Using an External Camera

(1) If the external camera you bought is new and advertised as Mac compatible, there is no need to add software. Everything you need to use currently produced Mac compatible USB cams is built into every OS X newer than OS X 10.4.8, including every Yosemite version.

(2) All Mac cameras, built in or external, are operated by the software apps that you use with them.

Once you launch a camera app, if your Mac recognizes more than one connected camera, you will be able to choose between your MBP's inbuilt cam and the external USB Cam you have connected.

How you make that selection varies among the apps.

See these two historical threads for some examples of how to make the selection:

• http://discussions.apple.com/thread/6531512

• http://discussions.apple.com/thread/5162798

(The methodology works regardless of which Mac compatible external camera you connect.)

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11

This advice is complete useless. My external webcam works perfectly with my Mac Pro and does not show up at all on my Macbook Pro. It is pretty obvious that the internal camera is getting precedent. It is also pretty obvious that something is wrong in Apple software iy

a) it doesn't note external USB cameras if there is an internal one and/or

b) that there is not a clear place is system preferences to set which camera to use.

I am so tired of answers that assume people are morons and that there is really no problem. There is a BIG problem.

sjatkins wrote:.. My external webcam works perfectly ... I am so tired of ... morons ...

I am happy I was able to help.

Cheers,

EZ Jim

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

Mac OSX 10.11.1