CNET Editors' review
Shining Morning's Magic Camera is shareware that adds a variety of effects and overlays to your Webcam feed, screen capture window, or saved videos and pictures. It's free to try, but the free version places a watermark and includes a nag screen. It's easy to use, but the effects it adds are run of the mill, and many are poorly rendered. Recent updates include Windows 8 compatibility. We tried Magic Camera in Windows 7.
Magic Camera's user interface is colorful and simple enough, but it's not especially attractive or intuitive, and the optional skin (for a total of two) barely changed the look. The icons and buttons are rendered at a lower resolution than we're accustomed to seeing in graphics-related shareware. The main window features a Webcam display above a panel for displaying files and an awkwardly phrased Help/FAQ feature, plus a couple of buttons that we couldn't quite figure out. There's an attached panel the height of the main window (but with a different style of interface) but it only contains a Webcam selector. We could also show our desktop with a draggable selector tool or load a still image or video clip to enhance and project over our Webcam feed. Clicking the Effects button opened the Effects panel. Magic Camera offers 12 categories of effects: Frame, Distort, Filter, Scene, PiP, Text, Flash, Emotion, Mask, Background, Animation, and Paint. Most offered a menu of preview examples. We merely had to click on an effect to add it to our image or remove it from the effects list.
While Magic Camera offers plenty of effects, the effects themselves range from average to lame, especially when compared with free tools that do much the same or more. Many of the effects had a greeting card look that's too cute by half. Several effects raised eyebrows: Bill Gates and Vladimir Putin are public figures, but Tigger and Shrek aren't. We saw both with no attribution or acknowledgement; worse, the Shrek images looks like some text has been obscured, and the Tigger images are actually animated. Better apps are available for less money -- even for free.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of Magic Camera 8.0.
Magic Camera-Apply amazing video effects to your video chats.-Download Video Previews:Publisher's Description
From ShiningMorning:
Want to add amazing webcam effects to your video chats by just one click? Want to stream files or screens to chat software / broadcasting websites like a real webcam? Want to protect your privacy in video chat rooms? Want to record webcam videos with cool effects? Want to make fun avatar pictures? Magic Camera does these all! Magic Camera is webcam software to enhance your webcam with 1000+ webcam effects. It adds a virtual webcam to let you play files, screens and video effects on video chats(e.g., Skype, Live Messenger). Recording webcam videos & taking pictures with webcam with effects are also supported. Magic Camera is hot for video chats & live broadcastings. The supported webcam effects include: 1) Funny photo frames; 2) Many fantastic video transforming effects; 3) Face tracking & mask effect; 4) Pop up Flash/Gif emotions and animations on webcam videos; 5) Typing texts or painting pictures directly on the webcam video; 6) Webcam video overlay; 7) Picture in picture; 8) Real-time webcam backgrounds replacement; 9) Online free webcam effects packages downloadable.
What's new in this version: Default to use kernel mode virtual webcam driver; Automatically detect and fix drivers; Improved compatibility with Skype Version 6; Fixed several bugs.
More Products to Consider
- Add thousands of cool effects to webcam video for live video ch...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Add a virtual Webcam for video chats software such as Skype, MS...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Add live Webcam effects to your videos and photos.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Add dynamic effects to your video from HD Webcams.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Play video on webcam and add various effects.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Show videos as virtual Web cam during video chat.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Apply cool effects on your webcam or broadcast videos as webcam...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Set videos, images, or desktop screens as your Webcam output an...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Join live-video chat rooms from around the world.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Chat with other people and participate in group discussions.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Talk with friends and family for free over the Internet.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Split webcam, add effects, and capture animated GIF, JPG, video...Download
This download is served from an external site
closeNOTICE: This link will open a connection to a third-party site. CNET cannot ensure the security of software that is hosted on external sites.
Sponsored Products
Installed
Smart Install - Simulate a Webcam using your video files.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Capture, edit, print, and share photos and videos from your Web...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Broadcast MPEG-4 live video from your Webcam up to 30 frames pe...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Communicate instantly with your friends using avatars, PC-to-PC...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Receive email alerts for your outlook.com, live.com, or hotmai...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Record webcam and screen video.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Integrate MailEnable with Microsoft Outlook.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Connect your Nokia phone to PC to sync data, download software,...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Set up a virtual sound card that lets you broadcast/record/conn...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Integrate MailEnable with Microsoft Outlook.Download
Installed
Smart Install - Convert videos, audios between various formats, including iPod,...Download
Installed
Smart Install - Manage your e-mails, calendars, and contacts and sync with Gmai...Download
Installed
Smart Install
-
All versions:
4.1 starsout of 46 votes
-
Current version:
5.0 starsout of 1 votes
-
My rating:
Write review
Results 1-1 of 1
-
"well-designed"
Version: Magic Camera 8.5
Pros
The program's interface is clean, well laid out, and ideal for the home user who just needs the basics
Cons
The only downside to this program is that the free version has watermark when you use. Upgrading to the professional version will unlock a lot more features.It is valuable for you to buy this software.
Results 1-1 of 1






