Thinking of getting a webcam for experimental and technical purposes - what would you recommend?
I think there are hundreds of different webcams available that feature tiny size, cute or clever styling, and inflexibility in the sense that they are hard to attach to anything, hard to get the lens off, hard to modify, et cetera.
And there are webcam-like cameras aimed at amateur astronomers that are very nice and versatile, but generally cost hundreds or a few thousand dollars, and include expensive low light features like thermoelectric cooling. One of these would be great, though overkill - but the price is unreachable.
I wish there were webcams that had removeable lenses, no IR filter, flat surfaces and tripod mount sockets (1/4 - 20 threaded holes), and other features better suited to fooling around and not aimed at the stylish. I think I’d be about equally interested in color or in monochrome.
I want this for the occasional idea I want to try, and maybe don’t need each of the things I said. But, I’m looking for something that is more adaptable and accessible. I don’t plan any ghostly blue pictures of myself at an odd downward angle to post on YouTube.
And I’m not looking for top performance - speed, resolution, sensitivity. I’m just looking for adaptable.
If there were one paramount feature I wish for, it’d be removeable lenses with some standard mount (like a T-thread or C-mount).
Thanks!