Customize Your Webex Desk Camera

Here you can find the settings for camera video image and audio available on the Webex Desk Camera app.

Configure the video image settings

The Webex Desk Camera is designed to function out of the box. You can also adjust the video image settings to meet your network or video image requirements.

Because of the limitations of macOS, the camera settings are reset to the default if you reconnect the camera with the camera app closed. Keep the camera app open to persist your customization when you reconnect the camera.

Before you begin

Install the Webex Desk Camera app on your computer.
Open the camera shutter. You can't change the settings with the shutter closed.

Open the Webex Desk Camera app.

Configure the parameters on the Basic and Advanced tab as you need.

The following table describes the video image parameters available on the Basic tab.

Table 1. Video Image Settings on the Basic Tab

Parameter

Description

Best overview

Best Overview makes sure that you're always properly framed in your video.

Enable this feature to allow the camera to automatically frame you. If you want to customize the field of view setting or use the zoom feature, disable this feature.

For optimal performance of the Best Overview feature, make sure that you’re centered in the frame before you enable this feature.
This feature supports a resolution of up to 1920x1080.

Default: Off

Resolution

Choose a resolution for the video recordings and static pictures you take with the camera app.

Higher resolution provides higher image clarity, results in higher CPU utilization on your computer, and requires more storage to save the recorded videos and snapshots.

We recommend that you use the default resolution for video conferences or set it to match your conferencing application.

Default: 1280x720

Options:

4096x2160 (USB 3.0 required, and unavailable in Best Overview mode.)
3840x2160 (USB 3.0 required, and unavailable in Best Overview mode.)
1920x1080
1280x720
864x480
640x360
512x288
448x240
320x180
256x144

Frame rate

Choose a frame rate from the drop-down list.

The frame rate is measured with frames per second (fps). A higher frame rate provides a smoother video display, results in higher CPU utilization on your computer, and requires more storage to save the recorded video files.

Default: 30

Options: 15, 30, 60

60fps is available for 1920x1080 when you connect the camera to a USB 3.0 or USB-C port. Don't set the frame rate to 60fps when using the camera for video conferencing. Otherwise, the video quality degrades.

Field of view

The field of view determines the width of the view that you can see from the camera. The higher degree you set, the wider the image.

When Best Overview is enabled, the field of view is set to 81. You can't change it. If you disable Best Overview, the field of view restores to your last setting.

Default: 81

Options: 65, 70, 75, 81

Brightness

Adjust the brightness of the camera image to suit the available light.

Drag the slider left to decrease the brightness or right to increase the brightness.

The camera uses facial detection when it sets the correct auto exposure. But if your place is brightly backlit or front lit, then it may under or overexpose your image. Adjust the Brightness setting if you’re silhouetted or overexposed in a video call.

The following table describes the video image parameters available on the Advanced tab.

Table 2. Video Image Settings on the Advanced Tab
Parameter	Description
Auto focus	Enables or disables automatic focus. In autofocus mode, the camera adjusts the lens to focus on the subject within the camera view. If the autofocus mode is turned off, you can manually adjust the focus. Drag the slider left to make the lens focus closer, and right to focus further. Default: On
Auto white balance	Enables or disables automatic white balance. When auto mode is on, the camera examines the lighting condition and determines the colors to render the image. When the auto mode is off, you can use the slider to adjust the white balance manually and get your intended image colors. Default: On
Contrast	If necessary, adjust the contrast value to improve the image clarity. Drag the slider left to decrease image contrast or right to increase contrast.
Saturation	A proper saturation setting makes your image look vivid. Drag the slider left or right to set your desired color tone.
Sharpness	Adjusts the sharpness level. A proper sharpness level renders the image details clearly. Drag the slider left to smooth the image or right to sharpen the image.
Manual anti-flicker	Some artificial lighting, like fluorescent lights, causes flickers in video images. By default, the camera automatically detects the flickering light in the environment and minimizes the flickering impact on image quality. If the default auto mode doesn't eliminate the flickers, toggle the switch on and try with the available options to optimize the image quality. Default: Off Options for manual mode: 50 Hz, 60 Hz

Use Digital Zoom

Use digital zoom when you need a closer look at a person or item. When zoomed in, you can use the onscreen arrow tool to navigate around the image.

Before you begin

Make sure that the Best Overview feature is disabled. You can't use the zoom feature when Best Overview is enabled.

1	Open the Webex Desk Camera app.
2	Hover the mouse over the video frame.
3	Click the + or - on the zoom bar to zoom in or out of the image.
4	Use the arrows on the video frame to navigate around the image.

Flip the Video Image

Flip the image if you want a horizontally reversed view.

1	Open the Webex Desk Camera app.
2	Click at the top-right corner of the video frame.

Mute the Microphones

By default, your camera microphones are On. Mute your microphones if you don't want the meeting participants to hear you.

When the microphones are muted, recordings taken with your camera are silent.

If you use your camera with a meeting application, make sure that you select Webex Desk Camera as the audio channel on the meeting app settings.

1	Open the Webex Desk Camera app.
2	Below the live video frame, click Mute.
3	To resume the audio, click Unmute.

Adjust the Microphone Volume

Adjust your microphone volume if you sound too loud or too quiet during a meeting. You can't adjust the volume when muted.

1	Open the Webex Desk Camera app.
2	Click the downward arrow (˅) on the Mute button.
3	On the Microphone gain window, move the Input volume slider left to decrease or right to increase the volume.

Specify the Media File Directory

You can specify a location on your local drive to save your pictures and recordings. By default, media files are saved to the Media folder on your local drive at

...\Users\<user_ID>\Documentation\Cisco Camera\Media

1	Open the Webex Desk Camera app.
2	On the Advanced tab, click Change under Media file location.
3	Choose the desired folder and click Select Folder.