To give the same webcam a different look in different OBS scenes, add the camera once to a reusable base scene, add that scene to each destination scene, then apply filters to each nested scene instance. This keeps one camera capture while letting each scene have its own treatment.
How the setup works
OBS lets you add filters to a source or to a scene. Filters on a shared webcam source affect that source wherever it is used; they are not separate per-scene looks. Instead, keep the camera feed in a base scene and filter the scene instance placed in each destination scene. OBS’s Overview Guide explains that filters can be added to sources and scenes.
Set up different looks in OBS
- Create a base camera scene. Make a scene for the webcam, add the camera once as a Video Capture Source, and set its framing. Leave off effects that should differ between destination scenes. OBS describes Video Capture Sources as the way to add devices such as webcams; see its Video Capture Sources guide.
- Add the base scene to each destination scene. In a destination scene, add the camera scene as a Scene source. Repeat in the other destination scenes. This reuses the same camera capture rather than creating another capture source for the same webcam.
- Apply the first treatment. In the destination scene, right-click the nested camera scene instance and open Filters. Add the effect you want. Examples of OBS effect filters include Color Correction, Chroma Key, Crop/Pad, Image Mask/Blend, Scaling/Aspect Ratio, Scroll, Color Key, and Sharpen.
- Apply a different treatment in the next scene. Open Filters on that scene’s nested camera scene instance and set its look independently. For example, one scene can keep a neutral camera image while another uses a crop, color adjustment, mask, or chroma key.
- Name the scenes clearly. Labels such as “Camera – neutral” and “Camera – keyed” make it easier to select the intended destination scene while producing.
Choose between nested scenes and cloned sources
| Approach | What it does | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Nested camera scene with filters on its scene instance | Reuses one webcam source and lets each destination scene have its own treatment. | Native OBS workflow; effects belong to the scene instance. |
| Source Clone plugin | Provides cloned webcam sources when separate source-level filters are specifically needed. | Requires an external plugin. Check its current listing and compatibility with your OBS version before relying on it. |
Elgato’s scene-collection guidance recommends using one source per webcam and adding the existing source where needed, rather than creating a new capture source for the same device in every scene. It points to the OBS Source Clone plugin when separate source filters are needed. The nested-scene method is also described in this OBS forum discussion; check current interface labels against your installed OBS release.
Send the result to Zoom, Discord, or another call app
If the other app accepts webcam video, start OBS Virtual Camera and select it as the app’s camera. OBS’s Virtual Camera guide describes four output modes:
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- Program: Sends the regular OBS output.
- Preview: Sends the Studio Mode preview, useful when you deliberately want the preview rather than the live program.
- Scene: Sends a selected scene directly.
- Source: Sends a selected source directly.
Choose Scene or Source if the call should always receive that specific item; choose Program for the normal OBS output. Verify the selected mode before joining the call, particularly if you use Studio Mode.
Troubleshooting
- Changing one look changes every scene: The filter is probably on the shared webcam source. Remove or adjust that source-level filter, then apply the effects to the nested scene instances instead.
- The camera appears more than once or behaves inconsistently: Check that each destination scene uses the existing base camera scene rather than a newly created Video Capture Source for the same webcam.
- The call app shows the wrong scene: Check OBS Virtual Camera’s output mode. Program, Preview, Scene, and Source do not send the same output.
- A cloned source is unavailable or fails after an update: Confirm the plugin’s current listing and compatibility with your installed OBS version. The nested-scene method avoids relying on that external plugin for per-scene looks.
Or let it run in the cloud
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