Logitech – C505 HD Webcam – Black

There was really only one real surprise with the C505 webcam: It’s really tiny!
Otherwise, it’s exactly what you’d expect from a Logitech webcam. I was not overly impressed with the 720p image in either direction. It wasn’t outstanding, it wasn’t bad. It had a little trouble with the lighting in my home office; it just couldn’t get the exposure quite right but after some fiddling with curtains and lamps, it settled into something quite passable.
The audio, particularly as I moved around the room, was very good and setup couldn’t possibly have been easier: plug and play.
There’s no Windows Hello support either, but again that’s expected for a webcam in this price range.
The mount is great and had no trouble supporting the tiny little webcam in just about any configuration that makes any kind of sense.
The bottom line is this: If you’re looking for a tack-sharp webcam to really impress on those Zoom calls we’re all in nowadays you’ll want to spend the extra money and go for a higer-end, higher-resolution model. If you need an affordable, solid webcam that’s light and easy to use the C505 is a good choice.

Thank you for your great product and your great service.

For over 25 years, Logitech has been a market leader for affordable, quality computer peripherals ranging from mice and keyboards to speakers and gaming controllers. I still use one of their trackballs from the 90s and a speaker set from the early 2000s almost daily – their durability through the daily grind is a hallmark of the brand. Logitech recently rebranded their consumer devices under the “logi” brand and began tangentially marketing these into the small business and prosumer segments, where they face competition from long-standing commercial names. The Logitech C505 HD webcam is their latest entry-level webcam, offering 720p video with a long-range microphone suitable for basic video conferencing. While it delivers on its paper specs, the webcam’s video quality leaves far too much to be desired given its MSRP.
At the time of this review (October 2020), webcams are in extremely high demand due to an ongoing global health crisis that has seen office workers transition to work-from-home en masse. Availability of such devices is poor, and while I have attempted to provide an unbiased review here, my opinions should be taken within the context of severe supply chain shortages.
– Unboxing and Setup
Logitech makes setting up the C505 HD Webcam as simple as can be. On any modern operating system (advertised as supporting Windows, Mac OS, and Chrome OS), simply open the box and plug it into an open USB (Type A, the traditional rectangular type) port on your machine. If your computer only has USB-C ports you will need to find a USB-C hub or dongle to connect. I was able to test on Windows and Chrome OS, and on both machines the system immediately recognized the device as a traditional webcam and made it available to recording and calling apps alike.
The integrated clamp works decently to place it atop a screen. It’ll take a little positioning to get the front-heavy webcam stable, but once in place the rubberized grips hold well enough to allow for tilt adjustment of about 15 degrees in either direction. The webcam housing is considerably large and hangs over the top edge of a screen by about three-quarters of an inch, which can obstruct title and menu bars on screens with thinner bezels.
Logitech advertises the C505 with a dual-use hinge that also functions as a stand for placing atop a desk or other raised surface. Unfortunately my unit does not hold its position in this mode – the hinge is not strong enough to support the weight of the webcam at shallower angles (as when perched atop a computer case or pile of books) and it will slowly close its clamshell within a minute or two of being set up. However this is a minor point given lower webcam angles are rarely used.
– Video Quality
This is where the C505 fails to gain traction. Advertised as a step-up from integrated laptop webcams, I was very disappointed with the video quality this webcam presents. Even with plenty of uniform, dispersed foreground lighting, the C505’s optical sensor provides grainy video in well-lit scenes that also washes out color. A fixed focal point further compounds the quality issue, causing blurry optics at distances closer than a few feet (which is most of the time you’ll be using a webcam). I saw virtually no difference in quality compared to a budget laptop’s integrated, 480p webcam, and I did not notice any of the auto light correction occurring that Logitech advertises on the packaging.
A Windows app available through Logitech’s support website allows you to make some lighting and color adjustments to the webcam’s video, but these adjustments can only correct so much from a low-quality source. The software package is also terribly bloated – an 84MB setup file for what amounts to post-processing color and exposure adjustments that are integrated in most video apps is borderline offensive.
Long and short, the video quality is poor by most webcam standards – even front-facing cellphone cameras do a better job at capturing images. If you’re using this for video conferencing, try to stay in the thumbnails and avoid center stage.
– Audio Quality
The C505 wins a point back with a strong microphone. While most laptop microphones are quiet and muffled, the C505’s integrated long-range microphone picks up voice clearly from normal distances, perhaps clipping a little at close range, and has no issue picking up conversations from across the room. With the webcam atop my TV and me sitting on a couch about 8 feet back, I conversed easily with family without needing to raise my voice.
You will need to have some noise cancellation or volume-sensitive microphone activation within your calling apps, however, as the microphone can pick up quite a bit of background noise. Typing on a keyboard while the microphone is in use is all but a no-go, doubly so if you’re using either a mechanical keyboard or a laptop keyboard with the C505 perched atop the screen.
– Value & Bottom Line
What irks me most about the C505 HD Webcam is the video quality relative to its price. I upgraded to this model from a decade-old Logitech C170 webcam, and I cannot see any appreciable upgrade in video quality despite a doubling in MSRP. The native capture resolution is higher (480p vs 720p) but I am hard-pressed to find any further difference as both devices produce video quality that was acceptable for a $25 webcam in 2010 but is inexcusable for a $50 one in 2020.
Ultimately, the only saving graces of the C505 HD Webcam are a strong microphone and plug-and-play setup. Give it an extra star if you have no other alternative for video calling and it’s the only affordable webcam in-stock when you need one. I’m disappointed to give Logitech such a low mark here, but a brand’s past reputation for quality means little when a new product fails to deliver on that expectation. The C505 is not recommended.

## Design
The Logitech C505 is designed to fit on top on many flat panel monitors and laptop display, but the base can also be used to place the webcam on a flat surface. Unlike some other webcams, there is no tripod adapter on the bottom of the camera.
There is a white LED on the front of the camera that lets you know when it is active. There is no manual privacy slider on the webcam, so you would need to unplug it or cover it when not in use if you’re concerned with security.
## Features
– Extra long cord: The USB cord included with the camera is 7 feet long, allowing you to place the camera in a higher position such as on top of a monitor or shelf. This way, you can aim the camera at a more flattering angle instead of using your laptop’s built-in camera.
– 720p video: This spec is actually lower than the 1080p resolution you’ll find on many other webcams. So why would you want a lower resolution? First, unless you’re recording a high quality YouTube video, 720p is sufficient for most video conferencing calls. And, if your internet connection has been shaky since working and schooling from home, a 720p resolution will use less bandwidth than a 1080p resolution, freeing up some bandwidth for other things. Plus, many cameras built-in to laptops are so bad that they don’t produce a 1080p-worthy picture anyways.
– Built-in microphone: The built-in microphone performs well even from a distance. However, to avoid feedback or echo issues, it is still better to pipe your computer’s audio through a earbud, as using your laptop’s built-in speaker for calls can cause the sound to be picked up by the camera’s microphone and create an echo.
– Wide-compatibility: The camera works with Windows, Mac, and even Chromebooks (which is nice since many Chromebooks have a poor quality camera). The camera was automatically detected and did not require a manual driver install.
## Performance
Picture quality is great on the Logitech C505, but for the best quality, you’ll want to make sure you have a bright light in front of your face and a relatively dark background behind you. The camera does seem to perform well in lower-light conditions, although the picture does get somewhat grainy.
## Summary
If you’re tired of your laptop’s camera looking up your nostrils, the Logitech C505 is a no-frills webcam with a long 7-foot cable that allows you to place it at a more flattering angle. The 720p resolution is sufficient for video calls over Zoom and the microphone performs well even if the camera is a few feet away.