The 12 Best Document Cameras Have Come a Long Way Since Your 9th Grade Biology Class

iOCHOW S1 Document Camera

When you think of the best document cameras, you probably think of that big, clunky square projector that your teacher would roll out (because it required its own dolly) to project bookwork on the projector screen. Well, document cameras have come a long way since those days, and the best document cameras now have applications that go beyond the classroom (even though they are still great for that, too).

Like other pieces of technology, document cameras have gone digital. The best models can provide ultra-high-definition video, connect easily to a variety of devices and let teachers scan and record at the push of a button.

Below, we have all the information you need on this vital classroom tool as well as the best document cameras for sale online.

The Virtual Classroom

The height of the coronavirus era was stressful for a myriad of different reasons — we don’t have to go down that rabbit hole — but one of the things nobody saw coming was Zoom kindergarten classes. Online classes are nothing new, but now teachers from elementary to college have to be ready to teach online. When leading a virtual classroom, document cameras are an essential tool.

Of course, teachers aren’t the only professionals who rely on these audio-visual tools. The best document cameras are also needed in many office and government settings.

If you are looking for the best document cameras for the classroom or office, consider the following:

How We Picked The Best Document Cameras

The most important thing is that your content is displayed clearly. If your students can’t see what is being displayed, they are going to have a hard time learning. As much as possible, we selected document cameras that can shoot in 1080p and have a frame rate of 30 frames per second (fps) for smooth video shooting, although there are a couple of options below that shoot at 720p.