The idea of getting a good webcam seems to have become more paramount as time has passed, especially if you’re into the old streaming thing on Twitch, YouTube, or other platforms. This Toucan Pro Streaming Webcam is the latest contender to jump into the world of mid-range webcams, offering all the fun of decent resolution/fps output in a sweet-lookin’ chassis, and with convenient connectivity, too.
It makes sense to get right into details of the Toucan Pro Streaming Webcam when it comes to how its output looks. Well, it provides the opportunity for you to record at either 1080p/60fps, like a lot of other webcams at this price, or even up to 1440p at 30fps. It’s kind of the best of both worlds on offer, and in testing, the video I recorded one Saturday afternoon looks pretty good, as you’ll see from the sample footage below.
With that being said, there may not be as much noticeable detail increases in the sample video, but 1440p provided a little more definition to proceedings when recording, it must be said.
The fact there’s also the option to record at 1080/60fps gives you the benefit of more frames to play with, and therefore smoother motion in videos at the cost of a lower resolution. In addition, recording at 1080p is likely to be more stable than at 1440p, and to be truthful, it was a more consistent performance at the lower resolution, and there isn’t too much of a sacrifice in terms of overall image quality. Personally, I’d keep things at 1080p/60fps for that more consistent performance, although the addition of QHD-res output is a welcome addition for the sake of choice.
Toucan Pro specs
Recording resolution: 1080p/60fps, 1440p/30fps
FOV: 89 degrees
Features: Plug and play connectivity, detachable USB Type-C cable, integrated stand
Price: $80/£80
Intriguingly, there’s no mention of this Toucan webcam featuring any auto low-light correction, unlike other webcams at this price range, but generally speaking, it deals with lower light environments pretty well. Recording in OBS revealed some additional warmth added to the tone of the webcam’s video, which seems to have corrected for the otherwise beige wall I was recording against to offer a little more vibrancy.
The omni-directional mic present, as you’ll hear, offered up some clear pickup of my voice with some decent body to it, although there are some clipping and juddering noises, which isn’t the best thing in the world for video calls and meetings.
1440p @ 30fps test video
1080p @ 60fps test video
As for design, this Toucan webcam is a little different to others I’ve used and tested in the past, offering some handy swivel adjustment to get it up and facing you. That’s pretty reassuring for privacy, as when it’s not in use, you can simply pop the webcam down, and there’s no way that people could peer in if the webcam’s lens is pointing downwards. The swivel negates the need for any form of privacy shutter, although that may have been nice to have as a secondary barrier.
The actual camera module comes mounted on its own little stand, which means you can use it without screwing anything into the ¼ inch thread mount on the bottom, and get up and running pretty much instantly. Toucan provides a standard-issue monitor mount for this webcam though, which I used to fasten it to the top of my MacBook for testing. The connection when it’s there is secure, and there’s no need to worry about the camera potentially falling off, especially given the underside of that attachment is rubberised and seemingly non-slip, too.
Low light test video
It’s comprised of some pretty solid feeling plastics, and unlike other more affordable webcams, these ones don’t feel cheap or scratchy. There’s a nice heft to this Toucan webcam that’s reassuring, and despite its larger stature by comparison to more traditional looking webcams, this particular option doesn’t feel bulky in any way. You could certainly chuck it in a bag if you wanted to take a dedicated webcam on your travels. The notion of this also being more of a portable webcam is also reflected in the simple fact the USB Type-C cable it uses is detachable, which just provides a little more peace of mind. Other webcams feature a fixed cable, which means if it goes wrong, you’re a little bit stuffed to say the least.
Much like the Streamplify Cam (opens in new tab) I looked at earlier this year, this is a simple plug and play webcam, with no additional software required, which keeps things especially easy. With that plug and play nature in mind, it’s perhaps unsurprising that this Toucan webcam shows up pretty much immediately within settings for capture programs such as OBS. If you’re a budding streamer and you want a webcam with simple means of setup, this is a solid choice.
So, to sum up then. The Toucan Pro Streaming Webcam is a pretty good all-round webcam for both conferencing and streaming, offering pretty good video output in both good and low light situations, as well as a sturdy chassis and as easy as pie connectivity. The addition of convenient USB Type-C connectivity is excellent, and the omnidirectional microphone offers decent pickup, too. Even without any additional software, the fact is, if you’re a streamer who just wants an easy to use and capable webcam, this should be a handy choice.