When the first Flip hit the scene, people appreciated its simplicity and ease of use. They followed up with the Flip Mino, and people seemed to really like the smaller form factor. And then they released the Flip MinoHD, bringing 720p high-definition video to the mix while maintaing the small form factor everyone seemed to love. The newest pocket camcorder to join the crowd is the Flip UltraHD, a pocket camcorder that carries the same dimensions as the original but boasts HD video recording capabilities.
Why, you may ask, would anyone consider the bulkier Flip UltraHD over the already available Flip MinoHD? Over the course of this review, you’ll discover some of the more notable differences between the two pocket cams and why the UltraHD just might be the better option. For starters, it lets you record twice as much video, bumping the capacity up to 120 minutes of HD goodness.
Features and Highlights
As mentioned earlier, the Flip UltraHD allows people to record more video than its predecessors. In fact, nearly double the amount (up to 120 minutes vs 60 minutes) with its 8GB of built in memory. Most importantly, it does it in 720p HD.
Here’s a run down of all the other specifications:
- Screen Size: 2.0″ diagonal
- Screen Resolution: 960 x 240 pixels
- Video Resolution: 1280 x 720p
- Video Sensor: 1/4.5″ HD CMOS Sensor
- Ultra low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec) with automatic low light detection
- Average bitrate: 9.0Mbps (auto-adaptive algorithm)
- Frame Rate: 30 frames per second (constant frame rate, progressive scan)
- Format: H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression, MP4
- Lens: Fixed Focus (1.5m to infinity)
- Aperture: F/2.4
- Zoom: Smooth multi-step 2x digital
- Battery: Flip Video AA 1.2 Volt NiMH rechargeable battery pack
- TV-Output: HDMI (Mini)
- Dimensions: 4.25″ x 2.19″ x 1.17″
- Weight: 6.0 ounces
One of the biggest changes previous HD Flip, the MinoHD, is the fact that this device actually provides users with a way to display their videos in HD. While the MinoHD came with a composite video cable, the Ultra HD gives us HDMI which actually allows us to see the HD goodness on our TVs.
What’s Included (and What’s Not)?
The single biggest reason why the original Flip Ultra pocket camcorder was so popular in the first place was that it was remarkably simple yet complete in its design. It won’t compete against the higher-end camcorders on the market, but the Flip was the perfect solution for the YouTube generation. Everything you needed was in the box and you should start shooting right away. Pure Digital, makers of the Flip, continued with this sentiment with the release of the Flip UltraHD.
Inside the stylish box, you get the Flip AA rechargeable battery pack, the QuickStart guide, a soft carrying case, a wrist strap, and the Flip UltraHD itself. This sounds like a pretty comprehensive package, since the camcorder comes with 8GB of internal memory too. However, there is one very notable accessory that is missing from the pack.
The Flip UltraHD is the first in the series to offer an integrated HDMI port for high-definition TV output. Unfortunately, the HDMI cable is not included. To make matters worse, the Flip UltraHD uses the less prevalent mini-HDMI standard, so the regular HDMI cable (from your Xbox 360, for example) won’t do either.
Your Choice of Power Options
The Flip UltraHD comes with its own special 1.2V NiMH battery pack and this can be recharged while inside the Flip via the flip-out USB connector. If you happen to run out of juice on the go, the UltraHD is also compatible with regular AA batteries as well. This adds a fair bit of versatility for road warriors.
It is unfortunate that they didn’t take the same approach with the memory. You get 8GB of internal memory with no option to expand it with SD cards. Sounds like the iPhone, eh?
Main User Interface
Whereas the Flip MinoHD features a series of touch-sensitive controls for navigating the menus and starting your spontaneous recording sessions, the Flip UltraHD brings back the familiar physical buttons that you found with the first Flip Ultra. The buttons appear to bigger this time around, making them a little easier to use too.
You get a standard five-way navigator with a bright red button in the middle. It’s unmistakable what this button is supposed to do. Beyond that, you get the play/review button to the left and the trash button to the right.
When you turn on the Flip UltraHD for the first time, it’ll walk you through the basic setup process. Here, you set the time and date, select whether you’d want audible tones, and choose whether you want the red recording light. There is no ability to adjust the quality settings, white balance, or any of the other configurable options you may find on other digital cameras and camcorders.
This is both the greatest strength and the greatest weakness to the Flip Video line of camcorders. They’re meant to be simple and they are indeed simple to a fault. The interface is easy enough that even the most technophobic of soccer moms can gladly record precious video memories.
While recording, the real only option you have is to use the 2x digital zoom (up and down arrows) or to stop recording (red center button). Personally, I would have liked to have a few options to adjust the quality settings and other options, but the Flip UltraHD does what it needs to do for what it is designed to do.
A Quick Tour of the Outside
Along one side of the Flip UltraHD, you’ll find that familiar flip-out USB connector from which the device derives its name. There is a small slider switch that holds the USB connector in place when it is not in use. New to the UltraHD is the HDMI port on this same side.
The idea is that you can share your videos directly on an HDTV via an HDMI connection. As mentioned earlier in this review, however, the HDMI port on the UltraHD is a Mini HDMI port and Pure Digital did not include a compatible cable in the box. You’ll need to get that on your own.
On the other side are the power button and a slot where you can thread the provided wrist strap.
One the underside, you get the standard tripod mount and a simple switch that locks the front compartment. Sliding this switch over to the unlocked side lets you remove the entire front panel so that you can access the battery pack. The slider switch is not spring-loaded, so make sure you have it in the locked position while you are actually using the Flip UltraHD.
Turning on the Red Light
If you want easy, you’ve got easy. If you want HD, you’ve got HD. It’s not quite 1080p, but the 720p video offered by the Flip UltraHD is pretty good too. The approach taken with this pocket camcorder remains largely unchanged over the three Flip Video camcorders that preceded it, so everything is started with hitting the power button, waiting a couple seconds for the boot up process, and hitting that big red button to record your memories.
The screen on the UltraHD is a non glare 2.0 inch LCD, compared to the 1.5 inches of the MinoHD. Just as with the Flip MinoHD though, the aspect ratio of the display appears to be 4:3. This is a little strange, considering that your videos will be recorded in 16:9. The rationale is the letterbox effect provides space for key information.
At the top, you can see if you are ready (and which video clip you are watching in review mode) and at the bottom, you can see the remaining recording time left on the internal memory. This information does not obscure the video itself.
Getting the Videos Out of Flip UltraHD
When you plug the Flip UltraHD into your computer using the integrated USB connector, it shows up as external storage, not unlike a USB flash drive. Preloaded in this memory is the FlipShare software that allows for the easy browsing, playing, and deleting of videos. The software also allows you to make custom movies with music, snap photos from your videos, and upload instantly to YouTube (among other video sharing sites).
Keep in mind, this software is very basic but it does make it possible for someone with little or no video editing software skill to at least get their videos uploaded and looking somewhat decent. It also works with Mac and PC. For people using standalone software like iMovie, Adobe Premiere Elements and others, you may need to install the software anyway just to make sure that you have access to the special video CODEC that allows you to open and edit the videos directly off the camcorder.
Video Quality
So, what can you expect in terms of video quality? Again, you have to realize the market that you are entering with such a device, so you will not be able to enjoy the same kind of video quality afforded by the more expensive “true” HD camcorders. The aperture and lens on the Flip UltraHD are pretty anemic, so you’ll still have some trouble getting good clips under low light (indoor) situations. The focal length of the lens also makes it difficult to use it in close quarters just like the Flip MinoHD and there currently isn’t any way to make the lens wider.
In order to give you an idea of what to expect in terms of video quality, we’ve prepared a short sequences of videos that show off the low light, macro, action and outdoor capabilities of this product:
I’m not entirely sure if it’s a software or hardware issue (or maybe just the fact the lens looks bigger), but the low light performance appears to be improved on the Flip UltraHD compared to the Flip MinoHD. Hopefully we’ll have a better idea when our Flip MinoHD review posts in the next couple weeks.
Since it was built from the beginning to handle video, I’d also say that the video produced by the Flip UltraHD is better than the VGA videos produced by most standalone digital cameras, but since I haven’t had a chance to use a digital camera with HD video capabilities, I can’t say whether the Flip UltraHD would outperform these alternatives at this time.
Final Thoughts and Conclusions
The first Flip Ultra pocket camcorder really changed the game when it came to casual video recording, because it was just so simple and easy to use. The video was better than cell phones, but I’d still say that regular digital cameras were able to record better quality video.
With the Flip UltraHD, Pure Digital has definitely upped the ante. The materials have been slightly improved, including the shiny chrome accents on the sides, and you gain the ability to record 720p video at 30fps. The 8GB of internal memory is enough for two hours of decent quality video. The HDMI output is notable as well, but it’s unfortunate that no compatible cable was included.
With an American MSRP of $199.99 and a Canadian MSRP of $249.99, the Flip UltraHD isn’t the cheapest option out there anymore and this takes away from its impulse buy appeal. That said, it’s still cheaper than the Flip MinoHD and it has double the memory to boot. Are you willing to sacrifice size for space? That’s up to you to decide.
Pros
- Increased storage capacity allows for 120 minutes of video
- Remarkably easy to use and understand
- HDMI output for instant sharing
- Improved low light performance compared to MinoHD
Cons
- No included mini-HDMI or USB extension cable
- Only 2x digital zoom, no optical zoom
- Significantly bulkier than the MinoHD
Overall Rating: 8.5 / 10.0
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