# Web Cam for a Mac

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 25, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030 "2008-02-25T01:43:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030/1 "2008-02-25T01:43:43Z")

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I am looking for a web cam for my iMac (without built-in camera) and am coming up somewhat short in Mac-compatible web cams.

Any models you have working on your Mac?

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**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030/2 "2008-02-25T01:55:14Z")

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As all the new Apple models have a built-in camera, there aren’t many external ones available. I was able to find the [Logitech QuickCam Notebook Pro](http://www.smalldog.com/product/42722). Apple used to sell the iSight Firewire cam, but it does not seem to be available any more. There are some on eBay.

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**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030/3 "2008-02-25T02:08:01Z")

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The Mac Pro has a webcam?

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**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030/4 "2008-02-25T02:22:17Z")

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[QUOTE=Sunspace]  
The Mac Pro has a webcam?  
[/QUOTE]

Good point. The MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac all have cams. The Mac Pro and Mac Mini do not. The only logical assumption is that the target markets for these two models are not interested in video chatting. The lack of third-party options seems to support this.

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**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030/5 "2008-02-25T16:44:03Z")

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I have had success in the past installing [MacCam](http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/13065) and then running a Logitech USB cam on a PowerBook G4.

Ymmv.

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**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-cam-for-a-mac/439030/6 "2008-02-26T01:44:58Z")

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My MacBook has a camera but not a movie camera–it takes still pics only. (unless there’s a setting that I’m missing–a distinct possibility).