I tried it but couldn't find a good position with the big TV screen so my eyes kept drifting off the camera to the TV which can be distracting to the audience - certainly me. I did think of the battery but didn't know how long it would last (I had two charged up) so I went with the built in camera until next time. I also found out that the mirror image is a setting in Zoom which was driving me crazy. I could point right and on the screen it looked totally opposite to what I was expecting until I found that mirror setting. Things are progressing.

Wow, never ever thought of using video streaming on FB messenger. (I really hate it other than sharing things with friends and family).

I think the problem was when I turned the camera on and put it into live view, it was opening EOS utility and Zoom could not use it. I quit the EOS utility and the image popped into Zoom then. Yay! I may get the hang of this yet. Thanks!

Thanks for that. I did see it as an option in my Zoom session but it never worked so I had to revert to the built in camera on my laptop. Hopefully one day it will work.

Spent an hour on this and could not get it to work. I see the drivers but no program. Terribly disappointed that Canon didn't have this ironed out before releasing it. I can't get email or chat agent support either. (I have a feeling there are a lot of folks bombarding them since this rollout). The zip was a problem to begin with as I use 7zip and didn't know where it put the unzipped files. So I told 7zip to extract to... Got that done and ran the setup but it looks like it only installed drivers at C:\Program Files\Canon\EOS Webcam Utility. No new programs under the start button, no new desktop items, etc. What the heck?

Thank you for the info. I need to check this out ASAP but will go with the built in camera for today's meeting.

Do you know if it works wirelessly or does it need to be "tethered"? It sounds interesting.

I bought a cheap underwater LED light last year (after our visit to Maui). I use it on a light stand on the lowest light level with a Kleenex over the light for diffusion held in place by two rubber bands. I adjust the light stand as needed - both height and closeness to the laptop.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HHZ76ND/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I took a friend's moonlit lake photo and added a moon from my collection on top of her overexposed moon. I enlarged the moon for a little more drama. This took a few minutes in PSE 12 years ago.

I have one as well but it is put up in a closet as a nostalgic relic of the past along with my last film camera (Canon AE-1).

Does Vivitar do service on these today?

I found this link that shows how to disassemble one.
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-disassemble-a-Vivitar-283/

I added an inexpensive ($35 LG model) DVD USB 3.0 drive to my system years ago as I still had several CD/DVD disks (blanks, data, movies, and programs). Hopefully I won't need to use it but it is there just in case. At least I gave up the floppy drive long ago - HAHA!

The DJI stabilizer is a cool gimbal/handheld tripod (can be attached to a tripod mounting screw though) for smart phones. Keeps the phone steady and level (somewhat). The biggest problem is it needs to be bigger for the bigger phones (my old Note 8, new 20 Ultra). The newer one looks much easier to use since it uses strong magnets to attach the phone to the stabilizer. I have the older model Osmo 2 which has a clamp for the phone and is my only objection (I have to take off my protective Otter case to use it effectively).

https://www.dji.com/om-4?from=google&gclid=Cj0KCQjws536BRDTARIsANeUZ5-67EdqrnYXRowzGY6Ku2qBpEfwB7m5JD0HJGQoxPh2mLyniOgKHk4aAjptEALw_wcB

My 7D went belly up so I contacted Canon and sent it in (it died during the solar eclipse Aug 2017 and can't remember when I bought it maybe 2012). The estimate was $850 for a new motherboard - not worth it to me. I just had them send it back to me and I went and bought a 80D (I considered the 7DII at the time but it was already out for a couple of years and lacked a few things that the 80D had). Fairly happy with the 80D except burst speed. I found I had to use JPEG in burst mode to get any good speed.

Do as most suggest and get a hiking pole with a removable knob/handle to use the standard mounting screw for cameras. Awkward but it beats a doughnut. A monopod typically is heavier and overkill for a walking cane (depending on the monopod itself).

My old Leki hiking poles are lightweight and have the wooden knobs that screw off to use as a makeshift monopod. Not as good as a dedicated monopod and tilt-head but it beats carrying extra gear on long hikes.

Simple test for brightness. A tape measure, flashlights, and a Lux meter on the phone.

basic ensemble


one of the longer flashlights


Energizer head lamp


Rayovac


the one cell mini LED light


the 3 cell big Maglite


the mini maglite - disappointed with reading


Neweer underwater light


The underwater light looks brightest to me