Adding your camera to OBS Studio is a fundamental step for any stream or recording, allowing you to incorporate your webcam or capture card feed into your scenes. The process is straightforward and can be completed in just a few clicks within the OBS interface.
How to Add Your Camera to OBS
Follow these steps to successfully add your camera as a source in OBS Studio:
1. Locate the Sources Dock
Your journey begins in the Sources dock, usually found at the bottom of the OBS Studio window. This area manages all the visual and audio elements of your current scene.
2. Add a New Source
To introduce a new element, click the + (plus) button at the bottom of the Sources dock. This action will open a menu displaying various types of sources you can add.
3. Select Video Capture Device
From the list of source types, choose Video Capture Device. This option is specifically designed for webcams, capture cards, and other hardware-based video inputs.
4. Choose or Create Your Device
After selecting "Video Capture Device," a new window will appear, prompting you to name your new source. This is where you'll decide whether to use an existing setup or configure a new one:
- Add Existing Device: If you have previously added this specific camera (or a similar device) to OBS, you can click "Add Existing" and select it from the dropdown list. This saves time if you're re-adding a device you've used before.
- Create New Device: If this is the first time you are using this particular camera or device (for example, if your webcam is identified as "Mexico n60"), you must click "Create New." Provide a descriptive name for your source, such as "Webcam," "Facecam," or the model name of your camera.
5. Select Your Camera from the Device List
Once you proceed (either by creating a new source or selecting an existing one), another properties window will open. In the "Device" dropdown menu, you will see a list of all detected cameras and video capture devices connected to your computer. Select your specific camera from this list.
6. Configure Camera Settings (Optional)
In the same properties window, you'll find various settings for your camera. While often not necessary to change, you can adjust:
- Resolution/FPS Type: Set the desired resolution and frame rate (e.g., 1920x1080, 30 FPS).
- Video Format: Choose the video output format (e.g., MJPEG, YUY2).
- Buffering: Adjust buffering settings if you experience latency.
- Deactivate When Not Showing: It's often beneficial to enable this option to save system resources when the camera source is not active in a scene.
Ensure that "Activate" is checked at the bottom of the window to enable the camera feed.
7. Confirm and Add
Once you are satisfied with the settings, click OK to add the camera source to your current scene. Your camera's live feed should now appear in the OBS preview window.
Practical Tips for Managing Your Camera Source
- Visibility: If your camera feed isn't visible, ensure the "eye" icon next to its name in the Sources dock is not crossed out. Click it to toggle visibility.
- Layering: Sources are displayed in layers, with items higher in the Sources list appearing on top of those below them. If your camera is hidden behind another source, drag it up the list.
- Resizing and Positioning: You can easily resize and reposition your camera feed directly in the OBS preview window by clicking and dragging its corners, or by right-clicking the source and selecting Transform for more precise adjustments.
- Audio Input: Most webcams also provide an audio input. Check the Audio Mixer dock to monitor your camera's audio levels and adjust them as needed.
