The capture card is actually optional if you're using a Mac, at least for some cameras.

I run my mirrorless via microUSB using two apps, Camera Live[0] and CamTwist[1], both free.

[0]: https://github.com/v002/v002-Camera-Live

[1]: https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/24275/camtwist

Camera Live claims to only support Canon, but I can tell you that Sony ASP-Cs work fine. The details of how exactly to get it working vary by camera, but a search for "$your-camera webcam CamTwist" will turn something up.

Sony has their own software for using your mirrorless camera as a webcam, whether APS-C or Full-Frame. But the quality is inevitably lesser to an HDMI adapter. A version for MacOS is being developped, according to their website

It's called "Imaging Edge Webcam" : https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/webcam/en/

I'm personally using an A7ii with a Tamron 28-75 for Canon EF, and it works much better resolution and quality wise with the HDMI, just because of the limitation to 1024x768 of the USB camera mode, which was really meant for tethering. Coupled with a 4$ phantom battery, it's awesome! I can get a clear image in the very low light conditions of my room at night, too. No need to turn the lights on, even :)

Is that using the tethering feed? I wasn't wild about the quality, ymmv, seemed lower res than my webcam. Here's how to do it using gphoto2 in Linux: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23407365

Yeah, it uses the tethering feed, and I had to tweak some setting in CamTwist to get 1080p.

Starting to think some kind of capture card might be worth the investment though.

I ended up buying the $10 1080p USB capture card recommended in a sibling post, and it's much better than what I got out of the tethering feed.

Yeah, if you have an expensive mirrorless camera in a fixed setup then it's not bad, but it's quite a hassle if have to carry it around and expensive to buy.

IME, a cheap a6000 with the kit lens is very light and easy to carry around, and it's one of those things you keep for a very long time.

Then again, I'm the type of person to lug around an A7ii with a 135 2.8 and a 28-75 2.8 everywhere I go!

I wouldn't call ~450 GBP, 'cheap'...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-ILCE6000LB-Compact-SELP1650-El...

That indeed isn't cheap. They sell on local classifieds for around ~250 CAD here. It's not a production model so buying it from Amazon doesn't make sense.

I've been looking for a DSLR/DSLM on eBay for a while now to hook up to my Elgato Cam Link, and prices there aren't any better. It's like every youtuber has worked out the DLSR + HDMI output = Webcam trick, and it's inflating used camera prices.

That is unfortunate. In my local classifieds I can find them for around 300 USD before any haggling, maybe you will have more fortune there?

But yes, the prices did indeed rise. It's quite how remarkable how well cameras conserve their value compared to other electronics.

There are $12 capture cards? Any recommendations?

For $12 you can get a HDMI-to-USB2 capture card on ebay - it's based on the Macrosilicon 2109.

You can also find $18 fake "USB 3" devices that are the same chip, but a higher price, a different case, and a blue plug.

As it's USB2, you'll find it will only do uncompressed 1080p at 5fps, although it'll do 30fps if you use mjpeg. At either framerate, I noticed several frames of video lag, putting my lips and voice slightly out of sync (although how much is the camera vs the capture card is hard to say).

I'm fairly certain the capture card also introduces some colour distortion compared to the camera's preview screen - perhaps brightening? You'll need a way to convince your camera to autofocus continuously, which might mean running in video-recording mode at all times. And of course you'll need a camera support that's the right height for where you're making calls from. You'll need mains power, or at least enough batteries to run the camera all day. And of course, no taking calls in different rooms for you!

I bought this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/HDMI-to-USB-2-0-Video-Capture-Card-...

Works great. Haven't had any framerate issues when paired with a Panasonic GH3.

Thanks for the advice! I bought the adapter (or a device that looks just like it) and it does work great. Sony A6300, tested on both Linux and OS X. Plug and play.

1080p -- or whatever the resolution is that it's delivering -- is easily enough for Google/Jitsi meet. Quality is much better than the MacBook Pro internal webcam.

I have this and it works fine. When I bought it it was only $8 though https://www.amazon.com/Capture-Camcorder-Support-Broadcast-S...

No need for a mirrorless camera, most DSLRs can do it, if they support clean HDMI out/external recording.

I was thinking about using a Nikon D7100 with a capture card, since it has "clean output" HDMI (no menus or info ovelayed), but it has a 30 minutes maximum recording time according to https://www.atomos.com/cameras/nikon-d7100. Any ideas how to overcome that?

I've heard 30 minutes of video is the threshold for leaving the EU's 0% "IT Equipment" import tax category and entering the 5-12% "Video camera" tax category. https://www.tested.com/tech/photography/44445-why-digital-ca...

I found this tool that claims to be able to patch your firmware to remove the recording time limit, but I haven't tried it due to being a Sony guy : http://simeonpilgrim.com/nikon-patch/nikon-patch.html

dont't try - its going to burn the sensor, as it will overrun it's thermal capacity. this is why there is the 30 mins limit in the first place; you'll see a marked raise in noise after 10 mins or so any way

The limit is only for tax purposes. One guy at my work uses Sony DSLR as webcam and it works just fine and we are staying with cams/mics on for hours at a time (pair programming)

My D90 purchased in Europe kind of disagrees with you.

Indeed. My A7ii uses a very similar sensor to some Nikon cameras, and the sensor is literally always on, because the camera lacks an optical viewfinder. While the noise for very long exposures is negatively affected by the temperature of the sensor if left on too long without being allowed to cool down, the camera is made for having the sensor on for hours and hours every day without issue, and the Nikon sensors aren't any different.

Whats most likely to break, however, is the shutter mechanism. But even that isn't affected here.

I'm actually really upset that my Lumix LX100 doesn't support live hdmi output, I was hoping to use it as a webcam replacement but apparently Panasonic never implemented this feature, which is a shame because the picture quality would blow any webcam out of the water.

If you're on Linux and don't mind an unreliable hack where your video sometimes freezes, I was able to bodge the mobile app preview stream from my Lumix GX80 to appear as a v4l2 camera [1]

[1] https://www.mjt.me.uk/posts/wifi-streaming-video-lumix-gx80/

I thought the older ones weren't designed for it - they weren't designed to hold the shutter open, or use the sensor for long periods of time.

I assume that has changed.

Not sure that was ever the case. My Nikon from ten years ago had the 'bulb' exposure mode that would stay open until a remote trigger was released.

People have been doing hour long exposures with these cameras for years. Let alone Live View mode!

It's really moreso an excuse to up sell you on a video camera.