OBSBOT Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite Reviews
The OBSBOT Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite bring major AI-powered upgrades to one of the most popular webcam lineups for creators, streamers, and remote workers. In this review, I test image quality, autofocus, AI tracking, low-light performance, microphones, and real-world usability to see how the Tiny 3 compares to the Tiny 3 Lite and whether either is worth upgrading to.
If you’re deciding between OBSBOT Tiny 3 vs Tiny 3 Lite, or wondering how they stack up against other premium webcams for YouTube, streaming, and video calls, this video breaks it all down with side-by-side footage and practical advice.
Below is a transcript of the video. Check out CGM for my full, written review of the OBSBOT Tiny 3 and OBSBOT Tiny 3 Lite.
Transcript
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Today we're looking at another pair of webcams released just today. We're looking at the OBSBOT Tiny 3 and OBSBOT Tiny 3 Light.
Unboxing
Starting with the Tiny 3 Light. In the box, you get the OBSBOT Tiny 3 Light, a USB-C cable and USB-C to USB-A adapter, as well as the documentation.
And the OBSBOT Tiny 3 comes with a little bit more. So, you get the OBSBOT Tiny 3 webcam, the USB-C cable, the USB-C to USB-A adapter, the documentation, a magnetic monitor mount, and this handy dandy little carrying case for all of it.
Now, why doesn't the Tiny 3 Light come with a monitor mount? Because it has one built into it. Now, you'll notice that the Tiny 3 Light is a little bit chunkier than the Tiny 3, which is the lightest of any of their PTZ webcams at 63 g. But the Tiny 3 Light is no slouch at 73 grams, especially when you consider that the mount is built in.
The Difference Between The Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite
Now, what exactly are the key differences between these two webcams? Well, let's get into it.
The Tiny 3 has the bigger image sensor at 1 over 1.28 in, whereas the Tiny 3 Light has a 1/2 in sensor. The Tiny 3 has 50 million effective pixels, whereas the Tiny 3 Light only has 48. Both have an F1.8 aperture, and both are capable of 4K 30 and 1080 120 resolutions.
The Tiny 3 has a slightly bigger field of view with 82.4° compared to the Tiny 3 Light’s 79.1. It's also got a larger field of view for height. It's got 70° compared to the Tiny 3 Light’s 66.9.
Both support HDR, but the Tiny 3 can do so at up to 60 frames per second, whereas the Tiny 3 Light can only do it up to 30 frames per second.
Both feature OBSBOT's amazing AI tracking with two exceptions. The Tiny 3 Light can't go into desk mode or whiteboard mode, whereas the Tiny 3 can.
There are also some brand new features in here that both of these cameras can do that I can't wait to show you.
So, let's get into it.
And here we are with both cameras. On your left, you're going to see the OBSBOT Tiny 3. On your right, you're going to see the OBSBOT Tiny 3 Light.
Now, you can see they both do the same kinds of things. So, we can track no problem and go up and down. It's nice smooth tracking and everything's good.
We're getting a little bit more light immediately on the Tiny 3 because it's got the larger sensor, but the Tiny 3 Light is no slouch. This looks pretty good out of the box.
From a detail standpoint, I'd actually say the Tiny 3 Light is showing off a little bit more facial detail and stuff like that, but that also might have to do a little bit with the light.
So, what I want to do now is take you guys into OBSBOT Center. That's the app for both of these, and take you through some of the options that you have.
Controlling The Cameras Via OBSBOT Center
So, here's a little bit of OBSBOT Center. It's a modular app. So, as you turn things on, new windows open up and things like that. It's not just one wide open app, which can be useful depending on how you use it.
So, right now we're looking at the OBSBOT Tiny 3, and you can actually see I have two cameras up here. If I go over here, this is the Tiny 3 Light, and back to the Tiny 3.
This allows me to control each of these independently even when they're both plugged in.
So, the first thing we're going to see right here is that there are three different options: console, image, and more.
Everything under here right now is under the console.
First thing we have is high FPS recording. This is where you're going to use that 120 frames per second. It can only be done at 1080, though, so if you are doing something like that, that's a trade-off you have to consider. You can choose whether or not you want to do slow motion or normal at that frame rate.
From here, you can actually record directly on the app rather than doing it in OBS or something like that.
Down here, we have human tracking. We have single mode, which it's on right now, and then you have group mode. The difference is that if you have multiple people on screen and you have group mode selected, the box around you would surround everybody. If people get further apart, it zooms out. If they get closer together, it zooms in.
Auto zoom modes include off, full body, upper body, close-up, headless, and lower body.
For example, if I select full body and move back, it keeps my full body in frame as much as possible. If I switch to close-up, it zooms in accordingly.
Zoom is limited to 4x optical, so there are limits to how far it can track you effectively.
Zone tracking allows you to define how far the camera will move before it stops tracking.
Sound source assisted tracking is very cool. If the camera loses you, you can simply speak, and it will use your voice to find you again and resume tracking.
Object tracking allows you to select an object and have the camera follow it instead of your face.
You also have tracking speed options: slow, standard, and fast, depending on how quickly you want the camera to respond.
You also have AI modes like desk mode and whiteboard mode, available only on the Tiny 3.
There are also new features like voice tracking and hand tracking.
Voice tracking allows the camera to follow you based on your voice even if traditional tracking is off.
Hand tracking allows the camera to follow your hand, which is useful for showcasing objects.
You can set manual presets using the gimbal and zoom, allowing quick switching between saved camera positions.
There are also preset zoom levels like wide, medium, and narrow.
In settings, you can manage device status, firmware updates, resolution, orientation, encoding, bitrate, and more.
You can also set up global hotkeys and even integrate with devices like a Stream Deck.
In the image section, you can adjust exposure, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and more.
There’s also an exposure curve for fine-tuning highlights and shadows.
Under the “more” section, you’ll find sleep settings, gesture controls, and voice controls.
Voice commands like “sleep tiny,” “track me,” and “zoom in” allow hands-free operation.
Now, let’s talk about audio.
There’s a new feature allowing you to pair the OBSBOT Vox SE microphone directly with the camera.
Once connected, you can move freely while maintaining consistent audio quality.
There are also multiple audio modes:
Pure audio
Spatial audio
Smart omni mode
Directional mode
Dual directional mode
Each is designed for different environments and use cases.
Beauty mode includes background blur, background replacement, and facial adjustments.
There are also filters and additional enhancements available.
Switching over to the Tiny 3 Light, most features remain the same, except desk mode and whiteboard mode are not available.
One important feature is preview mode, which determines whether the camera is accessible in other apps like OBS.
You also have virtual camera functionality, allowing all software effects to carry over into apps like Zoom or OBS.
Price and Conclusions
Finally, let’s talk about price.
The OBSBOT Tiny 3 Light is $199 USD, and the Tiny 3 is $349 USD.
That’s a significant price gap, and whether it’s worth it depends on your needs.
If you’re in a well-lit environment and just need a solid webcam, the Tiny 3 Light is a great option.
If you need more advanced features like desk mode or better low-light performance, the Tiny 3 may be worth the upgrade.
OBSBOT is also offering a trade-in program that can get you up to $100 off, depending on your current webcam.
What do you think about these cameras?
Let me know down in the comments. And while you're down there, make sure to hit like and subscribe, hit the notification bell, and check out my other channel, Miscast Members.
Until next time, let’s get to work.
