Finding the best document camera for your classroom can be a challenge, especially now that classes are increasingly moving online. Sometimes called visualisers, these specialist cameras let teachers provide a different perspect or closer view of practical demonstrations both in the classroom and online.
Most modern computers, like laptops, Surfaces, and iPads come with one or more built-in cameras, but these aren’t always the best if you want to share a page of a textbook or the surface of a globe. Webcams built into laptops, Chromebooks, and iPads are often too low quality to provide the image clarity needed to show written text or are too difficult to position to get the best view possible.
When teaching online, a document camera or visualiser provides a broader window on the lesson for students, and the teacher much more flexibility with practical demonstrations.
Understanding Classroom Document Cameras
A document camera can be one of the most important tools when teaching online. You can spend anything from sixty to several hundred dollars, but in my experience higher-cost doesn’t always provide a better experience in the classroom. Often it’s the basic features which have a greater impact in the online classroom.
Below I’ve outlined all of the things you’ll want to consider when buying a document camera, but if you’re in a hurry…
Take a look at the ClassThink Document Camera Top Pick first!
1. Elmo MX-P Document Camera & Visualiser
Elmo is one of the most popular brands of school document cameras and visualisers. They may not be the cheapest, but by spending just a little bit more you get everything you could possibly need in a document camera.
Features
- Camera Resolution: True 4K (4160 x 3120) UHD
- Zoom Capability: 16x Digital Zoom
- Frame Rate: 60fps (30fps in 4K)
- Focus: Auto (One-push)
- Megapixels: 13MP
- Image Effects: Rotation / Freeze
- Light Source: LED
- Lightweight, foldable, portable design for on-the-go presentations.
Connectivity
- HDMI output
- VGA / RGB output
- USB 3.0 Micro B
What is The Best Document Camera For Teachers?
If you’re just after a quick run down of the cameras I’ve tried, take a look below. Alternatively, read on for more information about how to choose the best document camera or visualiser for your classroom.
- Elmo MX-P Document Camera & Visualiser
- Hue HD Portable USB Document Camera
- Elmo Document Cameras
- Ipevo V4K Ultra High Definition 8MP USB Visualiser
- JOURIST DC80 Document Camera & Visualiser
- Plugable Digital Microscope
- Okiolabs Okiocam T USB Document Camera
This list will be updated as we test out more document cameras.
Every classroom and teaching environment will be different, especially now that learning is increasingly being done online through apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. As such it’s difficult to recommend the best device for your particular teaching style, however, there are a few key things you can look for when choosing a document camera, whether you’re teaching students in the real world or virtually.
Understanding how you’re doing to use your camera is really important. If you’re doing a lot of close up work with textbooks and written word, you’ll need a document camera that can focus on close objects. If you’re using the camera to show 3D objects, maybe in a design technology lesson or a globe in geography, you’ll want your camera to have a quick focus. Some document cameras can even double as a live streaming camera, allowing you to use it as an adjustable webcam.
Let’s take a look at some more document cameras available for schools and educators.
2. Hue HD Portable USB Document Camera
The Hue HD document camera isn’t going to win any awards for best in the market, but it is one of the most solid, flexible, and low-cost document cameras you can buy for your classroom.
Not only can the Hue be used as a document camera but you can also use it for live streaming and video calls over Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. It will work work with anything with a USB port, including Windows and Chromebooks.
Usefully, you can disconnect the camera from its base and plug it directly into the USB port of your laptop to allow you to move around the classroom without carrying several bits of kit with you.
Specifications
- A lightweight, portable document camera
- Built-in USB microphone
- Flexible neck with full 360 degree rotation
- Manual focus; camera can be moved and refocused for close-ups
- Native resolution of 1280×720 (720p)
System Requirements
- PC: Windows 10 recommended (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP compatible)
- Mac: macOS 10.12+ recommended (Mac OS X 10.4.3+ compatible)
- Other: ChromeOS, or Linux distributions with UVC support
- Powered USB port (USB 2.0 recommended, USB 3.0/1.1 compatible)
There is also a higher-end pro version of the Hue, but I’ve been struggling to find stock of the camera since lockdown.
3. Elmo Document Cameras
This one is a bit of a cheat, because it’s a whole range of document cameras rather than just one.
If you’ve used a document camera in the classroom before there’s a very good chance that it was an Elmo. Elmo’s have been around for years and provide a lot of options for your money including support for a lot of older classroom projects.
If you need an document camera with a VGA socket, for example, the Elmo MO-1 is probably your best bet.
- Elmo MO-1 Visual Presenter
- Elmo 1304 Model TT-02RX Teachers Tool Digital Document Camera
- Elmo 1379 Model TT-12W STEM-CAM Visual Presenter
You can connect your Elmo to your laptop or Chromebook to stream video in an online lesson or connect it to your classroom projector or interactive screen equally as easily.
System Requirements
- PC: Windows 10 recommended (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP compatible)
- Mac: macOS 10.12+ recommended (Mac OS X 10.4.3+ compatible)
- Other: ChromeOS, or Linux distributions with UVC support
3. Ipevo V4K Ultra High Definition 8MP USB Visualiser
The IPEVO V4K is the lower specification camera in the IPEVO range of visualisers and document cameras, but it’s still well priced and feature rich.
The IPEVO has an 8 megapixel camera for capturing ultra high definition live images up to 3264 x 2448 pixels and fast focusing speed helps minimize interruptions for frequent switching between different materials.
Because the IPEVO connects to most devices with a USB port and features a microphone you can use it to stream via video conferencing apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
Specifications
- Newly designed multi-jointed stand offers a simple fix for tightening loose joints caused by heavy daily use
- Works with a variety of software and applications on Mac, PC and Chromebook that allows you to use it in different ways
System Requirements
- PC: Windows 10 recommended (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP compatible)
- Mac: macOS 10.12+ recommended (Mac OS X 10.4.3+ compatible)
- Other: ChromeOS, or Linux distributions with UVC support
- Powered USB port (USB 2.0 recommended, USB 3.0/1.1 compatible)
4. JOURIST DC80 Document Camera & Visualiser
The Jourist DC80 is a compact, foldable document camera featuring an LED light, an 8 megapixel sensor, microphone, and multiple options to connect it to a project, screen, or laptop.
Features
- Macro image distance of less than 5cm, allowing for objects to be shown in close-up.
- 8-megapixel resolution.
- Flexible bracket and arm.
- Auto-focus and white balance features.
- Built-in microphone.
- Digital zoom.
- Low cost.
5. Plugable Digital Microscope
This one is slightly off-base but it’s perfect for those teaching STEM classes. The Plugable Digital Microscope provides up to 250x magnification and features an integrated halo LED light to get the best image possible.
Specifications
- A lightweight, portable document camera
- USB connectivity with 4ft cable.
- 1600×1200 Snapshots, 640×480 Video
- Flexible neck with full 360 degree rotation
- Manual focus; camera can be moved and refocused for close-ups
- Native resolution of 1280×720 (720p)
System Requirements
- PC: Windows 10 recommended (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP compatible)
- Mac: macOS 10.12+ recommended (Mac OS X 10.4.3+ compatible)
- Other: ChromeOS, or Linux distributions with UVC support
6. Okiolabs Okiocam T USB Document Camera
The Okiocam is a small and portable flat-bed document camera that’s easy to carry between classrooms.
Despite being one of the cheaper cameras on this list, the Okiocam is packed with features like time-lapse and stop motion.
Specifications
- A lightweight, portable document camera.
- Equipped with a 5-megapixel camera sensor, capable of resolutions of up to 2592 x 1944 (4:3).
- Adjustable Arm and 360-degree Rotating Camera.
- Works with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, Skype and more.
- Snapshot and recorder, time-lapse, and stop motion features.
System Requirements
- PC: Windows 10 recommended (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP compatible)
- Mac: macOS 10.12+ recommended (Mac OS X 10.4.3+ compatible)
- Other: ChromeOS, or Linux distributions with UVC support
- Powered USB port (USB 2.0 recommended, USB 3.0/1.1 compatible)
More features to consider when buying a document camera for your classroom
Is the Image Quality Good Enough?
Image and focus quality is really important, particularly if you’re using your camera to show close up work like written text and images. Image quality for cameras is usually given in megapixels, the higher the number the better quality and the clearer the image. There’s nothing worse than struggling to get a clear image of a passage of text.
The imagery quality is determined by the megapixels, frames per second, digital zoom capabilities, auto focus ability, clear image quality, and additional video and audio features. A built-in microphone assists teachers in including audio and video for a more active display.
Why Focus is Important in Your Document Camera
Focal length and speed are really important to keep your lessons smooth and image clear to students.
Most document cameras feature auto-focus which automatically adjusts the focus to give you the clearest image possible without having to make manual adjustments. How fast auto-focus adjusts can make all the difference between students seeing a blurred images or a clear image and can make a huge difference to the quality of your lesson.
A few cameras also have a manual focus feature, which means that you can turn off the auto-focus and adjust the image clarity yourself. This is useful if you are doing extremely close up work, possibly showing circuit boards or other intricate objects for which you need an exceptionally tight image. Manual focus is often only found on more expensive document cameras.
The Difference Between Digital and Analog Zoom
Most document cameras and visualisers feature digital zoom with a feature higher-end models also having analog zoom. What is the difference and why is it so important?
Digital zoom is where the camera uses software to zoom into the digital image. While this is perfectly good for most purposes it can given a blurrier image.
Analog zoom is when the camera’s lense is adjusted to give a closer image. This generally gives a much clearer image but the feature is often only found on more expensive cameras.
In most classrooms digital zoom is perfectly sufficient. You’ll only want an analog zoom option if you are doing extremely close-up work.
Lighting
Document cameras with a built-in LED light can provide a lot of flexibility to the locations that you can use your camera in and can also improve the image quality.
If you’re teaching in a well lit classroom, lighting may not be a problem, but if you then need to move to teaching online from your kitchen or bedroom, you may want to consider using a camera with a light.
Portability
Portability of your document camera is essential in the current climate and there are a variety of form factors and models available to best suit your needs.
From a worm-light design, where the camera connects directly to the USB port of your laptop, to a full-sized flat-bed cameras, there are lots of options available.
Do you need a remote control?
A remote control can be useful when the document camera is static at the front of the classroom but the teacher needs to move around the class.
Will a webcam work instead of a document camera?
An external USB webcam can work well as a document cameras in some circumstances. Webcams are generally very portable and are easy to move around and point at specific objects, but there are some downsides but in my experience most webcams struggle to focus on close up objects.
This makes it really difficult to show written text or the page of an exercise book. That’s understandable. Webcams are mainly used to show medium to long range images such as rooms and people and are not designed to show close up images.
If you’re interested in webcams take a look at the ClassThink run down of the best webcams for schools.
How does the Document Camera connect to your classroom kit?
Document cameras have a range of options available to connect to your current classroom hardware and screens. Make sure to choose the best option for your teaching style:
- USB: a USB connection lets you connect your document camera directly to your computer, just like a webcam. Connecting by USB allows you to stream the image from your document camera using apps like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, and Skype.
- HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA: These allow you to connect your camera to a projector, interactive whiteboard or other screen without the need to go through a computer. Using HDMI or VGA often provides the simplest setup but means that you need to be in the same room as your students to get the most out of it.
- Wireless: Some document cameras — often the most expensive — allow you to wirelessly connect your camera to your computer. This can be great for moving around a classroom showing student work but it often a less reliable technology and can provide a lower quality image.
Other Features to Consider
- Some document cameras have an optional microscope adapter which can be useful to show extremely close-up work in STEM or science classes.
- If you want your document camera to double as a webcam, make sure you get one with a good quality microsoft built-in. Document cameras often come with a poor quality microphone.
- Some higher-end document cameras, often sold as document scanners, come with optical character recognition (OCR) built in. This allows you to pull text from textbooks and printed documents and paste it into documents.
Document cameras can be a teacher’s best friend, as long as you get the right one for your needs. Share which model you’re using in the comments and any teaching techniques you’ve found useful.
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