When streaming with any broadcast software or platform, such as OBS Studio, Streamlabs, or even Facebook Live, streamers often need to remove the background from their overall presentation.
Due to the variety of backgrounds and the corresponding need for real-time adjustments, many different webcam filters for streaming have been created.
Removing the background through the filters improves the quality of the live video and makes it more compatible with the broadcasting software the streamer is using.
Top Webcam Filters For Streaming
1. Chroma key
2. Color Correction
3. Snap camera
4. OBS studio blend filters
With this in mind, I have created a guide that will explain which filter is best suited for different types of backgrounds, as well as how to adjust your webcam for an optimal live streaming experience.
Table of Contents
How Was the Comparison Made?
In creating this guide, I considered the key factors that the best webcam filters influence in stream quality, including the number of features they offer, the software compatibility, and their suitability for various backgrounds. My aim is to assist you in selecting the best webcam filter for your streaming needs.
Best Webcam Filters for Streaming
1. Chroma Key
Chroma key, commonly referred to as a green screen, is a webcam filter and one of the simplest yet most widely used filters available on the market.
It is one of the best filters for YouTube, particularly if you need to eliminate a specific color from the background without using Photoshop or spending extra time adjusting the video with additional software.
This filter is particularly popular among streamers in the early stages of their gaming careers, as it helps create a more professional appearance for their makeshift studio by reducing background detail.
2. Color Correction
The most commonly used webcam filter, not only for live streams but also for various forms of video broadcasting, color correction enhances the image captured by your webcam, making it appear more natural.
This filter includes various factors, but there are four primary ones you are most likely to encounter on stream, all of which can typically be found in the settings.
As a result, all aspects of this specific webcam filter should be carefully managed to ensure you maintain control over images, content, and ads in your stream.
3. Snap Camera
Snap Camera offers a variety of excellent webcam filters that enhance both streaming and video calling, making them much more enjoyable, regardless of the camera you are using.
This free app can be downloaded to your computer and is developed by the same team behind the immensely popular Snapchat mobile app.
This means that many of the popular Snapchat filters are also available here, along with a wide range of other features.
Although it is not a filter on its own, a snap camera provides easier access to a wide variety of filters without the need to download each one individually.
Furthermore, it simplifies mastering the fundamentals of software and video editing with filters, making it significantly easier than many other platforms. This may make it the best free live stream filter software available, second only to OBS Studio.
4. OBS Studio Blend Filters
It is impossible to discuss webcam filters for streaming without mentioning OBS Studio.
One of the most popular streaming software platforms in recent years, the OBS Studio app allows you to enhance your streams using a variety of high-quality filters, graphics modifications, and images that improve the appearance of your camera footage when broadcasted online.
This powerful broadcasting software includes an image masks/blend feature, for instance.
This is a useful filter that enables you to adjust the borders of the footage captured by your camera, enhancing the level of detail it displays and eliminating the areas that are out of focus.
In simple terms, the blending filter enables you to overcome the limitations of your video capture device or webcam by ensuring that the video displays only what the lens is focused on.
Another significant advantage of this filter and OBS Studio, in general, is that the software is completely free to download and is compatible with nearly any device.
What to Look for When Choosing the Best Webcam Filters for Streaming?
Reliability
If you plan to use a stream filter to enhance the appearance of your video during a live stream, you must ensure that the filter functions reliably.
This is typically not an issue with filters offered by popular streaming platforms; however, with free download software, some filters can be quite buggy.
Some filters can be quite buggy when it comes to free download software. Therefore, I recommend using only filters from a trustworthy source.
Helpfulness
Most importantly, the stream filter should be beneficial to you. This means you are seeking to use a filter (or filters) that possesses the precise features you need to enhance the quality of your stream.
Typically, this means that your selected filters must be compatible with both the webcam and the room from which you are streaming. Varying lighting conditions and backgrounds will necessitate different filters to achieve the desired outcome.
Brand
Most filters available are free and open-source, making them easy to download or use as part of an established streaming platform. However, with the vast array of options, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, as some filters are significantly better than others.
Therefore, you should ensure that your filters are created by a recognized and trusted publisher. Additionally, some obscure publishers may conceal viruses and other malicious software within them.
FAQ
What filter is the best for live streams?
There is no singular answer to this question. Your choice of filter should depend on the situation, the background, as well as what you want to achieve with your filter. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eLuckily for you, I have written up a guide containing some of the more common webcam filters and places where you can find them.
Is snap camera better than OBS?
Snap camera is an app tailored for video calling more than streams, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be a pretty effective streaming platform with tons of filters to use. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eOn the other hand, OBS filters are stream dedicated, which does give them an edge in most situations despite them being less numerous. In the end, it largely boils down to personal preference.
How do you use filters for streaming?
A webcam filter is a software tool meant to enhance the image provided by your webcam. Some, like Logitech capture tools, come with your camera. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eOthers, like OBS or Snapchat filters, are a part of a standalone app that regulates your broadcasting. Either way, you will need to get familiar with the settings before using any webcam filter out there. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eThankfully, our guide will help you understand some of the most popular filters and apps that contain them better, making it easy for you to get started.
