OKIOCAM S2 Pro (2022)

I will begin this review with the disclaimer that this is based on initial product exploration on receipt - I haven't actually tried it for online teaching/tutoring yet... However I am very excited about the prospect of doing so. I had debated ordering this product for some time, as the cost is enough to notice (£99 at time of purchase) and there were other brands and cheaper models of this brand available. But something kept drawing me back to this, the Okiocam S2 Pro, so when it was back in stock I decided to bite the bullet and go for it. I am very pleased that I did. Right from the unboxing, I could feel the build quality of the item. Though compact in stature it is weighty, testament to the quality metal construction (no plasticky tat). Setup was instant on plugging it in, and the download of the Okiocam Live software was simple. On playing around with it (as you do with new tech), the picture quality of this camera is excellent. No graininess or blurring of images. The autofocus is sharp and quick to adjuct, meaning that minimal time is lost while the camera is refocusing, which can be important in online teaching scenarios where time is often of the essence. The features of the software are excellent and brimming with practical potential, not just gimmicks. The OkioPoint feature works brilliantly, and once you know where to look in the app can be adapted to not only focus on areas of a document/resource but underline sections, highlight, spotlight or even use a cartoony avatar to point at things (which would be enjoyed by younger students). The built in light seems fine, though that is based on a cursory 'turn it on to check it works' situation. Some reviews I saw said that this was essentially just a very expensive webcam. I disagree. If you have worked in a classroom situation you will appreciate how useful a visualiser is for modelling what you want pupils to do or showing documents/resources - this product does that brilliantly. If you are looking for a simple webcam, then don't buy this. If you are looking for a visualiser (particularly, I think, for online education or tutoring), then this is great and the ability to use it as a high-definition webcam is a bonus. As someone who strongly dislikes using screen annotations when teaching remotely and wanting to write something or demonstrate a process (written calculations for example), this device will be invaluable in enabling me to present such demonstrations clearly whilst I can use good old-fashioned paper and pencil methods. All in all, I am extremely pleased with my purchase. I am looking forward to using it with online classes and can already see how using this camera will have benefits over other alternatives. If you are looking for a product like this and can have the budget to stretch to around £100, I would strongly recommend this one.

I’m enjoying this Okiolabs Okiocam s2 4k Visualiser. Easy to set up, fold and put away. Quality is excellent.

Ok, well this is a bit of a specialised item. If you only want a webcam then this would be a rather overpriced and unnecessary choice. However, for regular group meetings, zoom events, lectures, displays, presentations, demonstrations and education purposes then I can see that this camera and adjustable stand from Okiolabs would certainly be a useful piece of kit. It is very well designed and built, made from premium materials, it feels sturdy and durable. The stand and base have a nice weight and the multi-position adjustable arm and camera stay exactly where they are positioned. Various buttons on the camera control the LED light, the focus and the orientation etc., and some of these functions can also be remotely controlled from the software. Note that this camera can only be used with Okiolabs software on a Windows PC, Mac or Chromebook. It can not be used by directly plugging it into a projector, TV, mobile phone, android or ios tablet etc. The free Okiolabs software is easily and quickly downloaded from their website. The three main software apps allow the operation of the camera for; 1) - capturing or creating still pictures (snapshots) and video, 2) - creating stop-motion animated videos, and 3) - creating time-lapse videos. The software is easy to use and is actually quite fun to play around with. These tools are obviously very useful for teachers and presenters. Negatives: 1. It seems that videos can only be saved as .webm format files which cannot be readily imported to most current video editors without first converting them to a more common format. 2. Despite being capable of 4K, I have not so far been overly impressed with the video quality, though this may well be down to my poor setup, lighting, focusing and my general lack of experience with the device. 3. The USB cable could be longer (I had to use a USB extension). 4. Price.

Great price if kit

I received this item through the Amazon Vine programme. This is a glorified webcam, with some additional clever software you can download if you like. Compared to a much cheaper webcam that I own, the picture quality is poor and rather grainy - however, if you are going to use it to view downwards at a piece of paper, for example, it is fit for purpose. The stand is heavy, and the arms are high enough that an A4 piece of paper fits in the view well. I'm not really sure what the ideal purchaser for this product is, I would have thought that a teacher or designer would use a board or projected display in preference, but if you are looking to point a webcam at a piece of paper on a table, this will do that for you. Manufacturing quality appears good. I think it's expensive at £129.00, however I note the many enthusiastic reviews of this product and in the end it's a matter of carefully thinking about your needs before parting with your money. A lot of people seem to like this product: it didn't make much of an impression on me.

I rarely review, but this item is exceptional. The hardware is very well thought out and the software is excellent. The quality of the images is high. A pleasure to use. Fiddling about with traditional webcams when trying to take photographs is now in the past.

Product is exactly as described, base is stable and weighty, movement action of arm is smooth & fully controllable , can stopped in any position and will hold there, camera focus & Zoom features versatile. Accompanying light source could be stronger. Very happy overall.

Hi I bought this item to help in showing my training method on screen. I was disappointed with the clarity and sharpness of the final image. Tried multiple methods and precision gauges. I left using it for a while due to quality. Now I think what options do I have after passing the one year by couple of weeks. Can anyone help with suggestions please. Thank you