Some people asked me for a few pictures, taken by the webcam for comparison, so I present a few snapshots here. First, I must state that the 645/646 and 675/680 use similar CCDs (the element that picks up the light and turns it into an image), so the colours and light sensitivity are nearly the same. The difference is that the 675/680 models have a CCD with more pixels, thus a higher resolution.
First, a few outdoor pictures:
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This one is taken by a PCVC680: a bulldozer that used to wake me up way too early in the morning :-(
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Also with the 680: a look outside of my new home while it's snowing in March...
Now, webcams are usually used indoors, and at night with incandescent or fluorescent lighting, so let's take a look at that:
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A view of my room, illuminated by a single 75 Watt bulb (!) This picture was taken with a 645; it has a slightly reddish tint, but it might be that the camera hadn't quite settled yet.
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The same view, with the PCVC680 at its maximum resolution. The picture does become a bit noisy then, due to the high amplification needed and the fine detail. But at a low framerate, smaller size or a bit more light, there's no problem at all.
The following two pictures who were sent to my by Michael Zuther from the University of Bremen, Germany. He mounted a cam at a window of his lab, overlooking the city or campus and produced these beautiful images.
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