Labs

We had very high hopes for this webcam. On paper it looks like a match for either or both of the Creative models. It has a 2 megapixel sensor like the Optia AF, a 71° wide-angle lens like the Optia Pro, and a noise-cancelling microphone. What more could you ask for? Well, decent picture quality,

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for a start. Video from the LifeCam simply wasn't anywhere near as good as that from either of the Creative units, or indeed other webcams in this price bracket. The image looked grainy and not particularly sharp, and the camera had difficulty keeping up with anything more than the most sedate movements without video blurring to the point where our subject wasn't recognisable.

One of the Microsoft camera's selling points is that it integrates closely with Windows Live Messenger, coming with dashboard software and a built-in call button. But the former merely provides lame special effects, and we lived happily without the latter when using the other webcams.

It may look good on paper, but that's the only place this webcam can match its Creative rivals; in the real world, it's merely usable. If you're going to spend 50 quid on a webcam, get the Live! Cam Optia AF instead.