To zoom out on your Streamlabs camera, you typically have two main approaches: either by resizing the entire camera source on your scene, or by adjusting or reversing a previous crop that made it appear "zoomed in."
Resizing Your Camera Source (General Zoom Out)
The most straightforward way to "zoom out" in terms of how large your camera feed appears on your stream is to simply resize the source itself within Streamlabs Desktop. This makes the entire webcam smaller on your canvas, effectively making the view appear more "zoomed out" to your viewers.
Here’s how to do it:
- Select Your Camera Source: In Streamlabs Desktop, navigate to your 'Sources' panel and click on your webcam source (e.g., "Webcam," "Video Capture Device").
- Activate Transform Controls: Once selected, you'll see a red bounding box appear around your camera feed in the 'Preview' window.
- Click and Drag Corners: Click and drag one of the red corner squares inward. As you drag inward, your webcam feed will shrink proportionally, making it appear smaller on your stream. Dragging outward would make it larger.
This method adjusts the display size of your camera within your scene, not the camera's actual field of view.
Understanding Cropping: The "Zoom In" Feature with ALT
The concept of "zooming in" on your Streamlabs camera is often achieved through cropping, as highlighted by the provided reference. This is particularly useful for focusing on a specific part of your camera's feed, such as your face, by cutting out unwanted areas.
As per the reference: "All it takes is one trick: Just hold down ALT! If you're a Streamlabs user, you're likely already familiar with resizing your webcam by clicking and dragging it from one of the corners. But by simply holding ALT, you can crop out the excess, perfect for zooming in on your face."
When you hold down the ALT key and drag the corners or sides of your camera source, you are not resizing the entire source; instead, you are cropping it. This means you are essentially cutting off parts of the video feed, making the remaining visible area appear larger or "zoomed in."
| Feature | Action | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Resizing | Click and drag corners (no ALT key) | Changes the overall display size of the source |
| Cropping | Hold ALT and drag corners/sides | Cuts off portions of the video feed; simulates "zoom in" |
Undoing or Adjusting Crop (Reversing "Zoom In")
If you have previously "zoomed in" on your camera using the ALT key for cropping, and now wish to "zoom out" by showing more of the original camera feed, you can either adjust the crop or reset it entirely.
How to Un-Crop or Expand Your View:
- Select Your Camera Source: Click on your webcam source in the 'Sources' panel.
- Hold Down ALT: Press and hold the ALT key on your keyboard.
- Drag Crop Handles Outward: With ALT held down, click and drag the green crop handles (which appear when the source is cropped) outward. This will expand the visible area of your camera feed, effectively "zooming out" from the cropped view.
- Reposition (if needed): After adjusting the crop, you might need to reposition the camera source on your canvas by simply clicking and dragging it to your desired location.
Resetting the Crop:
If you want to completely remove any cropping and return to the camera's original aspect ratio and full field of view, you can reset its transform settings:
- Right-Click Camera Source: In the 'Sources' panel, right-click on your webcam source.
- Hover over 'Transform': From the context menu, hover over 'Transform'.
- Select 'Reset Transform': Click 'Reset Transform' to revert the source to its default size and position, removing all cropping.
Camera-Specific Zoom Settings
It's also important to note that some webcams or dedicated cameras come with their own software or drivers that allow for optical or digital zoom adjustments directly from the camera itself. These settings would affect the camera's field of view before the feed even reaches Streamlabs Desktop. Check your camera's manufacturer software for these advanced settings.
By understanding both direct resizing and the powerful cropping feature with the ALT key, you can precisely control how your camera appears on your Streamlabs stream, effectively "zooming in" or "zooming out" as needed.
