Flip Mino UltraHD video camcorder review

Posted on May 12, 2009 at 5:17 am

So today I received my review unit of the Flip Mini UltraHD camcorder from Pure Digital and even though it’s my first experience with a Flip Mino product, I have to say I was impressed. Read on for the full review.

Firstly, here is what they say about the new UltraHD camera:

The new Flip Ultra and UltraHD camcorders set a new standard for convenient and affordable video capture. Both new models offer a full two hours of recording capacity, a bright two-inch transflective screen for no-glare viewing even in direct sunlight, and an innovative AA rechargeable battery pack that can be conveniently recharged through the camera’s built-in USB arm.

Here are the specs for the Flip Mino UltraHD camcorder:

High Definition video: 1280×720
2 hours recording time (8 GB built-in memory)
Comes in black and white
2 inch anti-glare screen
2 AA rechargeable battery pack
HDMI TV output
2x digital zoom
$199.99 retail price

So let’s get to the actual review! The Flip arrives in a nice and compact box with a few pictures on it.

Once you open the box, there is another box inside about the same size. The top opens like a book to reveal the Flip camcorder sitting by itself.

Once you pull out the camera, all of the accessories are below. These include the battery back, a shiny wrist wrap, a quick start guide, and a black carrying bag. Note that you can use standard AA batteries in the UltraHD camcorder.

Here are some screenshots of the front, back and sides of the camera:

As you might have been able to tell from the pictures, the Flip UltraHD is a bit fat. I’m not complaining because it’s definitely great for recording high definition video without getting a Sony or Canon that is way bigger, but compared to other competitors in the market like the Creative Vado, the Flip is bulky.

One side has the power button and the other side has the HDMI port and the USB connector. Just pull down on the latch and the USB connector pops up. I was disappointed that there was not a USB extender cable included with the camcorder. It’s nearly impossible to connect the camera to a USB port without feeling like it’s going to break off because of the weight.

The positive is that it has a nice large screen and the colors are very crisp. The controls are pretty straight-forward and easy to understand. You have a Record button, Play button, Trash button, and then Zoom In/Out and Volume Up/Down buttons.

The camera also comes loaded with the FlipShare software for transferring videos to your computer, uploading them to YouTube or other video sharing sites, and creating your own movie or DVD. When you save it to your computer, it’s in MP4 format.

Using the software, you can add sound tracks, add titles, and cut videos. It’s a pretty decent set of video editing tools for such a cheap camera.

Here is a test video that I took with the Flip UltraHD outside of my apartment complex. What I didn’t like was that there was no image stabilization, so the images can look pretty choppy at times.

Overall, the UltraHD is a very good camera for the price, however, I would recommend doing your research and looking at other companies with similar products, such as Creative Vado HD. What are your thoughts? Enjoy!

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Comments

2 Responses to “Flip Mino UltraHD video camcorder review”

Mary said on : June 24th, 2009 at 12:02 pm

Creative sent me an email noting Vado HD is on sale for $175 for the camera or $199 for the camera and a bunch of accessories. I own both the original (”standard definition”) Vado and the Vado HD. Both shoot great video and are super easy to use. Perfect for tossing in my bag wherever I go. I have tried the Flip and Kodak. Creative’s Vado edges both of them out IMHO. Great little pocket cams.

http://us.creative.com/local/1.....ideo_cam2/

PJ said on : July 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm

Wow I just chose this as a bonus deal for getting fios, what a POS, Vado rocks this thing into the ground, can you say expensive paper weight, so glad i didn’t pay for it lol