Canon rolls out software patch that converts cameras into webcams for macOS, Windows

Looking sharp for a meeting might be more important than ever. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing most business meetings to happen over video-conferencing applications, looking sharp might not solely be a function of one’s carriage. Low bandwidth and poor quality webcams can pose a problem, but Canon has offered a workaround for this common problem.
The Japanese company recently unveiled a new interface that lets people use Canon cameras as webcams, but only for Windows. Canon has now added support for Mac users by releasing the EOS Webcam Utility Beta on macOS.

Cameras like the EOS R, M6 Mark II and the Rebel SL3 can be connected to a Macbook via USB cable. The newer generation Macs which have only USB C-type ports will require a connector for plugging in the cameras. After installing the utility, the camera will function as a webcam, giving users a sharper and more professional look on popular video-conferencing apps like Skype, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

A common grouse among Macbook users has been the grainy 720p front camera that does duty on both the Macbook Air and Pro models. A mirrorless camera or DSLR will vastly improve the image quality and resolution of video streams. Fujifilm has also launched a similar utility, but only for Windows. However, there could be a few problems with the interleaving of sound and audio in the video stream.

The app cannot use the camera’s microphone, so users will have to rely on their laptop’s audio or plug in an external microphone or use wireless alternatives like air pods. This means that there is a possibility that the audio might lag the picture, and be out of sync by up to half a second, depending on the connection strength and the rate of data transmission.

Additionally, Canon recommends that users connect their cameras to an external power source during the meeting, rather than depending on batteries.