IPEVOV4K Ultra High Definition 8MP USB Document Camera — Mac OS, Windows, Chromebook Compatible for Live Demo, Web Conferencing, Distance Learning, Remote Teaching

I have been using this overhead projector for the last 3 years in both my home and my classroom. I originally purchased it so I could teach at home during COVID protocols. I ended up using this, my desktop computer AND my cell phone while teaching, giving me multiple angles and possibilities while in Zoom sessions. I was even able to use the Ipevo as a camera to show kids at home the Smartboard while I lectured or student actions during labs when we were in hybrid learning (some kids in class, others still at home due to COVID). The camera is quite clear and easy to view for those who were at home.The Ipevo is terrific for its job and price. It is quite small and lightweight. I can easily toss it in my purse or my small briefcase that I use to carry papers and my laptop to and from school. I have used it several times a week, nonstop and can do nothing but rave about it. I far prefer it to the Elmos I have used to teach with as well as other brands.I use this almost entirely to do live casting of guided notes, manipulatives, diagrams, formulas, etc on my Smartboard in my high school classroom. I also use it on microscopes to show students what they should be looking for during labs (while teaching them about air bubbles, microscope technique, etc). I can use it as a secondary web cam for online teaching and I can use it for Zoom sessions as well.I love that you can rotate the head almost 250° allowing this left handed teacher to not have a large mounting arm constantly in the way (ahem, other screen caster companies take note!).Mild negatives:-You will need to download the Visualizer software, but be warned, it has a bit of a learning curve. Once you "get it", it's super easy to work with.-You will need a USB to USB-C adapter to use it on your Apple desktop.-I wish the cord that it comes with was about 30 cm longer, so it would be easier to use in labs.-For a really wide field of view, sometimes you will need to put the Ipevo on top of a mug or kleenex box. No biggie, but just be aware of that.

Wow! I'm actually excited to write this review. I'm a homeschool co-op teacher and I needed a document camera that was within my budget to use during class so students could see what I write on worksheets or do during lab demonstrations. I didn't want to spend too much, and hoped for the best when I ordered the lower-priced IPEVO V4K. I just received it today and tried it out. When I plugged it in the USB port of my Lenovo laptop, my computer automatically loaded the device driver so I didn't have to install any software. However, in the case your computer does not automatically download and install driver software, the camera has the URL of the website with the software, printed right on the base of the camera. Once the camera software was installed, I opened my camera app on the laptop, chose the IPEVO camera, and the camera started working. I used a projector with the camera/laptop setup and had an incredible clear, crisply-focused image on the wall. I am SO VERY HAPPY with this camera. I planned to use it for documents, but decided to try looking at some other objects, and found that the focus and clarity of the items was beyond my best expectations for a $99 camera!The camera has a button for choosing either single focus (if you have a static object such as a document and do not need to change the item's distance from the camera) or continuous focus (if you are doing a class demonstration or moving objects around, and the distance to the camera changes). The focus for moving objects takes about 3-5 seconds, but once the item is in focus, it is very clear and detailed.Another feature is the exposure adjustment. You can increase or decrease the exposure so the object has more detail, or is brighter. The color of the background affects the exposure, so when I had a black background, my object (a sea star) was kind of washed out. Using the exposure button to decrease the exposure brought the fine detail of the sea star right into perfect focus. The opposite worked excellently with a white background. You would probably want to use higher exposure on documents, and lower exposure on items with detail, such as sea shells.The camera also has a microphone, which will be helpful if I need to do any recordings with voice. I have not yet tried the microphone.This camera does not have its own light source, however it worked very well in a dimly lit room. Small print was easy to see and there was no blur around the letters on the projected image.This camera is a teacher's dream. I can use it for hands-on demonstrations, white boards, worksheets, video recordings, photos, and dissections. I love the features included in this camera, and the price was within my budget. I highly recommend this camera.

I use this camera for online university teaching, to create classes that are more interactive than when using slides. I point the camera down at a plain white pad of paper, which I use as an online whiteboard. It's simpler and more fault-tolerant than an electronic whiteboard for online classes, and the retro feel appeals to my students, who recently rediscovered vinyl records. Three features of this particular make and model stand out. First, the included software is incredibly simple to use. Rather than using this document camera as a second camera in Zoom, and toggling between cameras (which takes a few seconds), I run the camera using their app, and I can just Alt-Tab between the document camera / whiteboard view and my PowerPoint slides. The transition takes a split second and can be done with two keys, rather than going through menus. Second, the camera can be set to fixed focus, so you can lock the focus on the page you're writing on and the camera won't keep trying to focus on your hand or pen. Third, the camera doesn't have a built-in light. This might seem like a drawback, but for my use, document cameras with built-in lights cast distracting shadows from my hand and pen. I found that diffuse room light works better, so why pay for a built-in light? Keep it simple, and cheaper. This camera has allowed me to bring some of the spontaneous, interactive feel of a physical classroom to my online classes. It has exceeded expectations.