We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: in this new world transformed forever by the pandemic, the need for a good webcam to be able to connect people from home is growing more and more. Whether it’s kick-starting your Twitch career from the comfort of your bedroom or looking your best at your next meeting. This is something that all camera manufacturers always keep in mind.
Most manufacturers immediately accelerated the development and production of webcams, but Razer is trying to put everyone to shame with one of the most expensive and arguably the best. We present to you the Kiyo Pro Ultra.
Yes, there is a “pro” and an “ultra” with the same name. It seems exaggerated, but all is not facade. First, it has the largest sensor you’ll find in a webcam, a 2 1/1.2 inch Starvis sensor with 2.9 micron pixels that can record at 4K/30fps RAW, or 4K/24 uncompressed bits with an F/1.7 lens, so we are talking about powerful hardware.
It is circular in shape and stands out a little above the computer screen. However, it does have a physical opening where a plastic piece sits in front of the sensor when not in use, and the USB Type-C cable can be removed so you can DIY the wiring yourself. The clamp is quite flexible and you can adjust it according to your needs. Also note that it weighs 348 grams, which is already a bit, and you have to play around with it a bit to get the desired result.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra is a completely plug-and-play camera, and even without Synapse installed (autofocus), automatic exposure and adjustment are enabled. This gives us the best results when a face is centered in the center of the frame, 99% of the time. But also, thanks to Synapse, you can configure ISO, shutter speed and other parameters, as well as activate facial recognition so that the focus moves more naturally, for example in the event that you place an object in front of your face to bring it into focus. .
With such a large sensor, there’s a lot more light to play with. It also means that the camera performs much better in worse lighting conditions than, say, the Logitech Brio. It’s a shame it doesn’t hit 60fps in this regard, which would be crucial for some, and with good reason. In theory it is feasible, but for that it is necessary to pass in 1080p.
Honestly, we’ve never seen such good focus as on the Kiyo Pro Ultra before. Natural Face Recognition creates a soft bokeh effect that naturally blurs the background and creates distinct layers in the footage, yet the focus is sharp every time. The truth is, it looks better than anything on the market right now.