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Elgato Facecam

Elgato Facecam

By Elgato · Webcams · Desk & Streaming Setup · More from Elgato

  • 1080p60/30, 720p60/30, 540p60/30 uncompressed
  • 82° diagonal field of view
  • f/2.4 aperture, 24 mm focal length
  • Focus range 30-120 cm
  • Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor

Price not listed

New
More on eBay (1)
Used, refurbished, open-box

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

A discontinued USB 3.0 webcam that shoots uncompressed 1080p60 with manual exposure control and no microphone. Buy it used only at a steep discount; for a new purchase the Facecam MK.2 is the safer choice.

Strengths

  • Sharp 1080p60 image with real shutter-speed and ISO control.
  • Profiles saved to the camera’s flash memory move between computers.
  • Fixed focus avoids autofocus hunting for a seated subject.
  • Uncompressed USB 3.0 output suits local recording and streaming.
  • Privacy cap, monitor mount and a 2 m USB 3.0 cable are included.

Weaknesses

  • No microphone, autofocus, HDR video, 4K capture or Windows Hello.
  • Fixed focus softens anything outside the 30–120 cm range.
  • Image noise rises in dim rooms; lighting matters more than the sensor.
  • Requires a direct USB 3.0 port; hubs and extensions are unsupported.
  • Legacy product: no new firmware and no replenished spare parts.
  • Used units should not be assumed to carry warranty.

Verified specifications

Product identityoriginal Facecam, model 10WAA9901, US UPC 840006637806. Not the Facecam MK.2 (10WAC9901), Facecam Pro, Facecam Neo or Facecam 4K.
Video modes1920 x 1080 at 60/30 fps, 1280 x 720 at 60/30 fps, 960 x 540 at 60/30 fps. No 4K capture.
Firmware 4.09 added MJPEG as an optional compatibility fallback to the original uncompressed USB video path.
Lenseight-element all-glass Elgato Prime lens, f/2.4, 24 mm full-frame equivalent, 82-degree diagonal field of view.
Focusfixed, for faces about 30–120 cm (11.8–47.2 in) away. No autofocus; digital crop or zoom loses detail.
SensorSony STARVIS CMOS tuned for indoor shooting; sensor size and pixel pitch are not published.
USBcamera-side USB-C with an included 2 m (78.7 in) USB-C-to-USB-A cable; USB 3.0 or better required.
USB supportElgato does not support use through USB hubs or extension cables.
Body80 mm wide x 48 mm high x 58 mm deep without the mount; 103 g without the privacy cap and monitor mount.
Mountmonitor clamp with a standard 1/4-inch thread for a tripod or compatible rig.
Privacyremovable privacy cap included; no integrated sliding shutter.
Audio, biometrics, lightingno built-in microphone, no Windows Hello IR support, no integrated light.
Softwarefree Camera Hub with manual and auto exposure, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, contrast, saturation, sharpness and digital field-of-view adjustment; settings saved to flash memory.
App supportdesktop OBS and video conferencing applications; USB bulk or isochronous transfer-mode selection documented for non-MK.2 units.
Manufacturer OS specificationWindows 10 64-bit or newer with Intel or AMD CPU, macOS 11 or newer with Intel or Apple CPU, plus USB 3.0.
No HDR video and no 4K capture; firmware does not add either.
Warrantytwo-year limited hardware warranty through Corsair, with serial number and receipt required.
Full research notes and sources

Which model this is

This page covers the original Elgato Facecam, model 10WAA9901, with US UPC 840006637806, introduced in July 2021. It is not the Facecam MK.2 (10WAC9901), Facecam Pro, Facecam Neo or Facecam 4K. The original has an 82-degree diagonal field of view, a removable privacy cap rather than MK.2’s integrated sliding shutter, and no HDR. Elgato listed it as a legacy device with production stopped in June 2024, meaning no further firmware development and no replenished parts or replacement hardware. The original manufacturer specification covers Windows 10 64-bit or newer and macOS 11 or newer with a direct USB 3.0 connection, but that is a legacy specification rather than a promise of future compatibility.

Image quality and controls

The original Facecam uses an eight-element all-glass Elgato Prime lens at f/2.4 with a 24 mm full-frame equivalent view and an 82-degree diagonal field of view. Focus is fixed for faces roughly 30–120 cm away, so close-up object demos or subjects beyond that range go soft. The Sony STARVIS CMOS sensor is tuned for indoor shooting, but Elgato does not publish its size or pixel pitch. Camera Hub exposes manual and auto exposure, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, contrast, saturation, sharpness and digital field-of-view adjustment, and stores a profile in flash memory. At 60 fps the shutter is 1/64 s; dropping to 1/32 s gathers more light but can halve the frame rate, and noise reduction can erase fine texture. There is no HDR video and no 4K capture, and Tom’s Hardware listed both as drawbacks. Digital zoom crops the image and costs detail. A separate microphone is mandatory because the camera has none.

Reliability and compatibility

Owner reports describe the original Facecam freezing or dropping connection shortly after purchase, Camera Hub freezing after months of use, recurring lag in Teams after about a month, and freezes during game capture in OBS. One owner found switching the OBS input from the Elgato virtual camera to the physical Facecam helped; others pointed to separate USB controllers and bandwidth. Apple Silicon systems have a documented stuttering or frozen-video issue, and Elgato’s troubleshooting covers transfer-mode selection and direct connection. OBS lip-sync drift can occur at 30 fps because output can be variable frame rate; forcing 60 or 59.94 fps and disabling source buffering is the suggested fix. Hot pixels and settings that fail to save were addressed in firmware updates through 4.09, which also added an MJPEG fallback and reduced bright-pixel artifacts. These are individual reports and troubleshooting notes, not a measured failure rate.

Elgato lists the original Facecam page at $129.99 but marks it discontinued and no longer available, so that figure is a legacy page price rather than a buyable offer. Best Buy marks model 10WAA9901 no longer available in new condition, Micro Center no longer carries it, and B&H lists it as no longer available while pointing to the Facecam MK.2 at $119.99. eBay shows mixed-condition asking prices from $54.99 to $110, which are not verified sold prices. Elgato’s Facecam MK.2 is $119.99, the Facecam 4K is $199.99, and the Logitech Brio 500 is $129.99 at Staples. The 2021 launch price was $199.99.

Editorial thresholds from those checks: a verified working used unit with the correct 5 Gbps cable, mount and cap is attractive at $60 or less, defensible at $61–$80 only with return rights, and poor value above $80. New old stock is worthwhile at $90 or less; at $100 or more the MK.2 at $119.99 is the better buy. Shipping and tax can reverse a close call.

Running costs

Recurring mandatory cost is $0 a year: Camera Hub is free and there is no subscription. Scheduled consumables are none, so $0 a year there too. Electricity use from the USB host was not measured, so no yearly power cost can be stated. If the supplied 2 m cable is lost or damaged, a third-party Insignia NS-PCKAC3 cable rated 10 Gbps is $19.99 at Best Buy, but it is shorter and its fit with an original Facecam was not verified. A microphone, lighting, tripod or USB adapter are separate purchases for buyers who need them. The original carried a two-year limited hardware warranty through Corsair, but used units should not be assumed to retain coverage; Elgato says it still honors valid warranties on discontinued units while stocking no new spares.

Sources

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Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

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