Choosing a WebCam for your At-Home Salesforce Certification Exam
Tags: Remote Working, Certification, Webcam, Programming, Salesforce

Disclaimer: Amazon is currently as of 03–18–2020 price-gouging the items on this list. You may want to try other retailers, and do your research before clicking a link on this blog.

I’ve started to think about blogging lately, but I’m stumped as what to blog about, and honestly a little bit intimidated as writing is not my best skill.

With the #Coronavirus lock-down expanding globally, Salesforce community members are encountering their local testing centers closing down.

These recent events may force individuals into uncharted territory for themself: Taking a Certification Exam Remotely!

So…. after seeing this tweet on a Merivis thread:

I wondered, do others have recommended cameras that they have used successfully to take a Salesforce exam? Of course, you could figure this out yourself, by checking out these articles on specifications required:

A camera with a heavy base and flexible neck allows for easier placement. The webcam you choose must meet the following criteria:

The Key Details:

Minimum Video Resolution of 720p with a frame rate of 30 fps

High Speed USB 2.0 connection — Plug and Play preferred

Cord length of 6 ft (2 m) or more

Manual focus ring

No auto zoom or auto focus allowed. These features must be turned off.

Built-in microphone

The following are not acceptable as camera alternatives:

Digital cameras/camcorders

Smartphones (Sorry no Iphones!)

GoPros

Tablets

Playstation Eye/Camera

Eye Toy

Kinect

Additional laptops/computers

I on the other-hand prefer to read recommendations, and who better to ask than the Salesforce community in this instance?

As of 03–16–20, 24 hours later, there had been 6k Impressions, and a couple hundred engagements. Ok there is a level of interest here on webcams!

As of 03–16–20, 24 hours later, there had been 6k Impressions, and a couple hundred engagements. Ok there is a level of interest here on webcams!

A lot of folks mention in the thread how you don’t need the fanciest webcam, some stacking on books, using a USB extension cable, or meeting another part of the external view requirement through creative methods. Some folks use the camera for other purposes, so they may choose to invest more. I’ve gone ahead and found the camera folks mentioned on the thread, linked them below, and added some high level details for quick-scrolling.

Disclaimer: Some of these links use Affiliate Links from Amazon Affiliates. If you find value in this post and make a purchase from the link in the image or hyperlinked on the text, I may earn a commission. These products are all sourced from the community, and this list is a compilation. If you would like to avoid the affiliate link, please go check out the tweet that is linked for the information for that product, and you should be able to find them somewhere on the internet.

Forward-Looking Statement Time: Please be cautious of making a purchasing decision for a webcam based on tweets on the web. You should do your own research in ensuring the Webcam matches the guidelines as specified by Kryterion and Trailhead support. This blog post is a compilation of tweets from the community on what has worked for them in taking the Salesforce exams remotely. I will announce which one i’m going to purchase at the end of this blog!

I hope this blog post helps you in taking a Salesforce Exam remotely if you so desire. All of the links I’ve found are on Amazon, but i’m sure you can find the products on other websites. Without further a-do, here is the list of Webcam recommendations:

Logitech C270 Webcam

It looks like the cheapest webcam on the list has seen a price increase due to the coronavirus. You may be able to find this webcam at other retailers through a quick google search. This seems very well liked by the community, and is quick and simple to setup.

Kryterion does have a disclaimer about this camera, so you may have additional work to set this up:

Please Note: Driver issues with Internet Explorer and the Logitech C920 and C270 cameras have caused delayed video loading, which may negatively impact your exam experience. It may be beneficial to download the latest webcam drivers prior to launching your exam.

This subtweet thread had quite a few people recommending this camera model. Depending on the exact model (Standard vs Privacy) you decide to pursue, you could see an increase of about $30 USD. I really would enjoy having the privacy option!

Kryterion does have a disclaimer about this camera, so you may have additional work to set this up:

Please Note: Driver issues with Internet Explorer and the Logitech C920 and C270 cameras have caused delayed video loading, which may negatively impact your exam experience. It may be beneficial to download the latest webcam drivers prior to launching your exam.

Papalook PA 452 Webcam Camera

This does not appear to be compatible with Mac Operating systems, something to keep in mind if you are a Mac User. Maybe this will work with bootcamp? This option is out for me, but is an option for others!

I’ve used a Microsoft Camera in the past, and it seems this one is quite simple to setup and has pleasant reviews. It seems cameras do not need to be anything fancy.

My Verdict —

Well I had heard on the thread that Bob from Appirio, the Salesforce Consultancy firm where I work, had recently upgraded a lot of folks to a specific webcam. I was told to reach out to him.

This caused some confusion on the thread….

Bob confirmed he is real… #BobIsReal

And he confirmed when I asked him at work the recommended Webcam is the Logitech C920. So Bob and the Salesforce Community both seem to really like the 920, it has a great cable, appears to work with Mac, pretty convincing to me!

Well I like streamers, I like Bob, I like the Salesforce Community, and the camera appears to meet the requirements for many. That will be the model I decide to buy, and I’m going to monitor for restocks on the privacy model. It appears webcams are in fact selling out!

Anyways, thanks for reading my first blog, it was a lot of fun. Which camera are you going to buy, or is there another one that isn’t included in this list? Maybe my next one will be to talk about my workstation setup for taking an online exam!