One of the best webcams for work that I’ve tested isn’t made by Logitech or Opal

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Optimized virtual meetings for business professionals
• Great image quality at 30 frames per second, as well as HDR
• AI tracking for presentations isn’t perfect, but it’s available

As much as there’s a push for remote work to move to hybrid, there’s no doubt that virtual meetings will always be the norm. Business is global, so important meetings for business professionals will continue to be global. This means more Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.

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This also means high-quality webcams are a must-have in order to make a great visual impression in these virtual meetings. Insta360 is often considered to have one of the most flexible cameras for content creators. Now, however, the company has announced its Link 2 and Link 2C webcams for business professionals looking to change the world, one virtual meeting at a time.

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Webcam technology has progressed quickly. The Link 2 and Link 2C both demonstrate how far we’ve come — the tech has not only gotten better but remains affordable for most. Let’s look at these two webcams. While they have two different product names, they share a lot of the same tech specs.

Tech notes

The Link 2 and Link 2C webcams offer a great resolution (like most cameras today) at up to 4K and 30 frames per second. This frame rate looks great during virtual meetings or talking head presentations.

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Having a half-inch sensor on both the Link 2 and Link 2C is a big deal. It means lighting in a typical office or desk space will be adequate for optimal video performance. Granted, if you’re a professional creator, you probably have dedicated studio lighting. You’ll be surprised at how great the video quality of these webcams looks.

In addition to the video and build quality, the Insta360 Link 2 and Link 2C comes with software to help assist in controlling the camera. The Link Controller app is pretty straightforward and easy to use, offering controls for exposure, HDR, motion tracking, virtual backgrounds, “professional” bokeh, and more. Most webcam providers offer a similar experience, but I find this software to be a bit easier to navigate.

Privacy matters

On both the Link 2 and 2C, you can easily turn off the camera via the hardware to ensure video isn’t transmitting when you don’t intend for it to.

With the Link 2, just tilt the camera down. This will not only have the camera looking at the top edge of your monitor or mount, but it will also cut the transmission.

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With the Link 2C, just slide the hardware shutter over the lens. The 2C is a stationary webcam, unlike its Link 2 sibling, which is on a gimbal. Having a hardware shutter cover is thus especially practical.

In addition to securing the camera’s lens, consider the internal microphone. If you’re using at Link 2C, you’ll need to manually mute your microphone in your computer’s virtual meeting software. If you’re using the Link 2, the Link Controller app allows you to mute directly via a toggle button.

Speaking of internal microphones, the microphones on the Link 2 and 2C are… okay. Yes, Insta360 has integrated AI software to mitigate background noise and enhance your voice when using the camera, but it’s not particularly my favorite sound.

No disrespect to Insta360, but I find that all AI-enhanced audio needs additional human follow-up. It’s better than nothing, but it’s not going to sound perfect. In my tests, the AI works best when a constant noise is happening. If you have a random dog barking or a neighbor hammering a nail into the wall, the AI won’t consider that as “noise.”

More on the AI

These cameras also have an AI feature called auto tracking. If you move in the frame, the camera will pan to follow you, as long as AI tracking is enabled. This feature only works on the Link 2, as it utilizes a gimbal to pan and tilt the camera (again, the Link 2C is a stationary webcam).

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Activating the AI for tracking is as easy as clicking the button in the software or holding up the palm of your hand. That gesture recognition is rock solid in my experience. On the other hand, the zoom and tilt AI gestures are inconsistent in my experience. To activate this feature, you have to hold up your hand in a “L” shape, then raise or lower your hand for the zoom or tilt. I’ve gotten it to zoom in successfully each time. Zoom out or tilt, not so much. Again, this is only available with the Link 2, as it has a gimbal.

Background replacement and filters are also included in the controller software. The chroma key does a good job with the bokeh effect, creating a tastefully soft background blur of your existing scene. Notice how cleanly I’m separated from the background:

And again, I hate what AI attempts to do with background replacements. I didn’t care for the quality of the chroma key. Sure the backgrounds are nice, but notice how my “edges” are showing artifacts instead of a smooth transition into the background.

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I’m wearing a black shirt with a light background to provide contrast and make it easy for the AI to key me away from the background. Again, this isn’t a discredit to Insta360. I see this performance in pretty much every AI-enhanced chroma key.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Insta360 Link 2 and Link 2C are worthy buys for the business professional who is always in virtual meetings, or even the content creator who is always livestreaming. The half-inch sensor and high resolution produces great image quality, even though the image color temperature is a touch on the warm side. The controller software, AI tools, and privacy features are all bonuses.

You can get the Link 2 for $200 and the Link 2C for $150 online right now and level up your virtual meetings.