Comment by brushfoot

Comment by brushfoot a day ago

OP bought a camera not sold as a webcam and is trying to use it as a webcam. Fair enough, I've done the same.

A standard way of doing that is to use a video cable to get video output and plug that into a capture card on your computer. OP doesn't want to do that and would prefer that the manufacturer included webcam functionality out of the box.

Also fair enough! But if that's the requirement, buy a camera that meets that requirement, and understand that it's not a standard feature in these cameras.

I get subscription fatigue, but this is not a good hill to die on. It's getting outraged over expecting a camera to do what it wasn't designed to do, when there are already simple and standard ways of making it do that.

SSLy a day ago

Requiring a separate kit made of HDMI cap box, and two usb cables (assuming the box power is feedable via usb) also makes canon create further e-waste. That's only because they're greedy and that stuff is already inside. And nothing on the site of the camera https://www.canon-europe.com/cameras/powershot-g5-x-mark-ii/... gives any indication that such external app and subscription would be required.

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brushfoot a day ago

> That's only because they're greedy
No, it's because Canon didn't sell OP a webcam. There's no expectation for them to provide webcam software.
If someone wants an external camera that doubles as a webcam with no adapters, that's totally fine for them! They should shop with that in mind.

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- mzajc a day ago
  
  OP bought a camera, and the camera can be used as a webcam - but deliberately not with standard protocols. Pretending the limitation is of technical nature rather than a result of corporate greed is both delusional and harmful to consumer rights.
  
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  brushfoot a day ago
  
  Nothing about this is deceptive or a violation of consumer rights. Far from it.
  This is common for cameras. My Sony works in the same way. It can be used as a webcam using HDMI and a capture card. Canon clearly states this in their marketing for OP's camera.
  OP apparently didn't understand this, but the solution is simple -- get an HDMI cable and a capture card.
  
  Reply View | 0 replies

dspillett a day ago

> OP bought a camera not sold as a webcam and is trying to use it as a webcam. Fair enough, I've done the same. A standard way of doing that is…

And another standard way, supported by at least some cameras, without even single extra charge never mind a subscription⁰, is apparently video over USB.

> I get subscription fatigue, but this is not a good hill to die on.

No users are dying on this hill¹. OP is just stating, in an exasperated tone admittedly, what the state of affairs is with this camera. Some of us are agreeing with him that it seems off, and is part of the ongoing enshitification of the software and hardware worlds. Others can use this information to help guide their choice of camera (or supplier of other equipment), or not, their choice.

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[0] Which implies they could decide to discontinue the feature at a whim later, no matter how much the user has paid between now and then.

[1] I'll refrain² from mentioning that you are putting up quite a determined fight for the “nah, this sort of thing is fine, really” hill.

[2] Oops, I tell a lie…

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