EPOS Expand Vision 1 4K personal webcam – very sharp (UC review)

The EPOS Expand Vision 1 is a 4K personal USB-C webcam that uses AI smarts to optimise the image and sound from its dual Omni-directional mics.

Now webcams are webcams – some have better optics, some have better sound, and some cost $379 like this. Our job is to determine if that premium is worth it over other webcams we have reviewed.

Just a note on resolutions. 4K uses the most internet bandwidth, and video conference apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom (et al.) will automatically scale this back to 1080p or 720p. So, while it is nice to have that, it is not necessarily going to work at 4K all the time.

Australian Review: EPOS Expand Vision 1 4K personal webcam

Website	Product Page and manual
Price	$379
From	Dealer list (Select Australia or postcode)
Warranty	2-years ANC
Country of origin	Designed in Denmark and made in China
Company	EPOS is part of leading hearing healthcare group, Demant. It develop premium audio and video solutions for enterprises and gamers, with a vast range of products with a contemporary design approach
More	CyberShack EPOS news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Look – Smal land solid – Pass+

It is small at 58 (W) x 43mm (D) x 39mm (H) x 126g with a thick black 1.2m USB-C to USB-C cable (5V//5A/2.5W, so you can use a USB-A adaptor). One end of the cable is thoughtfully 90° angled so that its weight does not pull down the camera.

The weight is due to the solid alloy case and monitor clip mount, replete with a ¼” tripod socket. On top is a privacy shutter wheel and dual noise-cancelling 180° mics, and an activity LED on the front. This all comes on a zippered hard-sided travel case.

It is certified for Microsoft Teams, Zoom and will work with any UC software.

Vision quality: Clear, colourful, sharp at 4K – Exceed

 It has a Sony sensor, seven-element lens, 90° field-of-View and can electronically Pan, Tilt, and 8x digital zoom (this crops the 4K sensor image). It is fixed focus, so it has clear images between 1 and 3 metres – desktop/laptop or small group (with a tripod).

Even though  UC software may reduce the resolution, you can use this to make 4K recordings for presentations and more.

Sound quality – loud and clear – Exceed

Two Omni-directional mics allow for noise cancellation. One focuses on voice, and the other on ambient room noise, which is then used to reduce that. It is best at up to 1 metre, but it is pretty good to about 3 metres in quieter rooms.

The mic performance is good – perhaps great but I have yet to feel the effects of EPOS BrainAdapt – (worth a read – sounds good on paper).

EPOS Connect for Windows, Mac and mobile – Pass+

The App allows for a firmware update, Field of View (65/78/90°), Light sensitivity and Colour temperature. Once set, these are downloaded to the camera.

The camera does not need an App to function, but you lose the ability to alter the parameters above.

You can enable a floating menu that appears when the camera is in use.

Missing

Some brands offer face tracking to keep you in the centre of the image. It is not a deal breaker.

CyberShack’s view – EPOS Expand Vision 1 4K personal webcam is a sharp little performer

With two caveats. First, you probably don’t need 4K; second, we only comment on value, not price.

It meets all our expectations of a 4K webcam, and it does produce a better image.

Is it worth $379? For Joe and Jane Average, you don’t need a Rolls Royce to do the shopping. A decent 1 or 2K camera costs well under $200.

But it is a good buy if you use the webcam a lot or can write it off your tax.

Rating Explanation – EPOS Expand Vision 1

Features: 90 – 4K, BrainAdapt

Value: 90 – Assuming tax deductibility and compared to other 4K webcams

Performance: 90 – Clear, colourful and sharp in day and office light

Ease of Use: 90 – No App needed but adds value

Design: 90 – well thought out and small size