Obsbot Tiny 2 review: great features come at great cost
Obsbot Tiny 2: Two-minute review
If you want to see what a webcam of the future looks like, take a peek at the Obsbot Tiny 2. This webcam packs a serious punch, not just in performance but also – or more accurately, especially – in advanced features you won’t see elsewhere, making it the best webcam to buy right now.
If you have the money for it, that is.
But that’s how it's always worked, right? With great features comes an even greater price tag, and in the case of this aptly-named webcam (it really is tiny at just 47 x 44 x 62.02 mm), that means more than $300 / £250, which feels like a punch in the gut if you’re itching to get it.
At least your wallet can rest in peace knowing it wasn't “unalived” for nothing because you get a whole lotta bang for your buck here.
Even in its design, you can already tell that this is no ordinary webcam. Touting an elegant, lightweight and pocket-friendly design, the Obsbot Tiny 2 looks and feels solidly built and premium. Made of magnesium alloy that feels luxurious to the touch, it’s clear that Obsbot spared no expense in building it.
Of course, being a premium piece of kit, you wouldn’t want to just toss this in your pocket or backpack, which is why Obsbot provides a robust case to protect it while you’re gallivanting around Asia or something. And you should protect it. After all, the camera is mounted on a gimbal, and you wouldn’t want anything heavy breaking it off the axis. That would then ruin the purpose of the whole webcam.
While it has a lot of features that most webcams on the market only wish they had, it’s got all the requisite ones too. A small light indicator up front lets you know which mode it’s in or if the gesture controls are working properly. There's a female tripod thread on the underside of the gimbal and a USB-C port for connecting the webcam to your PC or laptop.
Naturally, it comes with a mount for your monitor. The cool thing about this mount, however, is that it’s magnetic, so the webcam just snaps onto it in a fraction of a second for convenience. If you want a bit more versatility, you can get extra accessories like a tripod, a remote control, and even a mic – for an extra cost, of course.
Where the Obsbot Tiny 2 really shines is in its feature set, a list that is pretty long for a webcam. The coolest of those features is its Dynamic Gesture Control, which has apparently been improved from its previous version. There are three gestures currently available – I’m really hoping Obsbot will add more with the firmware update – which can trigger the camera’s zoom, dynamic zoom, and subject tracking. It’s very responsive and works incredibly well, although you might have to practice a little before you get those gestures down.
Speaking of subject tracking, the AI Tracking with Auto Zoom is also incredibly responsive and works smoothly, thanks in large part to that built-in gimbal.
Tiny 2 also comes with Voice Control, which has nine different commands, letting you do things like wake the webcam, put it to sleep, adjust zoom, turn subject tracking on and off, and switch from one reset position to another. This, too, works beautifully, and you need not raise your voice for the webcam to hear your commands.
These three features can be used without having to download the Obsbot Webcam app, but if you do fancy expanding the webcam’s features, installing the app will let you do exactly that. With it, you can do things like change modes, manually adjust the view, change the field of view, and play with the exposure settings.
Then there’s Beauty Mode, which allows you to apply retouching effects and beauty filters, enabling you to do things like smoothing your skin, brightening your eyes, and even changing your body shape. Now, I don’t advocate for drastically changing one’s appearance on screen and in photos, as that’s one of the reasons we get body image disorders, but, if you need to make some minor adjustments to look your best on camera, go for it. We all use filters; there’s no judgment.
Bear in mind, though, that you have to turn on the Virtual Camera setting in the Obsbot Webcam app and then select the 'virtual camera' option as your webcam in whatever video app you’re using for these beauty effects to reflect in your feed or footage. Plus, the app has to remain open for it to work.
Though its sensor and aperture aren’t quite as big as that on the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, it does have a slightly bigger sensor than the Elgato Facecam Pro. On paper, that means it should offer a wider dynamic range than the latter as better noise handling.
Sadly, overblown highlights and dark shadows are not uncommon on the Obsbot Tiny 2 because its dynamic range is not quite as wide. Not that there are considerable details lost, especially if you’re in a well- and evenly-lit room, but it’s still worth mentioning in case you’re planning to set up somewhere with uneven lighting or where it’s really dark. If you want to recover some of the details lost or maybe have a more creative exposure, you can adjust that, plus contrast, saturation, sharpness, hue, and white balance on the app as well – but only to a degree.
In addition, its autofocus can sometimes be iffy. Most of the time, it’s reliable and responsive, but it has moments of sluggishness.
And since I’m on the subject, something is going on with the mic. During testing, there was no difference in volume, no matter how much I adjusted it. Plus, while I come out sounding audible, my voice does sound a little distorted and harsh. There’s also a lot of sibilance.
That said, there’s a lot to love about its performance. Again, its AI Tracking and Auto Zoom work smoothly and are very responsive. More importantly, the picture quality is fantastic, especially in 4K – it's sharp with fine grain or noise and good contrast. It also comes with what Obsbot calls PixGain HDR, which captures two images in the two native ISOs separately but simultaneously, then combines them to reduce motion blur, resulting in crisper picture quality.
Overall, you’re still getting great footage with this webcam – more than good enough for your business meetings or streaming content. That's especially true with its suite of extra features that help you have more professional-looking videos.
Obsbot Tiny 2: Price & availability
- How much does it cost? $329 / £269 / AU$519
- When is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available in the US, the UK, and Australia
At $329 / £269 / AU$519, the Obsbot Tiny 2 is expensive. How expensive exactly? It’s more expensive than the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, which outside of the Tiny 2 is the best webcam on the market if money is no object. It’s more expensive than the Elgato Facecam Pro, a premium option known for being the world’s first webcam that shoots in 4K at 60fps.
The Tiny 2 is outmatched by these two in dynamic range, autofocus, and, in the case of the Facecam Pro, 4K frame rate. However, it’s superior in terms of smart features. The question is, which aspects of a webcam are more important to you? And, is it worth that sizable hole in your wallet if it’s the latter?
Personally, I would say no, based on my daily webcam usage. But, if I had deeper pockets, I would probably buy it just to get all those wonderful features.
- Value: 3.5 / 5
Obsbot Tiny 2: Specs
Should you buy the Obsbot Tiny 2?
Buy it if...
You have more money than you know what to do with
The Obsbot Tiny 2 is expensive, even for a premium webcam. If you have the money, though, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.
You want to look best during business meetings
Want to look your best during client meetings, board presentations, and other business-related video calls? This will make that effortless.
You’re a streamer or a content creator making bank
Streamers and content creators who can make the most of this webcam’s features will get their money’s worth.
Don't buy it if...
You just want a regular webcam for work or personal use
This might be overkill if all you really need is an ordinary webcam so you can show your face and be heard during video meetings at work or calls with loved ones.
You’re kinda, sorta broke
If your budget is under $100 / £100, forget about it.
Obsbot Tiny 2: Also consider
How I tested the Obsbot Tiny 2
- I spent a couple of weeks testing the Tiny 2
- I used the webcam for my daily work meetings
- I tested its general performance as well as its special features
Spending at least two weeks with the Obsbot Tiny 2, I used it as my main webcam for daily work video calls, testing its picture quality and slew of extra features during those calls to see how well they worked.
Of course, I also spent some time experimenting with those features, using the Obsbot Webcam app to play around with the gimbal as well as the camera's exposure and the beauty filters.
I’ve been reviewing webcams for TechRadar for a few months now. However, prior to this, I tested and reviewed a lot of DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, giving me extensive experience in cameras. I’m also a film and digital photographer.
First reviewed October 2023
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