OBSBOT Tiny SE Webcam Review

In recent years, OBSBOT has been responsible for some of the most interesting webcams that I’ve reviewed. The highlights have been those designed to swivel and tilt, to keep the subject in frame. Up until now, however, they have been notably premium in price. Enter the OBSBOT Tiny SE, a more budget-friendly option that trims back some specs, but keeps the all-important built-in gimbal. After giving the Tiny SE a thorough testing, it’s time for my review.

Reason to buy

The main attraction of the Tiny SE is its gimbal. This allows the camera to pan and tilt, using software to track users’ movements. It keeps the user prominently in place within the frame, without resorting to digital zoom and/or cropping, which can heavily compromise image quality.

After using OBSBOT’s gimbal-equipped webcams as my daily driver for years now, I can confirm that the tracking is superb. I can stand up and walk around my office, with the camera following me with almost no errors experienced.

Gesture your way

I’m happy to confirm that gestures work when controlling the Tiny SE. Users can hold up their hand to zoom in, enable or disable tracking, and other functions. For those who are standing out of reach, this can be extremely useful, though it may take a few attempts to get them to register.

Alternatively, users can purchase the dedicated controller, allowing for functionality that works instantly and reliably. I’d lean on the remote for more professional use cases, where gestures might be less dependable or look a little odd.

It’s 1080p

Where the Tiny SE sees a cut in its performance compared to OBSBOT’s flagship is in terms of resolution. Users can select 1080p with support for up to 100 FPS, or 720p at up to 120 FPS. While the supported frame rates aren’t to be sniffed at, the limit to 1080p may be a deal-breaker for some. Those desiring 4K will need to fork out the extra cash.

Seeing “1080p” shouldn’t immediately put you off, however, as the actual image quality comes down to the sensor choice. The Tiny SE is equipped with a 1/2.8” CMOS sensor with a f/1.8 aperture. This makes for good low-light performance and excellent natural depth of field blurring behind subjects.

To take full advantage of the Tiny SE, users will want to download and install the OBSBOT Center software. This allows customization of various profiles, tracking areas, and the fine-tuning of other functions. It’s lightweight and works well, so I had no issues with using it.

The limits

The obvious limitation of the Tiny SE is the 1080p resolution. If you can get past that, the only nitpicks you need to know about are the semi-inconsistent gesture controls that I can never quite manage to trigger consistently, even after years of practice! Then there’s the built-in mic, which is passable at best.

Disclosure: Review sample provided by OBSBOT.