How to use your GoPro as a webcam WITHOUT a capture card - Coming in 2020!?
If you’re planning to buy a capture card to use your GoPro as a webcam, you may want to wait!
My “How to use your GoPro as a webcam” is by far the most trafficked article I’ve ever written, but I still get a lot of questions about, “Do I have to buy a CamLink?” or “Is there any way to use a GoPro as a webcam WITHOUT a capture card?” The unfortunate answer has always been no, but that looks like it will be changing soon, as GoPro announced that they will be making some changes in upcoming firmware to help alleviate this issue. In the recent Q1 2020 earnings call, GoPro announced that they are releasing a firmware update that will FINALLY allow users to to use their GoPro without external capture hardware.
EDIT: A beta was launched July 7, 2020! It works for Hero8 and later (including the 9). The link is at the end of this article. For all older cameras, you should still use the original capture card method outlined here.
Now, this has always been an option that was locked behind firmware by GoPro, and I’ve vocalized my disdain for it for years. GoPros have a “handshake” process that prevents them from working with unapproved devices, and a part of that restricts the video out signal via USB. Back during the Hero4 Era, GoPro actually made a firmware update that removed this video-via-USB feature from the camera. In hindsight, this was to protect the usage of the camera for their upcoming Karma drone. But, with Karma long dead and their very own Media Mod accessory using USB-C for video out, it has begged the question, why not just unlock the feature so we can use a GoPro as a webcam??
It appears that the COVID-19 Crisis and demand for telecommunication has lead GoPro to finally buckle and allow this feature to be used .
Below is their statement,
I’d also like to share some of the unique ways our customers are using GoPro to help them adapt to the crisis. Whether it’s frontline workers in New York who used GoPros to capture vital public service information from inside hospitals, medical professionals using GoPros to train surgeons remotely, or teachers using GoPros to stay connected with their students, we are grateful to know our products are playing a part in helping people in this challenging time. An upcoming firmware update will make it easy to use a GoPro as a webcam and we’re advancing the already impressive live-streaming capabilities of our cameras to further serve the productivity and communications needs of our customers.
You can read the full earning’s call document here.
Now, my interpretation is that this is going to be an update for the latest generation of the camera, but it IS possible that they’d update some older cameras as well, bringing some new life to them… One can hope!
So, if you had planned on buying external capture hardware, you may want to hold off. GoPro isn’t particularly known for having timely firmware updates, but we hope this one come around quickly!
EDIT: IT’s here!
Currently only in beta for Mac OS, but GoPro released it’s first webcam beta on July 7.
https://community.gopro.com/t5/en/Introducing-GoPro-Webcam-Beta/ta-p/633649?profile.language=en#MacOS
