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Webcams FAQs

David Henley

• 3 min read

General Webcam Questions

My webcam doesn't work, what should I do?

The first thing to do is to check that Zu3D or Cloud Stop Motion has the correct camera selected.
You can choose which webcam Zu3D and Cloud Stop Motion use by opening the settings and selecting your preferred connected camera.
Zu3D Windows
Go to Settings > Camera Settings and choose the correct camera
Zu3D Mac
Go to Settings > Camera and tick the webcam you wish to use.
Cloud Stop Motion
Click on the camera icon on the left hand side of the screen to open the pop-out menu, then select the cog tab and find your correct camera in the drop down menu. (Our HD Animation-Webcam usually displays as 'USB camera')
If you can't see the webcam listed, please check for any anti-virus software which may be blocking access to your webcam.
If you can see that the webcam listed, but no image is displayed, please can you make sure that no other program is using it, for example Skype or a laptop's built in webcam software, and that any 'privacy' slide/cover located on the lens is open.
You can also try using the webcam in another program. On Mac you could try with Facetime, or on Windows you can download and use this Microsoft test utility AM Capture Download to see if your camera is recognised by your computer.
If you do see the image in AM Capture or another program, but it is still not working in Zu3D or Cloud Stop Motion, please contact us providing as much information as possible about your camera and any error messages you receive, we will do our best to resolve the issue and get you back animating!

Why is the picture from my webcam slow or laggy?

This can be caused by a Windows update breaking certain compression settings.
In Zu3D, try changing it by going to Settings > Camera Settings and clicking the 'advanced' tab at the bottom. Change the compression dropdown to something other than MJPG. Try YUY2 (if that's an option), or, if that's not an option, please just try changing it to something different from what it is on at the moment.If you are still having problems, please contact us and we will investigate further to help try and work out what the root cause of the problem is for you.

Can I use a digital camera or video camera instead of a webcam?

Our animation software packages need a live feed streamed to the computer to be able to capture an image. Unfortunately, most digital cameras do not offer this - unless they have a webcam mode (such as some high-end 'mirrorless' cameras).
Zu3D and Cloud Stop Motion are designed to work with any webcam - integrated or external. It is easy for you to import any pictures taken on your digital camera into Zu3D and Cloud Stop Motion, but you will not get the benefits of the live image or onion skinning, which are incredibly useful features whilst in the midst of animating!

How do I change the webcam Zu3D uses?

Changing which webcam Zu3D uses is a simple process of changing the settings.
Windows
Go to Settings > Camera Settings and choose the correct camera
Mac
Go to Settings > Camera and tick the webcam you want to use.
(Our HD Animation-Webcam usually displays as 'USB camera')

How do I change the webcam Cloud Stop Motion uses?

You can easily change which webcam Cloud Stop Motion uses by altering the settings.
Click on the camera icon on the left hand side of the screen to open the pop-out menu, then select the cog tab and find your correct camera in the drop down menu. (Our HD Animation-Webcam usually displays as 'USB camera')

Using One Of Our HD Animation Webcams

How do I focus my Animation webcam?

Our HD Animation-Webcams have a rotatable, grooved black bezel around their lens. Simply twist this to focus - this can be done whilst connected and 'live' so you can ensure you are focused on the correct character/object. (It can sometimes be quite stiff to move, so may require some force to initially free it up)

My webcam still doesn't work even after checking all these questions, what should I do?

If you have checked through all the above and your webcam still doesn't work, it may unfortunately be faulty.
If you purchased the webcam from us, or inside one of our kits, please get in touch with as much information as possible, including you proof of purchase, so we can look to arrange a replacement if it is deemed to be faulty and still under warranty.

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