This Free Canon Software Lets You Use Your Canon Camera as a Webcam
Plenty of people use their Canon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras as webcams, but up until now you needed third party software or a capture card like the Cam Link to make it happen. No more. Canon has released its own software that’s up to the task.
In a quiet announcement earlier today, Canon revealed EOS Webcam Utility Beta, a piece of timely software that lets you use “select EOS Interchangeable Lens Cameras (ILC) and PowerShot cameras” as webcams for video conferencing. The beta software is an easy-to-use, plug-and-play option for users who either don’t have a Canon camera with clean HDMI out, or don’t need the additional functionality, resolution, or streaming support that capture cards and streaming software offers.
This is particularly good news for users of Canon’s crop-sensor DSLRs, since only the latest models—the Rebel T8i, Rebel SL3, EOS 7D Mark II and EOS 90D—can even produce a clean HDMI output. EOS Webcam Utility works over a USB connection rather than HDMI, and is already compatible with all of the cameras below:
The one major catch is that the Canon EOS Webcam Utility Beta is currently only available for windows, but Canon says other operating systems “may be available at a later date.”
“In unprecedented times, it’s imperative for Canon to provide our customers with useful, simple and accessible solutions to assist them in whatever imaging needs they have,” explained Tatsuro Kano, Executive VP of Canon USA, as part of the announcement. “Our goal is that the EOS Webcam Utility Beta software can help reduce some of the remote workday stress for employees who are tasked with video conferencing and virtual meetings.”
To learn more about this option, check out the demo video up top, or go download the beta today. Once you’ve downloaded the program and have started using it, you can find tips or provide feedback on the Canon Support forum.
