This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
The EMEET PIXY is a 4K webcam with an AI-tracking gimbal, and it cost me ¥14,400 with a coupon, about half the price of a similar Insta360 model. Image quality is a little better than my MacBook camera. The problem is focus: out of the box it keeps hunting, so the picture visibly breathes. Switching to center focus in the EMEET Studio app helps a lot, but for video calls I would rather buy an ordinary HD webcam for around ¥5,000.
What I tested
- EMEET PIXY (4K, Sony sensor, AI tracking), bought with my own money
- Why I bought it: I run video calls on an external monitor, and my laptop camera off to the side only shows my profile
- Weight, mounting, image quality against the built-in MacBook camera (recorded in QuickTime Player), gesture tracking, and focus settings in the EMEET Studio app
What I found
- It is big and heavy for a webcam: 198.2 g with the stand, 120.3 g for the camera alone. The metal stand alone is close to 80 g.
- It clips onto a monitor easily. On top of a laptop screen it would be too heavy.
- Image quality is slightly better than the MacBook camera, and the background blurs, which suggests a larger sensor. Colors looked a little blue to me.
- Focus constantly hunts with the default face-detection focus, so the image pulses in and out.
- Tracking turns on with a hand gesture and follows reasonably well, but when your face drifts off center, focus jumps to the background.
- In EMEET Studio, switching from face-detection focus to center focus mostly fixed the hunting, as long as I sat in the middle and did not move back and forth.
- My background is busy; a cleaner background might reduce the hunting.
Key numbers
| Item | EMEET PIXY |
|---|---|
| Price in Japan (at recording) | ¥14,400 with a coupon |
| Measured weight | 198.2 g with stand / 120.3 g camera only |
| Resolution | 4K, Sony sensor |
| In the box | USB-A to USB-C cable, manuals |
Who it is for
- Maybe: you need a camera on top of an external monitor and you like the cute, face-like design.
- Skip it: you want something light for a laptop, you are bothered by focus breathing, or you only need a camera for Zoom. HD resolution is plenty for calls, and a gimbal is not something most people need on a webcam.
Watch the review
The video is in Japanese, but the focus hunting is easy to see. Useful chapters: 01:28 unboxing and weight, 03:44 image comparison, 04:52 gesture tracking, 08:31 focus settings in the app, 11:52 verdict.
Limitations
I did not try adjusting white balance, and I have not used the Insta360 alternative, so I cannot compare them. I tested in my own room with a cluttered background. Prices are Amazon Japan prices at the time of recording, in yen.
Products
EMEET PIXY 4K webcam: on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan link above is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
All Camera & Desk Setup (42) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.