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Video can be recorded up to 2-megapixels and there's a motion capture setting, which as its name suggests, monitors for motion and only records when there's activity, with a sensitivity slider provided. It works well and could be perfect for catching that thief swiping your Jaffa cakes, assuming he doesn't spot the camera and laptop and nab those too. Assuming he doesn't, you'll find these videos marked with a running man icon. You can then play, email, print pictures or delete right from the software.

Looking at the settings gives you access to enable Face Tracking, and to activate the RightLight technology. You can adjust manually though if you prefer. You also get the Video effects avatars, which I found were just as much fun as I remember them. This means you can replace your face with a virtual gorilla, dolphin, dinosaur, dollar bill, or whatever else you fancy - it's just 'crazee'. Loads are available free online. As long as your face is lined up correctly, the avatar's mouth and eyes even mimic yours.

Aside from the small hiccup with the installation, using the webcam was a joy. To test, I first fired up the QuickCam software. I was immediately impressed by the sharpness and clarity of the image and it's up there with the Ultra Vision as the best I've seen. The effect of the auto focus could be seen when zooming in, with it readjusting itself impressively quickly. If, for example, you want to keep moving kids as clear as possible in the frame this should be a big help. Face tracking does work, with some delay as it tracks you, and I found the effect dizzying to watch. It's best to stand still.

I then placed a video call to Ed in the office and found he was suitably impressed by both picture and sound. The RightSound is genuinely effective at filtering out background noise, to a degree, and RightLight does make the best of dimly lit situations without you having to do anything.

All in all, if you want to make the best of your webcam experience, be in an occasional call, a video conference or 'lifecasting' heaven help us, then it's hard not to be impressed with the Pro 9000. It may cost a lot more than your bog standard webcam but you are getting a premium product that delivers the goods.

Verdict

An impressive webcam that easily justifies its premium price. It can capture and record high resolution images, and gives excellent pictures and sound in video calls. Being that bit more portable than the bulky Ultra Vision, the Pro 9000 is my new favourite webcam. Also, hats off to Logitech for an excellent performance from technical support.

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