If you don't have a laptop with a built-in webcam or an external webcam or simply want to make the most of your digital camera capabilities (like aperture adjusting for blurring your background), there is a way to adapt your digital camera as a webcam.

To test the hack, I took a Nikon D5000 and a Lytro out for an afternoon by the water, setting each camera up on a tripod and framing the same shot so that the two could be compared. For the D5100, it required inserting the card, turning on the camera, going into the menu and navigating to the firmware. When it sees the XXXX###.bin file, it offers you the chance to update your firmware and admonishes you to do this only on a full battery or with the camera plugged into an AC source. It took less than five minutes for the.

Some digital cameras have ability to be used as webcams and are shipped with necessary webcam software, but most camera vendors don't provide such software.

In this tutorial you will learn how to use Canon DSLR or Nikon DSLR camera as a regular webcam with the help of SparkoCam. SparkoCam is the software that allows you to turn your Canon or Nikon camera into a standard webcam for video chats, conferencing, recordings, etc.

• Download and install SparkoCam

  Download installation package and run SparkoCamInstaller.exe.

  Follow all installation steps carefully until the setup is complete.

• Connect camera to PC using USB cable

  First thing you need to do is to plug-in your camera's USB cable into computer.

• Turn camera on

  Once camera gets recognized by Windows you may see a notification in a system tray or a popup window about newly available device like the one below.

  If you don't see such window - don't worry, it isn't mandatory, so just follow next steps.

  Also, if you installed software that comes on a CD that is shipped with the camera, you may get EOS Utility started up. SparkoCam doesn't require EOS Utility to function properly, so just close it and go to next steps.

• Launch SparkoCam

  Go to Device tab and select Canon Camera checkbox to transform your Canon camera into webcam or Nikon Camera in case you have a Nikon DSLR camera.

  If you have only one camera connected to the PC, SparkoCam will automatically pick it up, otherwise select required camera from the Camera list.

• Choose SparkoCam Virtual Webcam as a source web camera in your chat application

  At this step you need to configure your target application to use SparkoCam as a video source.

  For example, to configure Skype you need to open Options dialog and select SparkoCam Virtual Webcam in Select webcam list.

Please note that Canon and Nikon cameras don't provide functionality for using their microphones for audio capturing, so it won't be possible to use camera's built-in microphone for sound, thus you need an external microphone to enable voice.

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All Nikon School online classes are free again from November 23rd – December 31st. The free classes were first introduced at the beginning of the COVID pandemic and now they are back for the holidays:

NIKON INC. IS OFFERING THE GIFT OF GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON BY STREAMING ALL NIKON SCHOOL ONLINE CLASSES FREE THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR

Learn How to Easily Capture Picture-Perfect Family Portraits and More!

MELVILLE, NY – It’s the season for giving, and Nikon is happy to announce that for a limited time, its popular Nikon School Online classes will be available free of charge starting today through the end of the year. From now until December 31, anyone can sharpen their photography skills at home with Nikon’s entertaining and engaging classes taught by world-class Nikon Ambassadors and photographers. A wide range of classes are available, including an all-new class for creating memorable holiday photos and videos, helping users step up their creativity just in time for the most festive time of the year.

“Nikon School Online classes are a great way to help anyone brush up on their photography skills and inspire them to capture and share their amazing photos and video with their friends and families this holiday season,” said Jay Vannatter, Executive Vice President, Nikon Inc. “Whether celebrating the holidays at home among loved ones or joining together virtually, the power of imaging helps keep us connected, creative and inspired.”

Free Nikon Camera Manuals

Nikon’s newest class, “Better Holiday Photos with Nikon Ambassadors,” features an all-star cast of Nikon’s top creators, sharing their unique tips and creative techniques for getting in the holiday spirit and capturing one-of-a-kind photos and videos to share with family and friends. Learn how to create holiday cards that stand out, master basic lighting for the best portraits, capture stunning food photography, perfectly pose as a couple or family and see how simple it is to add festive and creative flair to your photos.

How To Use Nikon Camera

From emerging creators who just got their first camera to seasoned enthusiasts, Nikon School Online classes offer a variety of educational lessons for anyone to enhance their photography and videography skills as well as anyone ready to pick up a new hobby at home. The easy-to-follow classes are taught by world-renowned creatives and cover an array of topics to best capture different genres. Whether looking to learn to photograph stunning portraits, vast landscapes, your furry friends or make the leap into video capture, there is a Nikon school class ready to inspire and entertain creators on each topic.

To access the full list of online classes available to stream for free, visit: www.nikonusa.com/school.

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