Is the PlayStation Camera Any Good?

Yes, but throw an asterisk on it.

Short answer: SUPER easy setup, reliable, and the fastest way to add video to your stream.  (Cons in the full article.)

Full answer:

When the ‘rona hit in 2020 is when I started streaming…like a lot of other gamers.  I didn’t want to dump a ton of money into my setup at first because the culmination of my zero followers (at that point) didn’t warrant a huge investment.  However, I knew that there was a minimum level of expectation for streamers.  The audio and video quality have to be good, the lighting has to be decent, and there has to be a camera on the gamer.  I play on PS4 exclusively (at the time of this writing) and my method of streaming has been directly from the console through the share button. 

I drastically improved the video quality by replacing my modem, router, and increasing my internet connection speed.  I improved the quality of my voice audio by upgrading my headset to the Astro Gaming A50.  Lastly, after doing minimal research, I found that the easiest way to get myself on to appear on the stream was with the PlayStation Camera.

The camera plugs directly into a dedicated aux port in the back of the PS4.  From there, it’s just adjusting the angle and that’s it!

The mount is made to sit over the top of your TV/Monitor, but a little finagling of the mount will give you the ability to attach it to a phone clamp, like in the center of our favorite entry level ring light.

The PS camera can be set up for VR as well, but at this time we haven’t given it a try.  One of the most surprising features of the PS camera is the ability to login to your PlayStation by facial recognition, just like you would with a newer iPhone!

The PlayStation camera has a few downsides, though.  As mentioned above, mounting in a ring light is a bit tricky, although not impossible.  The image quality isn’t stellar either, but for the price and for an entry level streaming camera it certainly does the job.  The mic on the camera comes across fuzzy on stream and can also pick up game noise, but a headset is the best way around that…and you probably already have a headset.

The verdict is this:  If you’re new to streaming and own a PS4, this is the fastest and easiest way to add video of yourself to your stream.  It will add an important dimension of parasocial interaction to your stream.  Perhaps most importantly…it won’t break the bank.