OBSBOT Tail 2 AI-Powered PTZR Camera Review

The OBSBOT Tail 2 enters the scene with incredible specs and functionality that professional-level content creators, live streamers, and presenters should be interested in. With the Tail 2, OBSBOT aims to deliver high-quality video with subject tracking similar to that experienced with a dedicated camera crew. It’s not cheap, at all, but for those serious about their content, the investment could well be worth it. Here is my review.

The bigger brother

For those who have used OBSBOT’s webcams, the Tail 2 looks like a scaled-up version of those. It can pan, tilt, zoom (optically!), and rotate in a similar way, to track subjects with “AI Tracking 2.0”, but it has much more impressive specs.

The AI Tracking 2.0 works incredibly well. OBSBOT might be the king of auto-tracking and this shows with the Tail 2. It supports both solo user and group tracking, animal recognition, and object framing. Gesture controls are here, too, allowing users to control the camera with their bare hands. For additional control, the sold-separately remote comes in handy and is of surprisingly high quality.

Next-level 4K

The Tail 2 has a 1/1.5” CMOS sensor, zoom of up to 12x (5x optical), and support for 4K at 60 FPS (or 1080p at 120 FPS). It’s not just any old 4K either, as the impressive sensor makes it more of a match for DSLR footage than something out of a webcam or phone. Not all 4K is created equal, and the Tail 2’s quality stands tall above much of the competition. This is especially true in lowlight scenarios, where the advanced ISO and image processing help keep the image clean.

Set up is simpler than I expected, too, with the generous port selection supporting a whole range of setup types. Once plugged in, the companion app does an okay job at configuring various shooting modes. It’s not the most optimized app, and software is certainly a step behind the hardware, but I’m optimistic that future updates will add some polish and tighten things up, as has been the case with other OBSBOT products.

TikTok made easy

For those in the vertical video scene — whether that be TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts — the way the Tail 2 can rotate 90 degrees makes it super easy to record 4K vertical video at maximum quality. Of course, the horizontal video is great, too.

Weak areas

The Tail 2 impresses enormously in overall image quality and the ability to track, but there are some areas where things could be improved. First, the aforementioned companion app could use more polish and refining so that key features aren’t buried in sub-menus.

The other downside is the lack of a microphone. I was surprised at the lack of the built-in mic, as other OBSBOT cameras include one. Sure, buyers of this camera will surely be using a dedicated mic, but having one built-in would help in a pinch or when looking to use this camera as more of an all-in-one solution.

Disclosure: Review sample provided by OBSBOT.