcams? It’s a combination of the image quality, the overall features, and the value. Image quality is a very straightforward advantage that you’ll notice immediately: The 4K video footage is quite good, coming from the impressive Sony 1/2″ type sensor that we already know we love! (We’ll talk about this in more detail later.)
Other key advantages do stand out for the S800 in particular, such as how good the image quality is when capturing HDR video. Also, I personally am very happy to see a physical iris cover to block the camera’s view; it gives an additional assurance of privacy that no built-in device ever did, and the elegant, easy operation stands out above other dedicated webcams, too.
Among many more advantages, the last notable one that we must mention here is the versatility and value. It looks professional and classy, so it fits right in to a high-end business environment. The physical build quality is quite durable, too, so this webcam ought to last many years. All this, for about $135, (or up to ~$200 with various accessories) offers a great value to any potential buyer.
EMEET SmartCam S800 Review | Pros & Cons
As we’ve already mentioned, there are plenty of key advantages to the EMEET S800. Let’s dive into greater detail about each advantage and disadvantage of this webcam. First, a quick summary, and then see our in-depth breakdown below:
EMEET SmartCam S800 Pros
- Good Video Image Quality
- HDR image offers impressive dynamic range
- Focusing & zooming work well
- Great audio quality & noise reduction
- Privacy lens cover
- Easy-to-use software for customization & updates
EMEET SmartCam S800 Cons
- Potential heat concerns (we did not experience any!)
- Built-in stand/screen “clamp” is free-standing
- Image quality would be better with an even larger sensor (Sony 1” type, RX, ZV etc camera)
Image Quality
The EMEET SmartCam S800 records in 4K/30p as well as HD (1K) 60p. There is also 2K/30p and 720/60/30p as well, for optimal results for any internet speed.
Of course, numbers aren’t everything; how is the actual color, the brightness, etc? Right out of the box, the imagery LOOKS great, too. The image is bright and colorful. However, it can get even better, too! The dedicated EMEETLINK software (more on this later) makes it effortless to adjust things like exposure and white balance. (I always like to warm up the blue light if my face is mainly being illuminated by a computer screen!) There are also controls for quite a few more standard settings, such as Saturation, Tone, etc.
Having said all that, yes, this is the smaller of Sony’s two main oft-used compact camera sensors. It may be one of the largest sensors used in phones, but it is still not on par with, say, a Sony RX100 series or a Sony ZV-1 camera, which has a bit bigger sensor. Such a sensor (with its ~20 megapixels) does offer a bit more sharp detail to your 4K image, as well as a bit more shallow depth of field depending on the lens used.
Of course, the S800’s sensor, and its f/1.8 lens, are indeed excellent, as far as webcams go, and most cameras with the Sony next-size-up sensor will cost you ten times more!
HDR Image Quality
As more and more computers, TVs, and other devices begin to support it, HDR capability is rapidly becoming a must-have for any camera! In the above example, you can see that the difference is striking!
In any environment, this can be a great way to look just a little more professional. Beyond that, we also recommend adding some sort of lighting for your face if you do a lot of streaming or video conferencing that showcases your face because even if the camera’s HDR mode can brighten up shadows and retain highlights, nothing beats having good-quality light on your face. (In the above example, I have two very large computer monitors displaying white, with their brightness turned up; most people using just a laptop screen should try to either use an additional light, or face towards a window that can put some light on your face.
Focusing & Zooming
While on many built-in laptop webcams you barely have any hope of ever knowing whether you’re in focus or not, the EMEET’s 1/2″ type sensor and f/1.8 aperture lens does offer some discernible, pleasant background blur! Of course, this makes the need to focus correctly even more important, and in that regard, the S800’s AI-based autofocus does not disappoint. It identifies faces very easily, and keeps them in focus so you can confidently move around, lean back in your chair, etc.
The S800 can also zoom in, however, I suspect that it may be a digital zoom, although this isn’t very clearly mentioned in the specs. Either way, the feature is still incredibly useful, and you can go from a fantastic wide angle to a pretty decent close-up view, again using the EMEETLINK app.
Audio Quality & Noise Reduction
Another fantastic feature of the EMEET S800 is that it has two noise-cancelling microphones built-in, as well as the camera itself. Once again, this can dramatically improve the quality of your meetings, workshops, or just your casual hangouts!
For those who need more advanced audio control, there is also the M0 Plus Bluetooth Speaker Phone ($176 total kit price with the S800) or the Luna Plus Bluetooth speaker phone. ($200 total kit price with the S800) For professional work in a office boardroom, that is an excellent overall value, indeed.
Privacy Lens Cover
Call me paranoid, but one thing I always have done with my laptops is put a tiny piece of tape over the camera. I know there’s really zero chance that someone is watching me, but as a photographer, I just don’t like having that uncovered lens pointing at me constantly!
So, I was glad to see that the EMEET SmartCam S800 has a simple yet classy aperture closure that covers the camera lens, giving you assurance of your privacy.
Easy Customization & Updates (EMEETLINK App)
Everyone who worked from home or just stayed connected with distant loved ones during 2020 will probably know how frustrating it is to try and see a face that is too dark, out of focus, or just too noisy, with “mushy” detail, etc. I know I couldn’t stand trying to fiddle around with all the different settings in the various web conferencing apps that I used. The EMEETLINK app makes all of that frustration go away. You can pull up the webcam’s image any time you want, (instead of just ten seconds before joining a conference call, or during it!) …and adjust all the settings as much as you want.
Also, the app will tell you any time there is a firmware update, which is of course a rather effortless and fast process, too.
Heat Concerns
I heard claims by others that the S800 could get very hot. Honestly, however, the built-in heat dissipator did its job for me, and even after having the camera on for over an hour, it was pretty warm, but definitely not “hot”. I wouldn’t worry about this, unless you’re streaming at the maximum image quality for hours on end. Even then, just get some air circulation going anywhere near your desk, and you’ll be fine!
Screen Clamp Not Spring-Loaded
I don’t know why, but when I first saw the EMEET SmartCam S800, I assumed that somehow the design would have a spring-loaded clamping system to stay firmly attached to your laptop screen. This is not the case, of course; it is merely a weight-balanced clip-on system. In other words, if you bump it, or quickly change the angle of your laptop screen, the webcam will probably fall off. Also, you might have trouble getting the EMEET to freely balance atop very large desktop monitors, depending on their design.
Therefore, I do strongly recommend finding some way to secure your webcam, somehow. My personal preference, of course, would be a small table-top tripod.
You could use the suggested EMEET accessory tripod, of course; that kit which includes a table-top tripod costs only $147, less than ten dollars more than the camera alone without a tripod. Of course, most of us already have at least one or two small or tabletop tripods laying around, so, once again this isn’t a deal breaker at all.
EMEET SmartCam S800 Review | Conclusion
Whether you’re a professional streamer, a work-from-home team manager, or you’re just trying to keep in touch with family and friends that don’t live nearby, having a webcam is a must-have addition to your computer. Whether you’re working with a desktop or a laptop, and even if you have the option of using a built-in camera, we highly recommend the EMEET SmartCam S800. Its value, image quality, and versatility make it one of the best investments in modern times.
