Turn a Sony Alpha camera into a webcam source with a USB cable.
Since the beginning of the digital camera revolution, the manufacturers have refused to add webcam capability to their hardware. With the events of 2020, Sony has finally added the ability to use your Sony Alpha camera as a webcam with Imaging Edge Webcam.
Though older models of camera like the NEX Series (NEX-3, NEX-5, NEX-7) are not supported. Other more expensive cameras may now be connected to the system with a USB cable and turned into a webcam.
With Imaging Edge Webcam, you can now use your Alpha camera with its attached lenses to stream your camera over YouTube, Twitch, Skype, Zoom and web sites which support streaming camera streams.
All that's required to do this is to install the application provided here and select the camera source as "Imaging Edge".
A multitude of different cameras are supported right now from the older A7, A7R, A7S towards the mark IIs and finally the mark IIIs and later. RX100 models of all years can also be used as a webcam source.
All in all, there are not many options available with this suite but it does essentially act as a driver thus turning Sony Alpha cameras into fully functional webcams. Just make sure the camera is powered on.
Note: Some models cannot charge and stream simultaneously.
Features of Imaging Edge Webcam
- Integrates with Facebook, Twitch and YouTube.
- AI-Based Tracking: Automatically detect and track people in view.
- Audio Capture: Record sound with your video.
- Auto Adjustments: Intelligently adjust brightness, color and other settings.
- Background Removal: Effortlessly remove the background from your recording.
- Compression: Compress your recordings to save storage space.
- High Resolution Capture: Up to 4K.
- Live Streaming: Stream your recordings to YouTube Live, Ustream, Facebook Live and Twitch.
- Multi-Camera Support: Connect and record from multiple cameras simultaneously.
- Multi-Format Output: Export data in a range of formats.
- Multi-User Support: Share one camera with multiple users.
- Multi-View Recording: Record from multiple angles with split-screen display.
- Remote Control: Control your camera settings from a web browser.
- Secure Connections: Encrypted connections for secure streaming.
- Supported models: 5100, 6100, 6300, 6400, 6500, 6600; A7S, A7SII, A7SIII; A7, A7II, A7III; All RX100 models.
- Video Effects: Add unique video effects to your recordings.
Compatibility and License
Imaging Edge Webcam is provided under a freeware license on Windows from camera software with no restrictions on usage. Download and installation of this PC software is free and 1.1.3 is the latest version last time we checked.
What version of Windows can Imaging Edge Webcam run on?
Imaging Edge Webcam can be used on a computer running Windows 11 or Windows 10. Previous versions of the OS shouldn't be a problem with Windows 8 and Windows 7 having been tested. It runs on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems with no dedicated 64-bit download provided.
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