High Definition frightens some people. TV presenters, for example, are running scared that new HD channels might show up the fact that they have a wrinkle or two that can't be smoothed over with make-up. Most of us, however, are embracing the HD revolution, including Logitech. The company has just brought out a range of four new HD webcams, which are priced from £25 to £90. Two of them are more budget oriented, and the C310 is the slightly dearer one of the cheaper pair, weighing in at £35.

After removing it from the box, the first task in setting up the Logitech C310 is to place it on top of your display. The camera body itself is very compact, and is attached to a small folding bracket which allows the unit to sit on top of a monitor, with the back of the bracket folding in to hold it steady. The camera can also be pivoted on a hinge to move it up and down, and on the whole it's a nicely constructed little device which sat fine on top of our LG monitor.

Once it's in place, the software can be installed and the webcam plugged into your USB port. Logitech automatically updates everything online during the installation process, to ensure you've got the latest versions, which takes five or ten minutes. The software comprises the drivers, the basic Logitech webcam interface, and several other applications including the Logitech Vid HD for video calling.

The C310 supports 720p High Definition video calls via the Vid HD software. A microphone is built into the front of the unit, so a separate mic isn't required: you can talk straight to your webcam. Initially the microphone volume sensitivity seemed very low by default, but a quick trip to the settings menu to push the slider up to maximum helped obtain a decent volume with a reasonable level of clarity. Admittedly though, in an ideal world we'd have liked it to have been just a touch more sensitive still.

When it comes to video recording, the webcam adjusts itself according to the light levels in the room. If the sun suddenly breaks free of the clouds at a window behind you, for example, it does a good job of quickly adjusting the settings to ensure your face remains visible and the light even. The slight downside is that this mode can kick in when you're moving your head around, particularly towards the camera, which can be a somewhat distracting effect. However, if you find the slight flickering off-putting, the RightLight feature can always be turned off. The video quality itself is impressive, and although it can be a touch choppy with faster movements, it's quite crisp and clean otherwise. A control panel application lets the user pan the view on-the-fly while recording, which is handy feature.

Speaking of the handy desktop control panel, this also offers other features, such as an option to display a holding picture as an image while the webcam stays connected (useful if you have a sudden and insatiable desire to pick your nose). Various real-time special effects can also be applied to video recordings, such as a pastel watercolour look, a tiled mosaic, and an awesome electric multicoloured stencil effect on a black background which made your reviewer look like some manner of demon raised from Hell. Which confirms what our parents have thought for years. Very funky indeed.

Taking a picture of yourself as an otherworldly creature (don't forget to pull a suitably Edvard Munch inspired face) is as simple as clicking a button, with a three second countdown to help you ready a pose. The camera itself is a 5-megapixel affair, and the resultant snaps are pretty sharp. The basic Logitech webcam software allows the user to one-click upload photos to Facebook, or videos to YouTube, which is a thoughtful touch for those social and share-happy souls out there. The interface is well laid out and simple to use, plus links to video tutorials on the Logitech website are provided for common tasks such as setting the webcam up with various common Instant Messaging applications. Even a relative computing novice won't have trouble getting to grips with this piece of hardware.

Another application the C310 comes bundled with is a motion detection system that turns it into a surveillance device. This, as the name suggests, sets the webcam into an observation mode whereby it detects motion. You can select the sensitivity of the motion required to trigger the camera, and when triggered, it automatically records video and sound, so you can see what's been going on in your absence. A timer can be used to schedule what times the motion detection is active at, as well. It's a neat little extra, although probably not something most people will actually ever use much.

Verdict
This is a great little piece of kit, particularly considering the image quality you're getting for the money here, along with a nicely put-together bundle of software. The main webcam application features a clean and simple interface, which makes it all very easy to use. Overall, the C310 is an excellent, budget friendly piece of hardware.

Company: Logitech

Contact: 01753 870900

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