I've evaluated several webcams for SCN, but Hollyland offered me the opportunity to test its VenusLiv Air compact streaming camera. You can use it as a webcam, though it's better suited to live streaming production. And it's right at home whether you plan to shoot in traditional landscape or the more social media-friendly portrait mode.
Basically, the VenusLiv Air looks like a box camera with an integrated lens. Not just any lens—this is a full-size 4K optical fixed-focus 25mm lens, more akin to a DSLR than a typical webcam. It offers 50MP with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor. You can record in 4K, 1080p, or 720p (all at 30fps) locally on an SD card; depending on your streaming output of choice, there are various flavors of these options, with 1080p/60 also available for limited outputs.
The VenusLiv Air is not a camera that will perch on the top of your monitor. It weighs almost 1.5 pounds and is 4 inches across (more than 7 inches with the built-in touchscreen open). It’s also a little more than 5 inches deep, and that’s before you start connecting cables.
Speaking of connections, there is an HDMI out, USB-C video port, network port, and power. For audio, there is also a dedicated USB-C port for Hollyland wireless mics. I didn’t have one to test, but I was able to plug in a wireless mic system to the 3.5mm port and it worked without issue when I recorded some footage. The camera also worked well on videoconferences with a separate mic—no sync issues.
A cold shoe mount on top of the landscape position (next to the SD card slot) provides a place for accessories. I was very happy with the two 1/4-inch threaded holes. The VenusLiv Air automatically adjusts to portrait or landscape shooting based on how you position the camera. A 3-inch touchscreen on the back of the camera can be rotated out so you can monitor the image live as you shoot.
In a word, the picture from the VenusLiv Air is gorgeous, even when I didn't use my ZELo desktop studio lights. Right out of the box, the tones are warm, which is helpful when your subject (read: me) is severely lacking a tan. You guessed it: It has built-in AI to optimize the image.
Too warm for your taste? It’s easy to create a new "tone." In fact, you can go in and change just about any setting, so you can customize the look based on your subject or your environment (and save up to 20 presets). There are only two control buttons on the unit: power and record. Everything else is managed through the touchscreen.
However, you aren't restricted to the touchscreen, as you can make adjustments on your portable device via the free HollyCam app. The app provides a similar on-screen “dial” adjustment as the camera’s touchscreen, so it’s very easy to adjust ISO, shutter, saturation, and more. Plus, you can start recording or take screenshots from your phone, so you don’t have to touch the camera to start a scene.
The app isn’t perfect. The adjustment icons and menus assume you’re shooting in portrait mode, so your icon workspace doesn’t shift when you work in landscape mode. This is not a deal breaker, but it’s something that should be addressed in a software upgrade. It also crashes from time to time.
No such problems with Holly Studio, the laptop version of the control software. Here, you have a choice of landscape or portrait, though the dial controls are replaced by sliders and drop-down menus.
The 4x digital zoom does offer precise options, so if 1.4x is what you’re looking for, you can have it. Yes, you can zoom while recording, but it’s not going to be smooth. Also, there is neither pan nor tilt to go with that zoom, so you'll want to make sure that shot is set before you start streaming. And streaming was easy—I had no trouble with Facebook Live (or two videoconferencing platforms) recognizing the camera.
I don’t like the lens cap. There, I said it. This semi-rigid piece of silicone never feels like it’s secure, even when you line up the ridges on the lens with the indentations on the inside of the lens cap. That said, the body of the camera is sturdy, and the touchscreen is bright and responsive.
The VenusLiv Air is not your next webcam. Talk about overkill, especially with an MSRP of $549. However, the VenusLiv Air offers excellent images, professional image adjustment if "auto" isn't your style, native portrait and landscape shooting with no loss of quality, and monitoring and control options for your next live or recorded project, whether it's a company-wide presentation or a product demo for potential clients.
