A web camera (or webcam) is a real time camera whose images can be accessed using the World Wide Web, instant messaging, or a PC video calling application. Generally, a digital camera delivers images to a web server, either continuously or at regular intervals.
As with many new technologies, webcams and webcam chat found their earliest commercial adoption and most aggressive technology advancement through use by the pornography industry.
The adult industry required 'live' images and requested a Dutch developer to write a piece of software that could do this without using so called 'plugins'. This led to the birth of the 'live streaming webcam', which is still available in various forms today.
Today there are thousands of webcams that provide views into homes, offices and other buildings as well as providing panoramic views of cities (Metrocams) and the countryside. Images from satellites are frequently posted on the World Wide Web. Webcams are also used to monitor traffic with TraffiCams, the weather with WeatherCams and even volcanoes with VolcanoCams.
As webcam capabilities have been added to instant messaging text chat services such as Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), MSN Messenger and Skype, one-to-one live video communication over the internet has now reached millions of mainstream PC users worldwide. Increased video quality has helped webcams encroach on traditional video conferencing systems. New features such as lighting, real-time enhancements (retouching, wrinkle smoothing and vertical stretch) can make users more comfortable, further increasing popularity.
In astrophotography, webcams are a popular tool among amateurs (see also amateur astronomy) for speckle imaging or lucky imaging techniques. The webcams is attatched to a telescope via a custom-made adaptor, and usually used in conjuction with barlow lenses and IR/UV cut-off filters. Video feed from the camera are then uploaded to a computer for processing.
This is a list of external links to webpages that feature live (in real time) webcams that are placed in a particular location in the world. Some of these links below may require Java software or other in order to view a live webcam.
United States
Taunton Green
Union Cam, Roaming Cam and Quadrangle Cam
Israel
Live Camera of Mount Hermon
Philippines
Live Camera of Manila - Ortigas Flyover
France
Eiffel Tower & Paris Webcam
Spain
Canary Islands
Poland
Cracow Market Webcam