Microsoft's latest offering in the HD realm — its LifeCam Cinema webcam that affixes to the top of a computer screen — features a 16:9 video window that can achieve images of 720p/30 fps.
The aluminum-encased unit includes an auto-focus capability that is effective as close as 4 inches, according to Microsoft, and can capture wide-angle images up to 74 degrees. The 720p imaging for video calls and conferencing is typically reliant on transmission connections and, to a lesser degree, the quality of newer computer monitors (nearly all of which, today, are LCD).
The HD webcam will begin with an MSRP of about $80 in North America, and will come with a 3-year limited warranty when it is shipped to retailers this fall.
