How it works
- Open the booth. Your browser asks for permission to use the camera. Click Allow.
- Pick a look at the bottom of the screen. The preview updates live, so you can try a few before shooting.
- Press the shutter. A 3-second countdown runs before each shot, which gives you time to pose.
- Save the result as a strip, a 9:16 story, a square, a 4×6 print sheet or a GIF.
Looks that suit a webcam
Laptop webcams have small sensors, so they get soft and noisy in dim rooms. Looks with grain, strong color or no color at all hide that well. These six work best.
VHS Camcorder
Loud color and tape noise hide the softness of a small webcam sensor. It looks like a frame paused on a home video.
Open the webcam with VHS Camcorder
Y2K Digicam
Cool, crisp and slightly harsh, like an early 2000s point-and-shoot. The flat light of a screen in front of you suits it well.
Open the webcam with Y2K Digicam
Super 8
Warm, faded home-movie color with heavy grain. Grain is forgiving with webcam noise in dim rooms.
Open the webcam with Super 8
Disposable '98
Bright and punchy with a green cast. Good for a few friends crowded around one laptop.
Open the webcam with Disposable '98
HP5 B&W
Gritty black and white. Dropping color removes the odd tints cheap webcams add under indoor bulbs.
Open the webcam with HP5 B&W
CineStill 800T
Built for night. A lamp or string lights behind you pick up a red glow.
Open the webcam with CineStill 800T
Getting a better picture from a laptop camera
- Face a window or a lamp. Light behind you turns your face into a silhouette.
- Turn your screen brightness up. In a dark room it works as a soft fill light.
- Raise the laptop to eye level on a few books. Looking down into a webcam is rarely flattering.
- Wipe the lens. A fingerprint smudge looks like haze, even under a filter.
- Sit back a little so there is room for gestures. The booth crops to a square.
If the webcam does not start
If you clicked Block, use the camera icon or the site settings next to the address bar to allow the camera again, then reload. On a Mac, also check System Settings, Privacy & Security, Camera, and make sure your browser is switched on there.
Only one app can use a webcam at a time on many computers. If a video call or another tab is using it, close that first. The booth tells you when the camera is busy, and you can always build a strip from photos you already have.
Questions
Can I use this as a webcam filter in Zoom, Teams or Google Meet?
No. RetroCam is a photo booth that runs in a browser tab. It shows your webcam with a retro look and takes photos, but it does not create a virtual camera that other apps can use.
Does it work with an external USB webcam?
Yes. The booth uses whatever camera your browser hands it. If your computer has more than one camera, a switch button appears in the top corner and cycles through them.
Does it record video?
It takes still photos: a 4-photo strip, a grid or a triptych. You can also save the shots as a looping GIF.
Is my webcam feed sent anywhere?
No. The video and the filters are processed inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no account.