I'm not sure about being "best" but a lot of teams use the
Microsoft HD3000 camera probably because it's often times available in the KOP or FIRSTChoice. We've used the
Axis cameras because that's what we had. It's a far more expensive camera with a built in web server so it connects via ethernet.
There is a lot of support for both of these on Chief Delphi. I'd be interested if someone has found a camera that's better for FRC applications.
Yes, it is vital that you be able to control the exposure. You want to turn it WAY down so that your camera only sees the tape and other really shiny things.
A few other tips. Don't try to image process while the robot is moving (at least in the beginning.) Many teams use a image co-processor but it may not be required depending on what you are trying to do. The
Cheesy Poofs, 254, have a lot of resources on how their image processing works. You could do worse than studying their materials carefully.