With every camera manufacturer releasing software to convert their devices into webcam due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, GoPro has joined the bandwagon.
The webcam utility can be downloaded by clicking on this link. As of this writing, the software is compatible only with GoPro HERO 8 and HERO 9.
I always loved the wide angle view provided by GoPro and decided to invest in GoPro HERO 9. The new model is slick with tons of new features but I was primarily interested in using it as a wide-angle web camera. After downloading the driver and connecting the camera to the computer via a USB-C cable, I was all set. The video below explains the process and you can see the sample footage provided by the camera.
The results are dramatic as you can see from the video and I really love the wide-angle view. But there is a problem….
The driver seems to be not very stable. I have tried it on both my laptop and PC. During critical moments, the camera will suddenly go in PAUSE mode and no video feed goes black. If you start a meeting without connecting the camera, the software sometimes gets stuck and I end up rebooting the laptop.
I can only hope that GoPro refines the utility to make it stable.