Liquid Digital Solutions Agent V5 Full HD webcam

Liquid Digital Solutions' Agent V5 is a 5-megapixel webcam that can record video at a Full HD resolution. It combines great picture quality with a highly arresting design, though fans of compact webcams will probably want to look elsewhere.

The Agent V5 webcam has an unusual cylindrical shape and is coated with a chrome finish that reveals fingerprints every time it’s touched — this could prove to be quite annoying for those who are constantly adjusting the angle of their webcams.

The webcam has been equipped with an external adjustable lens that users can twist to adjust the focus of the image. Users also have the option of purchasing an aGent/iSight adaptor and there is an array of lens options that can be attached. The webcam became noticeably warm after just an hour of use, which potentially could affect the unit’s reliability over prolonged periods of time.

Although the V5 installs automatically when plugged in, software is provided. When installing the software, we experienced a few hiccups — it wasn’t until our third attempt that the installation was successful. Although the webcam does install instantly, the computer still needs to be reset in order for the webcam to register third-party applications such as Windows Live Messenger.

Despite the blandness of the software interface and the struggle to locate settings, there is an extensive list of novelty features and backgrounds users can apply to the image. It also incorporates face tracking; this allows the webcam to accurately focus on your face and lets you use of novelty features such as substituting an animal’s head in place of your own, or having your face appear in computer generated environments.

The software gives users the option of adjusting the resolution (up to 2560x2048), frame rate and refresh rate (either 50Hz or 60Hz) when recording videos. The video output is great when recording at the full 5-megapixel resolution, but there are some major let-downs. When the resolution is set to anything over 1280x1024 the frames begin to lag excessively. Also, when recording at a resolution of only 640x480, a 16-second video equated to a massive 272MB in disk space — this could be an issue for those who are looking to buy the webcam for video recording purposes. However, when using the webcam to take still photos at the same resolution, they averaged around 40KB a shot.

The Agent V5 comes equipped with three types of stands (desktop stand, LCD clip and a notebook clip), an extensive manual that gives step-by-step directions for both PCs and Macs, the driver software, a carry pouch and a cord wrap. The webcam is compatible with most platforms; it's plug-and-play compatible with Mac OSX10.4.3, Windows XP SP2, Vista and even Windows 7.

The Agent V5 HD webcam certainly has a stylish design and is practical for online chatting and taking photos. Despite the excellent quality of the video recording, the large file sizes may make people think twice before buying.

The Agent V5 HD webcam is available from the Liquid Digital Solution website with free shipping worldwide. For more information, visit www.agent.liquiddigital.com.au.