The OBSBOT Meet 2 is an AI-powered 4K webcam that offers a ton of features in a small and stylish package.
Overview
The OBSBOT Meet 2 captures excellent 4K video quality and features a 1/2” CMOS sensor as well as a fast f/1.8 aperture. As of the writing of this review, it is the smallest 4K webcam on the market today. The OBSBOT Meet 2 is available in three fun colors—Cloud White, Space Grey, and Aurora Green—and it supports 4K video at 30 fps and 1080P video at 60 fps, as well as the ability to film in both horizontal and vertical formats. The OBSBOT is an ideal choice for streamers, content creators, YouTubers, TikTok creators, professionals who often use Zoom meetings, and anyone else who wants a portable webcam that offers superior quality, plus lots of manual controls.
A Slew of Features
The OBSBOT Meet 2 has a slew of AI-powered features, including multiple framing controls to center the subject, phase detect autofocus, 4x digital zoom, and much more. It includes an "Upper Body Mode," ideal for situations where one needs to move around during a presentation, "Close Up Mode," which focuses on rendering a high-quality image of one's face, and "Group Mode," which adjusts the frame automatically when subjects enter or leave the scene.
For those of you who want to have lots of control over your camera, however, the OBSBOT Center app can be downloaded to control your webcam or even multiple OBSBOT webcams, something that content creators will appreciate. Using the OBSBOT app is where this tiny webcam really impressed me.
The app is intuitive, easy to set up, and offers a lot of control that photographers and content creators will absolutely love. The OBSBOT's phase detect autofocus system works quite well, although I did find that occasionally it pulsed a bit to achieve focus on my face. The autofocus has two modes to choose from—face and global. To complement the excellent autofocus system, the OBSBOT also has dual omnidirectional microphones built-in, complete with auto gain control and noise reduction.
In addition, the OBSBOT has an extensive amount of editing controls, including a manual exposure option that lets you change the shutter speed and ISO settings. You can also adjust the white balance via a color temperature slider, as well as the contrast, saturation, sharpness, and hue of your image. For those of you who want to polish your appearance, the OBSBOT also has a Retouch menu, which can do everything from smoothing your skin to narrowing your face.
Simple To Use
I was pleased with how simple the OBSBOT is to use and that the user has the option to either download the app or just plug and play without needing any additional software. The first time I plugged it into my MacBook, Zoom immediately recognized it, and I used it for my meeting without any issue. Easy! Those who don’t want to fiddle with apps will appreciate the plug-and-play nature, and the intuitive folding clip that attaches to your monitor has a magnetized surface for the camera to easily attach to.
If you choose not to download the OBSBOT Center, however, you are missing out on all of the great features, some of which I already mentioned. Using the app is as simple as can be. It has an intuitive and well-designed layout, and the image editing tools use sliders that photographers are, of course, familiar with from using any of our favorite image editing programs. At the top of the app window, there are four squares, numbered 1 through 4. This means that you can add additional cameras and cycle easily from one to the next if you are doing a livestream or podcast. Adjusting any of the settings via the app can be done in the panel, with tabs clearly labeled for various functions.
The retouch menu additionally has an extensive set of tools, including the ability to narrow or widen various features, whiten teeth, slim the body, and even apply makeup. For those who are looking to tweak their appearance for a meeting or stream, the OBSBOT has you covered. It also has a false bokeh effect, which I found to be subtle enough to use in my meetings. The results of the AI face sculpting and makeup, however, I found to be a bit silly, but these features might be exactly what a specific user is looking for.
Finally, the OBSBOT Meet 2 is tiny! It's small and lightweight and will fit in the palm of your hand. I had three OBSBOTs in my bag and barely noticed they were there among my other gear. For those who travel and need to have quick meetings but want to retain a higher level of video and audio quality, the OBSBOT is a great choice.
In the Box
The OBSBOT Meet 2 comes with a magnetic mounting clip, a magnetic lens cap for the webcam, and an extra-long USB-C cable plus USB-A adaptor, as well as paperwork. The cameras look great in all three colors and are made well.
Conclusion
The OBSBOT Meet 2 is a powerful, high-quality webcam in a tiny and stylish package. It has a ton of options and controls that are sure to please casual users and those who want to use multiple cameras for complex setups alike. The only negative I found with the system is that sometimes the autofocus will pulse when looking for a face, and of course, the quality of a webcam, even a 4K webcam, will not be at the level of a larger sensor camera. As someone who records YouTube gear reviews, the OBSBOT is perfect for a second viewpoint, for instance, to show a piece of gear during a review.
What I Like
- Excellent image quality
- Lots of manual control options
- Phase detect autofocus
- Small and fun design
What Can Be Improved
- Autofocus pulses a bit when finding a face
Get your OSBOT Meet 2 here.
