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More InformationWith the PTZR camera (Pan, Tilt, Zoom and Rotate) OBSBOT Tail 2, the manufacturer wants to revolutionize live recordings. After all, the cam uses the AI functions of the manufacturer’s webcams to track people, for example. Is this the revolution for live and solo recordings, which should be possible without a camera team? We took a closer look at the camera in our test.
Technical data
| Model | Tail 2 |
| Dimensions | 97.5 x 103.5 x 155 mm |
| Weight | 1.066 g |
| Connections | 2x USB type C; 1x HDMI 2.0; 1x 3G-SDI; 1x RJ45; 1x Mic In; 1x Line In; 2x 2.5 mm jack |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Memory | microSD |
| Max. Video resolution | 4K/60 frames per second |
| Supported resolutions | 4K: 3840*2160@60/59.94/50/48/30/29.97/25/23.98 fps 1080p: 1920*1080@120/60/59.94/50/48/30/29.97/25/23.98 fps 720p: 1280*720@120/60/59.94/50/48/30/29.97/25/23.98 fps |
| Lens | 1/1.5 inch CMOS (50 MP); f/1.8 – f/3.0 |
| Zoom range | 5x optical; 12x hybrid |
| Software | OBSBOT Center; OBSBOT Live |
| Microphones | not available |
| Mounting bracket | Stand; 1/4-inch thread |
| Special features | Autofocus, HDR, white balance, 3-axis gimbal, voice control, gesture control, beauty mode; NDI |
| Price | € 1,499.00 * |
OBSBOT Tail 2 test: Compact image giant
- elegant design
- Outstanding build quality
- weighs over 1 kg
Even though the OBSBOT Tail 2 comes in a comparatively large package, the PTZR camera is barely bigger than the palm of your hand. The design is strongly reminiscent of the manufacturer’s Tiny 2 webcam, which was completely convincing in our test. Only… Just significantly larger and heavier.
Why this is the case quickly becomes apparent when you look at the built-in technology. The 1.06 kg Tail 2 relies on a sophisticated lens system consisting of 12 optical lenses and offers an adjustable aperture of f/1.8 – f/3.0 with a focal length of 4.6mm – 23mm (35mm equivalent: 22mm – 110mm). The 4K webcam Tiny 2 naturally only comes with one lens and one focal length (26mm).
We are therefore much closer to a system camera than to a webcam. With dimensions of 97.5mm x 103.5mm x 172mm, the OBSBOT Tail 2 is of course also significantly larger (Tiny 2: 47mm x 44mm x 62.02mm) and weighs more than 10 times as much as its little sibling.
Visually, however, there are some parallels: The Tail 2 also sits on a movable gimbal base and impresses with its outstanding build quality made of a robust metal body with a stylish red trim.
Made for professionals
- Many professional connections
- HDMI in full size (yeah!)
- modern standards; great gimbal
But one thing should be clear: With the OBSBOT Tail 2, we are moving noticeably away from the private user area. This is a feature set that should also appeal to professionals and enable high-quality TV or video productions in 4K.
Accordingly, there is a whole range of connections and additional functions here. The following ports are available to choose from:
- Power supply: 1x USB-C (PD 3.0)
- Video: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x 3G-SDI, 1x USB-C 3.0
- Audio: 1x Mic In (3.5 mm jack), 1x Line In (3.5 mm jack)
- Network: 1x RJ45 Gigabit LAN (including PoE – Power over Ethernet)
- Control: 2x 2.5 mm RS232 (VISCA, Pelco-D, Pelco-P), 1x USB 3.0 (UVC)
- Wireless standards: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4
As you can see, all the important connections and standards are available. Compared to its predecessor in the form of the Tail Air, there is now finally a full-size HDMI port, no longer just micro HDMI. Top.
Of course, there are also professional settings to influence the image. For example, the ISO range can be adjusted between 100 and 6,400, with exposure corrections of +/-3EV possible. The white balance can be set manually between 2000K and 10000K. The shutter speed can be set between 1/8000s and the limit of frames per second (i.e. 60 fps or up to 120 fps slow motion).
Gimbal, resolutions and functions
A 6-axis gyroscope and the 3-axis gimbal are responsible for image composition. The gimbal can be panned by up to 160°, tilted between -60° and 32° and rotated between -120° and 120° in a controlled manner. Mechanically, even greater movements are possible.
In contrast to classic PTZ cameras, the “R” also allows the lens to rotate. This means, for example, that you are able to rotate the image from horizontal to vertical and much more. Pretty ingenious for social media clips, for example.
The OBSBOT Tail 2 allows recordings in the following resolutions and frame rates:
- 4K: 3840×2160@60/59.94/50/48/30/29.97/25/23.98 fps
- 1080p: 1920×1080@120/60/59.94/50/48/30/29.97/25/23.98 fps
- 720p: 1280×720@120/60/59.94/50/48/30/29.97/25/23.98 fps
Playback via HDMI or NDI/RTSP, SRT is possible up to a maximum of 4K at 60 fps. Videos can be recorded in H264 and H265 formats with a maximum bit rate of 160 Mbps.
The Tail 2 also has a thread on the underside for using the camera on a tripod. It also offers a microSD card slot with support for memory cards up to 1 terabyte in size. Unfortunately, the camera cannot be used for internal storage.
The scope of delivery includes two USB-C to USB-C cables, a USB-C to USB-A adapter and two 2.5 mm jack to RS232 adapter cables.
Setup, battery and operation
- Excellent battery life
- practical LED displays
- wireless use
Also cool: The OBSBOT Tail 2 even works wirelessly. A power connection is not necessary. Which brings us to the subject of the battery. The built-in battery of the predecessor OBSBOT Tail Air was a major point of criticism, as it only lasted a meagre 154 minutes.
Fortunately, the manufacturer has improved on this and doubled the runtime to a whopping 343 minutes – that’s almost six hours! This is made possible by the increased battery capacity of 5,000 mAh (compared to 1,500 mAh for the predecessor). However, a full charge takes 150 minutes when the cam is switched off.
There is a three-stage charge level LED on the front, which – illuminated in blue and/or flashing – shows exactly how much capacity is left. Above this, you will find another LED strip that indicates various functions. For example, active tracking, ongoing recordings, error messages and much more. Extremely practical.
Setting up the Tail 2 is also very simple, as it can be used completely wirelessly, all you have to do is insert a microSD card and you’re ready to go. Unless you only want to use the camera for streaming. Then, of course, no SD card is required.
Operation via app or remote control
The camera can be operated either via PC/notebook or smartphone and can also be controlled via a separately available remote control. The familiar OBSBOT Center app, which is also used to operate the manufacturer’s webcams, is used on the PC/notebook.
On the smartphone, you can use the free companion app OBSBOT Start. However, this can only handle one camera at a time. For multicam setups, you can use the OBSBOT Live tablet app, which allows you to combine several of the manufacturer’s cameras.
The range of functions of the Tail 2 is identical to that of the current webcams, which is due to the built-in AI chip. AI tracking of people? Gesture control? Auto-framing? It’s all there and works perfectly.
Gesture control in particular is of course a powerful tool for productions, as it allows you to activate AI tracking, start or stop recording or zoom in or out of the image.
The tracking properties and speed are outstanding. Even from a short distance, the camera always keeps the target in focus and tracks it throughout the room. And not just for individual people, but also for groups and even animals and objects.
The setting options are almost endless and operation is reliable and intuitive. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Picture and sound quality of the OBSBOT Tail 2
Despite the technical specifications, the OBSBOT Tail 2 uses the same 1/1.5-inch sensor as the Tiny 2. It has a resolution of 50 megapixels, but thanks to its design with 12 optical lenses, it offers noticeably better image quality than the manufacturer’s 4K webcam, even in difficult lighting conditions.
This is made possible, among other things, by the sensor with a pixel size of 2μm in combination with the AI noise reduction algorithm and AI-powered image signal processor technology, which excellently reduce image noise.
Thanks to 5x optical and 12x hybrid zoom, you can get very close to the action if you wish, which gives you a lot of freedom when composing images. In general, I really like the picture quality.
Images are razor sharp and impress with fine details and excellent colors and contrasts. In my opinion, the image quality is absolutely suitable for professional shots. Ambitious creators can undoubtedly use the Tail 2 to replace a high-quality system camera with an expensive lens at a fraction of the price, which somewhat negates the comparatively high price of the PTZR camera.
The Tail 2 also shoots excellently via WLAN and with low latency. How high the latency is depends on the Wi-Fi quality and speed. With Wi-Fi 5, the delay is quite noticeable and is between 1 ms and 2 ms. With faster Wi-Fi 6, however, it is less than 0.5 ms, which means an almost lag-free picture.
No integrated microphone
What you need to know, however: The Tail 2 does not have an integrated microphone. You are therefore always dependent on an external microphone solution. If you want to use the camera for streaming, you can of course simply integrate your USB or XLR microphone as an audio source using software such as OBS Studio.
For everyday recordings and outdoor videos, however, you need to connect the microphone directly to the camera, for example via a 3.5 mm jack connection. Of course, this is particularly practical in conjunction with a wireless microphone such as the DJI Mic 2 (our test).
Simply connect the receiver to the USB-C port of the camera and the whole thing to the cam using a jack cable. Now you can easily use the transmitter wirelessly. Works wonderfully in practice. However, there may well be some interference noise. In the case of the DJI Mic Mini, for example, I was unable to get a clean signal. I have no idea why this is the case, but you should definitely be aware of this when buying.
OBSBOT Tail 2 test: Conclusion
The OBSBOT Tail 2 is an outstanding PTZR camera that can revolutionize solo filming. Its handy design and compact dimensions make it a great companion for on the go. Operation is pleasantly intuitive and works perfectly even with the smartphone app.
The camera impresses with its versatile options and even works extremely reliably without a cable. The battery life has been significantly increased compared to its predecessor. The image quality also gives no cause for criticism. Recordings in 4K are razor-sharp and pleasantly detailed, and the AI tracking works very reliably.
Only the missing microphone could be criticized, especially since not all wireless microphone solutions can be used without problems and errors. The price is of course absolutely hefty, even though the Tail 2 is primarily aimed at professionals.
- Outstanding image quality
- Intuitive operation
- Long battery life
- Can be used wirelessly
- Very high price
- Somewhat tricky to set up
- microSD card slot somewhat difficult
OBSBOT Tail 2
Processing
Equipment
Picture quality
Software
Price-performance ratio
93/100
Outstanding PTZR camera with great image quality, intuitive operation and long battery life, aimed primarily at professionals.
