OBSBOT Tail 2 Review - The New YouTuber, Streamer, Podcasting AI Camera

TweakTown Rating: 98%

Our Verdict

The OBSBOT Tail 2 is the absolutely incredible product that should be considered by any YouTuber, streamer, or content creator in general. It's so good that it replaces expensive DSLR camera and lens setups for half the price.

Pros

• 4K @ 60FPS and 1080p @ 120FPS recording
• AI-powered Human, Animal, and Object tracking
• 5x optical zoom and 3-axis gimbal
• Portable and all-in-one design
• Professional connectivity (USB-C, HDMI, WiFi, NDI)

Cons

• No built-in viewfinder

Should you buy it?

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Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

Streamers, YouTubers, podcasters, and content creators have been purchasing expensive DSLR cameras for many years now in a quest to make their video content as crisp and visually pleasing as possible.

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Unfortunately, this quest is extremely costly, with many of the most sought-after cameras and lenses costing thousands of dollars, not to mention the lighting equipment that is typically needed to pair with them. However, a new Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera has just changed that. That camera is the OBSBot Tail 2, an AI-powered Pan-Tilt-Zoom-Rotate (PTZR) capable of shooting 4K at 60FPS with an extremely wide field of view.

The OBSBot Tail 2 has been in my lab for many weeks now. I'm convinced it's the new camera that content creators such as podcasters, talking-head YouTubers, and live-streamers should consider over an expensive DSLR camera. The OBSBot Tail 2 is still a $1199 camera, but it's an all-in-one package. It includes the lens and body while also maintaining a video quality that is on par with expensive DSLR cameras. Moreover, DSLR camera bodies can be as much as the entire Tail 2, and that doesn't even include a lens.

Specifications

Close-up

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Design & Features

The OBSBot Tail 2 is relatively small in size, measuring just 17cm in total height and a total width of just 10 cm. It is quite heavy, weighing about 1kg, so I would recommend putting it on a gimbal unless you are prepared for a mild workout. However, that isn't what this camera is designed for. PTZ cameras are typically used to cover a specific field of view, meaning they are placed in a single location, typically on a tripod or some kind of mount.

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The Tail 2 is an extremely well-built device, it feels strong and study in the hand without any obvious points of critical failure. Aesthetics wise, the Tail 2 features a grey anodized color scheme that contrasts beautifully with the red colored rings around the outer edges of the lens and the power button. Located on the front of the device is four LED lights, which indicate which mode the camera is in and how much battery is left.

As for features. There is an intense amount of features available with this camera, which is particularly impressive for a PTZ camera. Firstly, it features 5x optical zoom, meaning users will be able to punch in on the shot and still maintain that glorious 4K quality, with 12x hybrid zoom available. There is also the PTZR built-in gimbal system that offers 3-axis functionality with 160-degree pan, 32-degree tilt and 120-degree roll.

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The gimbal system can be controlled through the provided remote control or the downloadable OBSBOT software that is available as an app on smartphones or PC. Moreover, the gimbal system pairs with the AI-powered tracking, which is the real impressive part of the Tail 2, as it transforms this camera from just a normal PTZ camera into one that can be used for content creation.

The AI-powered tracking can be customized in the OBSBot Center software, which I dove into on my PC and explored on my smartphone. All of the main features are the same between the two devices, and you are able to control the camera through the PC while also previewing the shot on your smartphone, which is a very nice touch for someone who wants to frame up their shot and doesn't have a lot of desktop real-estate for a preview window on their PC - they can just use their phone to get the perfect shot. As for the AI-tracking features, users can take advantage of several preset modes, such as tracking speed, which is how fast the camera will move to maintain the tracked object in the center of the frame. Tracking speed modes are Super Lazy, Lazy, Slow, Fast, Crazy, and Custom.

As for tracking objects, OBSBot has three tracking settings in the software: Human Tracking, Animal Tracking, and Object Tracking. Each of these features is extremely useful for content creators. For example, Human Tracking can be placed into Single Mode or Group Mode, with an additional setting available for how severe you want the tracking to be. Users can change the tracking from keeping a person's entire size in the frame to just from their shoulders up.

This feature is particularly useful for YouTubers that want to film talking-head videos, such as video essays where they are sitting in a chair with minimal movement but want to remain in the dead center of the frame. I will get more into the use cases below.

Animal Tracking, well, it does what it says on the top of the tin - tracks animal. OBSBot has equipped the Tail 2 with software that has been trained on being to be able to discern the difference between animals, humans and objects, hence why each of these features being separated and there not just being a unified tracking mode.

While all this tracking potential is fantastic, what about capturing the video? Well, that is where things are even more impressive again, as the Tail 2 can save all of that footage directly to a microSD card on the device. Additionally, for YouTubers or Streamers, the Tail 2 can be plugged directly into a PC via the provided USB-C cable and by enabling USB Video Class (UVC) mode, which enables the Tail 2 to show up as a video input device in applicable software, such as Open Broadcaster Software (OBS).

If you want to capture through a capture card, such as an Elgato Cam Link or Blackmagic ATEM, the Tail 2 has an HDMI out port, and if you want to take things to an even further level of customization, it also has Network features such as Network Device Interface (NDI) mode for controlling the Tail 2 over the internet. These network features can be accessed via a WiFi connection to the Tail 2 or using the Ethernet port on the back of the device. The control users have of the Tail 2 is truly impressive.

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For content creators on the go who want to capture high-quality audio as well, the Tail 2 has a dedicated 3.5mm mic input and line-in ports. As for the battery, the Tail 2 sports a 5,000mAh battery that operates for approximately 5 hours when shooting at 1080p @ 30FPS. What is good about the Tail 2 is that it can shoot and charge at the same time, so having a portable power bank with USB-C charging PD 3.0 on hand or simply connecting the charging cable to a power outlet will mean you can shoot for an unlimited amount of time. Charging time is relatively slow, approximately 2.5 hours when powered off.

Camera Breakdown

The Tail 2 sports a Sony 1/1.8" CMOS sensor that is capable of capturing high-quality video at a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60FPS, or 1080p at 120FPS. It's much easier to show the video capabilities of the camera than to read about them, so check out the below for a brief overview.

Use Cases

I firmly believe the Tail 2 is on par with my Sony A7S III, a 4K @ 120FPS capable DSLR camera that cost me $5,000 AUD when I purchased it. The Tail 2 is half the price and comes equipped with the needed software to make content creation easy. While the A7S III does outshine the Tail 2 in some regards, when strictly looking at the ability to create content and the content creation features it comes with, the Tail 2 leaves the DSLR in the dust.

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Firstly, YouTubers who post video essays discussing topics where only half of their body is within the shot could absolutely take advantage of the Tail 2 tracking features. It would add a little movement to their camera angle that could spice up the video and perhaps even save time on editing if they set up preset zooms for timed close-ups. Additionally, YouTubers that use greenscreens in their content and are standing and moving around in the set would benefit even more from the Tail 2 as it would dramatically reduce the post-production editing time of making sure the human subject remains in the center of the frame.

Content creators that focus on capturing objects, such as PC hardware reviewers, would be able to attach the Tail 2 to a small trolley via the quarter-inch tripod mounting interface located at its base and use the Tail 2 as a camera to capture B-roll of an object.

Streamers that want to add a different camera angle to their stream could mount the Tail 2 to the wall, perhaps even in the corner of their room, and use hotkeys via the OBSBOT Center, which can be integrated with a Stream Deck, to quickly switch to the Tail 2 when they decide to get up and move around the room.

Another perfect use case for the Tail 2 would be for capturing live performances, as a user could equip the Tail 2 to a tripod, identify the target they want to track, and just press record and just watch as the Tail 2 tracks that person as they move across the stage.

Final Thoughts

The OBSBOT Tail 2 is one of the most impressive PTZ cameras I have come across, and honestly, one of the most impressive pieces of tech I have had the pleasure of reviewing.

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As a camera guy and a content creator, I can't recommend this camera enough for any creator looking to add a bit more flavor to their content or someone who wants to get into content creation but doesn't know what to buy. While the Tail 2 is still a hefty investment at $1,199, it contains all of the features a YouTuber/Streamer would need, plus more, and doesn't require the massive investment of a full-body DSLR camera and lens pairing - not to mention the time it takes to learn how to use a DSLR properly. The Tail 2 has it all right there in the provided settings.

After using the Tail 2 for several weeks, I confidently believe the days when you needed a big and expensive DSLR camera to start a YouTube channel or become a Streamer are officially over. The Tail 2 exists, and it's everything a content creator would need packed into a single, extremely well-built, and impressive device.

Absolutely incredible work here, OBSBot. I cannot wait to see what the Tail 3 will be.