QuickCam Vision Pro Targets Mac Users

Considering that half of Apple’s computer line, including the MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac all comes with standard webcams, it should come as no surprise that the shelves for Mac-compatible webcams are a little bare. Even so, Logitech cast out its own offering on Tuesday with the high-end QuickCam Vision Pro, a Mac-compatible camera that Logitech claims should surpass the quality of embedded cameras, like the ones found on so many Macs.

At the Vision Pro’s heart lies a Carl Zeiss lens, the same type used by Sony’s Cyber-Shot digital cameras. It’s coupled with Logitech’s own proprietary autofocus technology, which uses a voice coil rather than a stepper motor, and a 2-megapixel image sensor. Although the camera will only perform at VGA resolution during live teleconferencing with iChat or Skype, it can capture 720P (960 x 720) resolution video for storing to the hard drive. The 2-megapixel figure comes from the camera’s still-image captures, which can go up to 1600 x 1200 resolution.

Logitech will debut the Vision Pro in the U.S. and Europe this July. The retail price of $129.99 will make it the priciest camera in Logitech’s significant webcam portfolio, alongside the equally priced Orbit AF.