Review: Flip Video UltraHD Camcorder

Flip UltraHD VS Flip Mino HD 2nd generation

2009-12-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

Flip UltraHD Camcorder
120 Minutes (Black)

Lowest Price Flip UltraHD Camcorder at the Best Price Store with Free Shipping!

If I had to spend more than a hundred dollars in an article or somewhere near there, I know that extensive research first, I have the best value for the male, and therefore the guilt of any prospective purchaser Dodge .

I realized that the time you spend doing my comparisons of products is often a time that others do not, then you might as well share what I can.

Start with words meaning "Verified Amazon shopping on Flip Ultra Camcorder Review HD", because obviously those who want to buy, I'm done and I'll tell you why. But what I like in a camera can not by their own needs, then I break them and decide which is better for you than what I found:

Here, compared to camcorders in hand are:

Flip UltraHD (will be referred to as "U")
Flip Mino HD 2nd generation (Will be referred to as "M")

Why HD cameras only? Brighter colors and better images, wider images

HD SHOOTING TIME:
U: 120 minutes.
M: 120 minutes.

MEMORY:
U: 8 GB
M:8 GB

TECHNICAL DETAILS:
U: USB cable pops out of the back so you don't need to keep up with a separate cable. Comes with Flip Video rechargeable AA battery pack (recharges when connected to USB); also supported by standard AA batteries. Note: Some sets come with the HDMi mini included and others come with the rechargeable battery pack on Amazon. Looks like one or the other but of course if you need both you can buy the other.
M: USB cable pops out of the back on this one as well. Has child safe button to prevent accidental deletion of videos. Internal lithium ion battery recharges through built-in USB arm.

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Buy Flip UltraHD ? - Read Before BUY!!

2009-06-09T00:51:00.000-07:00

Flip UltraHD VS. Creative Vado

I titled the review this way because I am comparing the Flip UltraHD with the Creative Vado. I literally did a side-by-side comparison so that the footage would be exactly the same. Same lighting, same zoom in and out, same everything.

When I unpacked the Flip, I was surprised to see the lack of accessories. No HDMI cable, no USB extension cord, no software. All of the above came with the Creative. The Flip does come with a soft bag for a case. The Creative came with a rubber cover. I will say that the Flip s very elegant looking; something James Bond would carry wearing his tux. :-) It's a little larger than the Creative with its chrome metal slides, has a velvety feel on the front and plastic on the back. I'm thinking it's wider so the USB will match the side port of a laptop. Of course with the metal sides the unit is heavier than the Creative. The Creative has the ability to change resolutions from HD+(2hr.), HD(4hr.), or VGA(8hr.) The Flip has no such options. On the Flip side, it has a AA battery rechargeable pack that can be replaced with AA batteries. The Creative has a internal battery pack only.

The footage was taken on a partly sunny and windy day. I started at the front of the house making a complete circle, zooming in and out on different objects. The first thing I noticed is that the Creative Vado has a slightly wider angle lens so objects don't appear as close as with the Flip UltraHD. After completing the circle outside I went inside. I wanted to see how the two camcorders would handle the lighting change. Then I walked to different rooms. I shot about 9 minutes of footage on both camcorders.

After watching both footage on the LCD TV using an HDMI cable this is what I came up with. My initial thoughts were that the overall footage on the Flip was a truer representation of the colors. On the other hand, the audio pickup was better on the Creative, especially in the wind. As far as the lighting change both camcorders handled it well. That being said, I was shocked to see so how grainy the Flip footage was when I walked from the outside lighted living room to the dark hallway, compared to the Creative. Also when I entered into a room only lit by a small red shaded lamp, the Flip footage had a red hue that covered most of the room. With the Creative footage, the red hue was mostly confined to around the lamp. Granted, these are not big fancy camcorders, so maybe the graininess is common for the pocket types.

I did a comparison of these two because PC World rated the Creative Vado as having the best video and I just happened to have both. Overall, I don't think either one would disappoint you. I think it boils down to price, weight, looks and accessories.

[Amazon.com]

Compare Price : Flip UltraHD

Compare Price : Creative Vado

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Looking for a gift that will make it easy for dad to shoot and share crystal-clear memories? Shop today and get two free accessories with the combined purchase of a qualifying Flip HD camcorder from Amazon.com. To take advantage of this offer, simply add a Flip camcorder and your choice of qualifying accessories to your Shopping Cart, and we'll automatically apply the discount at checkout.

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Amazon Hot Deal !!

2009-06-01T05:36:00.000-07:00

Note: Deal will expire very soon, please double check the deal carefully before you purchase!

Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 30-Minutes (White)

Manufacturer: Pure Digital Technologies, Inc.
List Price: $149.99
Lowest Sale Price: $59.99
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
Free Shipping Available

See Customer Review before Buy : Amazon CLICK!!

Helpful Customer Review...

2009-05-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

Flip UltraHD VS. Flip MinoHD

I previously owned the Flip MinoHD so this review is based on a comparison between the Flip MinoHD and the new Flip UltraHD.

After reading about the Flip UltraHD's addition of an HDMI output, larger screen, and longer battery life I decided to sell my 4 month old Flip MinoHD and purchase the Flip UltraHD. Since the MinoHD is very sleek and diminutive in size, my first reaction to the UltraHD was that it was quite a bit larger and bulkier to hold, and has taken some time to get used to. However, unless you've used a MinoHD the larger size of the UlraHD will probably be less noticeable. I found the camera controls on the UltraHD to be slightly easier to operate vs. the touch sensitive buttons on the MinoHD. As far as video quality between the two, I compared two different videos and both are about the same, however, the colors appear to be slightly more vibrant with the UltraHD.

If you are trying to decide which one to purchase, if maximum portability is important to you than the MinoHD is the better choice. Otherwise, if you're looking compact camcorder with more features (HDMI output, replaceable batteries, longer record time) then you can't go wrong with the UltraHD.

My ultimate wish is for Pure Digital/Cisco to introduce a MinoHD with all of same functionality as the UltraHD. Until then, the UltraHD is the all-around better choice.

Jeff "Jeff"
Amazon.com

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Flip Ultra HD Battles Genius and Kodak for Your Pocket..

2009-05-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

Flip UltraHD VS Genius VS Kodak

Just weeks after being purchased by Cisco, Flip appears to be releasing a new device in its hugely successful range of pocket-friendly digital palmcorders. The Ultra HD was purchased at Best Buy for $200 by a fan, who spared no time posting allabout it on his Web site. Although the Ultra HD's specs are an improvement on previous Flip camcorders, it's got a lot of competition courtesy of upcoming devices from Genius and Kodak.

The Ultra HD's body is far chunkier than the previous version of the Flip (the Mino). This extra room has allowed for an HDMI socket, so you can stream your recorded video directly to an HDTV. It still records in 720p, just like the MinoHD, but there are some suggestions about an extra 4GB of memory inside--that should mean it can record two hours on 8GB. There is speculation about improvements to the sensor, and maybe a new video engine. One thing that's clear is that it has a removable rechargeable battery that is also compatible with standard AA cells, significantly improving the utility of the device.

We'll have to wait for official confirmation from Flip to get the full spec, and official

Genius, meanwhile, is soon to release its HD250 device (picture right). It's a similar pocket-friendly camera, recording "5-megapixel" video--which seems higher than 1020p--and 11-megapixel stills. It accepts up to 8GB of memory on SD-card, has a 2.5-inch screen that can rotate up to 270 degrees to allow you to shoot from different angles easily. We received a release on this product, but so far no images have been made available (email them to us if you have them).

The HD250 is due to cost just $149. Add Kodak's upcoming $150 Zix to the mix, and the battle to get an HD palmcorder into your pocket is on.

[via Gaxonline]

What's New in Flip UltraHD?

2009-05-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

What's New in The Flip UltraHD?

* 2 hours of record time (an extra hour versus the previous models)
* AA batteries that recharge when you plug the camera into a computer
* 2-inch screen (up from 1.5-inch in other Flip models)
* Stereo audio from two microphones, one on either side of the lens
* Crisper images from an upgraded video processing engine
* Lens has increased field of view (48 degrees up from 42 degrees on the MinoHD)

Noah Robischon
Fast Company

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Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)

2009-05-14T04:04:00.001-07:00

Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer

UltraHD Overview

Easy-to-use, pocket-sized HD camcorder featuring
one-touch recording and digital zoom
Simple user interface lets you start capturing HD video just seconds after powering on
Captures 120 minutes of HD video on 8 GB of built-in memory; no tapes or additional memory cards required
Convenient flip-out USB arm plugs directly into your PC or Mac to launch FlipShare software
Pre-installed FlipShare software lets you easily email videos, edit individual clips, make custom movies, capture still photos from video, and even upload video to sharing sites like YouTube and MySpace
FlipShare’s advanced compression technology allows for quick and easy sharing of high-resolution HD video in compact-sized files (via email or publishing online)
Comes with Flip Video rechargeable AA battery pack (recharges when connected to USB); also supported by standard AA batteries
Large 2-inch anti-glare color LCD screen to play back and delete videos
HDMI output (mini-HDMI connector) makes it simple to watch video on your HDTV
Video: 16:9 widescreen, HD 720p (1280 x 720) at 30 frames per second (fps) progressive scan; recorded as MP4 files

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews:

Originally I went in to Best Buy to pick up a Mino HD so I could record studio and location "behind the scenes" photography shoots for my business. The employee I spoke to handed this to me saying "it doesn't come out for another week, but its cheaper than the Mino that is on sale". It was a no-brainer for me to pick up.

Its a nice little unit; compact, fits in my back pocket if needed, and the controls are very basic - click da big red button to record. Click da big red button again to stop. Simplicity at its finest.

I love that the unit has a USB built right in, but I still use a USB extension because I'm using an iMac, and since it ends up hanging upside down, I don't want to add stress to the USB prong.

I haven't used the built-in editing software, as I'm importing my files into iMovie and editing from that.

Quality wise, I'd say is pretty darn good considering its about the size of a box of Necco valentine sweet-hearts candy. However, I must insist that it is to be used as a stationary "fixed" lens, and not to use the digital zoom. Once that digital zoom is used, the quality, like *any* digital zoom, suffers greatly. To circumvent this, I've super-glued a step-down ring to the front of my Ultra HD so I can screw on a wide angle and a telephoto lens. If you don't mind Frankenstein-ing your Ultra HD, then go for it.

I haven't done much low-light shooting with it, but I have a feeling that it could get somewhat noisy and grainy. I'll see more results soon when I start using this inside the studio.

I'll be mainly using my Ultra HD on a tripod to record behind-the-scenes footage of my photography sessions, so I'll have a way of keeping the camcorder static and not moving around a lot.

Overall, I feel this is greatly worth the $199 I paid. You have to remember that this is a dinky little device with a tiny sensor in it, so the quality won't be as good as a larger dedicated video camera, or one of the newer DSLR's with the built in high-def. Apples to Oranges.

With a little extra cash and some super-glue, you can get more reach and wide angle out of the unit.

[...] Great little unit. Don't come in to this expecting a goose that lays golden eggs. For what it is, it does well. Recommended.

By Albert H. Ceaser Jr."Sid Ceaser" (Nashua, NH USA)

Amazon.com

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Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (White)

2009-05-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (White)

Flip UltraHD Highlights

The World’s Simplest HD Camcorder
The Flip UltraHD camcorder combines Flip Video’s signature shoot-and-share simplicity with the power of vivid, vibrant HD video. UltraHD could not be easier to use: just power on and press record, and you’ll be capturing high-quality HD video in seconds.

Ultra-Spontaneous, Ultra-Fun
UltraHD features 120 minutes of record time and an included rechargeable battery pack, so you’ll never miss another minute of video again. And because it’s ultra-portable, UltraHD lets you capture spontaneous video anytime, anywhere. Whether it’s a lazy afternoon in the park; a family vacation; or simply an unplanned, everyday event, your UltraHD will be charged and ready to go. So you never have to say, "You should have been there."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Almost people found the following review helpful:

So when I was 17 (and convinced that I would someday be famous) I really wanted a video camcorder to try my hand at making movies, or to film myself to see whether I had what it took to be a TV reporter, but never could justifying spending $500+ on one.

Over the years I moved onto other tech cravings and ambitions. Then last year a friend showed me the Flip Mino - and I had to have one.

It was super easy to use and fun, and I started getting great videos of my own kids - and captured moments that otherwise would have been fleeting, including my youngest child's first steps. I wish this had been around when I was a kid.

Anyway, the Mino is great, but it's tiny tiny tiny. That's convenient when it comes to having a camcorder on you at all times, or when trying to get into events that prohibit cameras, and the screen is really small.

So I just picked up this new Flip - the Ultra HD. The screen is wonderfully large. It comes with a rechargeable AA battery back, which works through the USB, but it looks like you can throw in regular AA batteries in a pinch. Sound quality is great, video seems even better than the Mino.

Only drawback with both the Mino and Ultra is you have to keep your hand steady when filming - but I find that easier to do with the Ultra than the Mino. Also, it's not ideal for filming kids' concerts, because the zoom is only 2x. But for capturing otherwise fleeting moments in great quality, the Ultra HD is now my standby. The software that comes with it makes it easy to email videos to family and friends, or to upload a video to Flickr or wherever. Bottom line is I've been carrying this thing around nonstop since I got it. Hasn't made me famous yet, but I love my Ultra.

By Chamberlain (Palo Alto, CA)
Amazon.com
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