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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.
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All versions:
4.1 starsout of 45 votes
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Current version:
0 stars Be the first to review this product -
My rating:
Write review
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"Excellent Software, a lot of Fun"
Version: Magic Camera 8.0
Pros
This webcam software has many useful functions. It is able to add video effects on both my HD webcam and my TV capture cards. The most effects I like is the 'distort' effects, so cool and many video parameters to adjust. I also use Magic Camera to record webcam videos.
Cons
NO cons...
Summary
Better than other similar software. I enjoy it.
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"Do not buy it"
Version: Magic Camera 8.0
Pros
None. I never was able to use the software.
Cons
The quality of the image was far too low for me to use. The customers service was poor. They would not return my money AND they sign you up for a RECURRING charge. I had to go into paypal to shut it down.
I strongly advise staying away from these people and this software. -
"Great product, Does everything I need"
Version: Magic Camera 8.0
Pros
I had downloaded and tried several similar webcam software from CNet, MagicCamera is the one that I choose to keep at last. Easy to use and amused me a lot.
Creative product. A good way for killing time with chatting and effects.Cons
no problems till now.
Summary
I'm considering paying it because I want to play long time with this software.
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"Don't buy this product from money hungry developers!"
Version: Magic Camera 8.0
Pros
Absolutely none!
Cons
Their support is nonexistent. The software lacks polish. A big problem is, where is the option for resizing the webcam feed to the display's aspect ratio?
Summary
Any other webcam software is better, even freeware like Manycam!
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"simple and fun"
Version: Magic Camera 7.2.1
Pros
decent webcam software
has audio solution as well
generate multiple virtual webcam
great camera effectsCons
try it you'll like it.
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"I love this webcam effects software.."
Version: Magic Camera 7.2.1
Pros
As said, very cool effects and video. especially, try its video distort webcam effects...
Cons
good software
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"Many amazing webcam effects"
Version: Magic Camera 7.2.1
Pros
I tried this software and found it is very interesting. It is easily to use and have many unique and delicate effects.
Cons
don't know
Summary
I tried both two products from shiningmorning.com company. This one is for virtual webcam and effects, the other one is for virtual audio. Both are good. I recommended them.
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"fun webcam application"
Version: Magic Camera 7.2.1
Pros
many cool built in effects on webcam.
can be used with chat program like skype.
ability to apply web cam effects on selected partial area.
most effects are editable with mouse dragging on webcam video.Cons
none for me
Summary
outstanding webcam program if you need effects on webcam
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"good software"
Version: Magic Camera 7.2.1
Pros
cool magic camera webcam effects;
easy to use;Cons
..........
Summary
Downloaded & tried magiccam. I think it is good and funny, so I like it here... that's all.
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"Would not record audio on my PC with windows XP"
Version: Magic Camera 7.2.1
Pros
Video was fine
Cons
Would not record audio
Summary
Would not record audio. I just used windows movie maker instead to record video and audio.
