Opal Tadpole review: "My MacBook Pro webcam does a decent enough job"

Opal isn’t wrong when it describes its Tadpole as ‘the tiny webcam with a clip’. That’s exactly what it is; it’s a tiny webcam sitting on a clip that seems perfect for any laptop user who wants a bit more optic bang for their buck. A simple idea, really, but an idea that Opal has proudly swung for while most other brands ignore this segment of the market.

Until the last 18 months or so I didn’t really care about ensuring I had the best webcam for all my digital needs. It feels bad to say, but it’s true. I just used whatever I had on hand to get the job done. After all, finding the webcam that's right for you is a very tough job - one that I hope I can assist you with – especially with so many different selling points and price points to go along with them.

So it was a very pleasant surprise to find out that the Opal Tadpole really does seem to put simplicity and price accessibility at the forefront, all while advertising 4K - the keyword being ‘advertising’. Hitting the market for $129/£130 it’s a fairly simple price to wrap your head around, especially compared to the likes of the OSBOT Tiny 2 or the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra. However, it still feels like a very small tadpole in a very big pond.

Design

Potentially my favorite aspect of the Opal Tadpole webcam is its aesthetics. It is an absolutely stunning piece of kit that appeals to my enjoyment of minimalist technology. This may sound like a negative but it reminds me of a LEGO piece - it certainly has the size of one. A “large”, sleek, white aluminium square houses the lens that will sit atop your laptop. The Tadpole feels both retro and futuristic at the same time but is never dated by its basic design language. You’ll notice I put the word ‘large’ in quotations as it really is anything but that. The actual size of the device is 35 x 40 x 20mm, so yeah, it's as tiny as advertised, weighing in at just 45 grams.

The deep, black lens contrasts nicely with the rest of the webcam, almost like this inky pupil of an eye staring back at you. This contrast really gives the webcam a premium feel that can be lacking from competitors which are more ambitious with their designs. It doesn’t just look premium though as it features chemically strengthened glass to ensure that you won’t be paying a premium to replace it anytime soon.

At the back of the webcam, you’ll find the clip mechanism that allows you to attach it to your laptop. Once again the prevailing word here is “simple”. If you’ve ever used an alligator clip before then you’ll know exactly how to get the Opal Tadpole attached and ready to use. The clip has a range of 35 degrees which means it will fit the majority of the best gaming laptops. However, if you’re trying to use it on your PC and monitor then you’ll likely struggle, for reasons I’ll come onto.

Also on the rear of the Tadpole is a fittingly tiny cable. I found this to be far too short at only 55cm in length. This isn’t helped by the bead that sits in the middle of the woven cable which means it never fully extends to its full length. However, it does mean that you won’t have to worry about cables getting in the way of things - I personally don’t want to do much cable management when using my laptop.

Features

Underneath the Scandinavian-style hood, there is actually a fairly robust and well-rounded camera. The Tapole features a Sony IMX582 RS sensor which in plain terms is a 48-megapixel image sensor often utilized on mobile phones such as the Samsung Galaxy A range. It does a good job of providing clean images with minimal noise, even in lower-light situations - making this ideal as a potential tool to add to your gear for streaming setup. Additionally, it provides vibrant enough colours giving you an image that has a nice pop to it.

The 48 MP camera will likely be a big draw for people, especially in combination with that Sony sensor which is capable of 4K imagery. Despite a lot of 4K marketing claims you’ll see on the Tadpole’s retail page though, make no mistake that this camera is locked to 1080p. This will likely be more than enough for most people as it still looks sharp, but one of the big draws of this webcam is an affordable 4K option you can take on the go with you.

I mentioned low light situations and the f/1.8 lens on the Tadpole does let in a decent amount of light to assist with that and ensure that the image is best represented. However, it is worth noting that it did struggle a bit more in highly lit situations with some scenarios being a little overexposed and lacking details.

It isn’t just the camera that you get here however, it also features an on-board microphone, something which is even more impressive considering how small it is. Opal has decided to use a directional microphone to only capture audio in front of the webcam. I found this to be both incredibly helpful and incredibly annoying at different times. Yes, it allows for any sound outside of a specific window of direction to be ignored, but it does mean that you need to ensure you are directly in front of the camera whenever you want to speak. The cable features a clever capacitive mute button on one end, meaning you can tap to mute yourself if need be. This is a nice trick, but when you can do the same thing with a simple push of the space bar in most video calling programs, it feels like fluff.

Unfortunately, the cable is attached to the back with no way to replace it with something longer, so if you need more than the 55cm length then you are out of luck.

Performance

I was very excited to try the Opal Tadpole. As I’ve said, the aesthetics are perhaps my favorite aspect of the whole package. I could picture myself in my local coffee house, book on the table, MacBook on a desk, and sitting atop would be the Opal Tadpole. This was an attractive mental image, but unfortunately, one that didn’t quite come to pass. When I realized that the Tadpole was locked to 1080p, 30fps video recording, and when it became apparent that both my MacBook and iPhone had better camera quality, the fantasy I had became suddenly diluted.

The next big issue I ran into was that it wasn’t compatible with my PC/monitor setup at home. Yes, I know it is primarily designed for your laptop but if you’re paying $129/£130 I would expect more versatility. The clip unfortunately doesn’t have enough range on it to be attachable to most monitors, plus the cable being as short as it is means that this use case is pretty much off the table.

When I do have my very expensive MacBook sitting right next to it, I can make peace with some PC incompatibility. So I hooked it up and was similarly underwhelmed by the experience. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t produce a nice image (as you can see by the examples that I have provided). It does look good and does exactly what you expect from a sub-$200 webcam. But it just feels like it does the bare minimum, especially compared to options like the Elgato Facecam MK2, or even the more basic Logi Stream Cam.

Image 1 of 2

What I am wrestling with is the fact that it’s such a brilliantly designed webcam from a visual standpoint, but when using it I just find myself gravitating to better options. My MacBook Pro webcam does a decent enough job and I don’t have to carry around an extra webcam in my pocket if I’m traveling. Failing that, I have my iPhone in my pocket at all times which can double as a capable webcam on its own. What remains is an additional purchase that's tricky to justify. This isn’t better than an average phone camera, it requires a USB-C connection, and it even struggles to compete with standard laptop webcams without delivering on its 4K claims.

For example, I stream fairly frequently and I wanted to stress test the Tadpole in a content creation scenario. Unfortunately, it just made it a very difficult experience and I reverted back to using the OBSBOT Tiny 2 Lite fairly quickly. In terms of the microphone, I was actually fairly impressed by what it can do. Despite the fact that the range isn’t great, it does do an impressive job of capturing your voice with detail and clarity. Alongside this it does a good enough job of eliminating any background noises – although it did struggle when I did venture out to a public place, specifically a train. I’d still recommend you get yourself one of the best microphones rather than using the built-in one, but if you need to use it then it does the job.

While disappointing generally for me, I must admit that I found the Tadpole's best use case was when I needed to jump into online meetings Zoom calls, or Discord video chats. The simplicity factor of its design extends to its usage too, you simply plug it in and it works. Not much more to it. This made it super convenient for me to attach onto my laptop when needed and I’d be in the call without delay.

Should you buy the Opal Tadpole?

This was incredibly tough for me. As I have reiterated throughout this review, the design and visuals of the Opal Tadpole are brilliant in my mind. Even the way it's presented in its box is visually appealing and minimalist. So, if you want a webcam that has no frills, looks great and just does the job then sure, this is a decent purchase.

However, it falls short for me compared to some of the other webcams you can get today. If I want something small, then the OBSBOT Tiny 2 Lite is sitting right there, can actually record in 4K, and has AI pan, tilt, and zoom features. If I want something with better overall performance, then the Razer Kiyo Pro is more compatible with PC setups and is significantly cheaper. If I want a content creation webcam with 4K abilities, there are plenty of options out there nowadays.

I really wanted to love the Opal Tadpole, but unfortunately, I don’t. I am sure there is someone out there that this specific device is perfect for, it just isn't me. I want to be clear, it is by no means a bad webcam, it could just be so much better.

How we tested the Opal Tadpole

I used the Opal Tadpole day-to-day where possible with my MacBook Pro. This included video calls on Discord, some light streaming, and facetime calls. I tested the device extensively over a period of a month or two.

For more on how we test the latest content creation gear, check out the full GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

Looking for more production value? The best green screens, the best capture cards, and the best ring lights for streaming can help.