UPDATE: SINCE I WROTE THIS POST THE NEW MINO HD WAS RELEASED IN THE US AND UK – I SUGGEST YOU HEAD HERE TO SEE THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FLIP ULTRA HD 120 MINS AND THE FLIP MINO HD 120 MINS

DEC 2010: UPDATE TO THE UPDATE! ALSO CHECK OUT THE 3rd GEN FLIPS.

I get a lot of people asking “Which Flip Video should I buy?” Let me help. Following on from my post for people trying to decide between the Flip UltraHD and the Flip MinoHD here’s a great video that really shows up the size difference between the Flip UltraHD and the Flip MinoHD plus highlights the main features.

As I’ve said, if you want a Flip to fit in your back pocket (unless you wear huge trousers) then you’ve got to go for a Mino but if you want slightly better quality and flexibility with batteries and a bigger LCD you need to go for the UltraHD.

This was made before the new Flip Mino HD 120 mins became available in the US so it features a 4gb MinoHD but if you are in the UK where the Flip Mino 120 mins has yet to be released (no date set either) then all the comparisons in the video are valid. US readers trying to decide between an Ultra HD 120 mins or a Mino HD 120 mins should read this post.

Check out the Flip Video camera I recommend here at  Amazon UK or Amazon US for the best prices I’ve found on the Web. This link will take you direct to the product.

Using the wizardry of online stats service Google Analytics I can tell which search terms lead you to my site. So in no particular order here are 10 of the most burning issues you are interested in when it comes to Flip Video Cameras:

1. Should I buy a Flip camera?

Well that’s a hard one. Depends on what you intend to do with it. If you are trying to make high end work then no of course not, pay more and get a mic input for a start. But if you are looking for the handiest, easiest to use, prettiest, coolest, budget camera out there then YES! Let’s put it this way: a few items just feel right and work like a dream: the iphone, the Macbook Pro, the Nintendo Wii, the TomTom and I’d add to that hall of fame – the Flip.

2. How do I reset the date and time on my Flip Camera?

Look no further than here.

3. Will a US Flip camera work in the UK?

Yes and No. If you want to use the new HDMI output included with the Ultra HD, US bought Flip won’t play on a UK PAL TV unless your TV has a facility for this or you have a converter. But if all you require is to download to your PC, edit in something like Final Cut (+ most decent software packages) they can handle both PAL or NTSC projects. If your main requirement is to watch videos on your PC screen, share and upload to the Web the PAL/NTSC issue is irrelevant.

4. Where do I buy the best priced Flip in the US and UK?

I’ve been monitoring this for while, and Amazon continually offers great prices, but in the US if want to ‘Pimp your Flip‘ with designer pictures you might want to go direct to Flip.com. Right now at Flip HQ you also get Free shipping and a Free Accessory! In the UK check out Pixmania.com or Play.com

Personally I’ve always found Amazon reliable, so you can head to Amazon UK or Amazon US for the some of the best Flip camera prices I’ve found on the Web.

5. Which Flip to buy?

My advice is buy the top model you can afford, personally I would be investing in an HD model and for me the Flip Ultra HD 120 mins does all I need and has various battery and charge options.

See the Ultra HD on Amazon UK or Amazon US.

6. How well does the Flip work with a Macbook Pro?

Brilliantly – that’s the combo I use. I recommend MPEG Streamclip to render clips before editing or I usually just import and render on the timeline.

7. When is the Flip Mino HD 120 mins going to be released in the UK?

Everyone asks that! No idea but check back here and I’ll post as soon as I find out. Although the Mino is a looker personally if I was a UK buyer right now I’d go for the Ultra HD as I’d want it for Christmas!

8. Are Flip cameras good for children?

You bet. One touch control, no tricky white balance/exposure issues to worry about. Low cost if they trash it, fits small hands and I find Kids like the shape and colour options. My advice is get your Kids to film some of your home movies – that way you can feature in them too!

9. How do I hack a Flip Camera?

If you mean making the lens wider – see this.

10. Do Flip cameras take stills?

Not really, get a stills camera if you want top notch stills. But using the free FlipShare software you can export a decent freeze frame from your footage.

Have a look at this short sample video filmed on the latest Flip Ultra HD camera. The colour saturation and resolution of detailed objects is really impressive when you consider the price of this pint sized camera.

The downside, as you will notice, is trying too keep a tiny camera steady though this applies to many more expensive handicams too. I would recommend using a monopod or tripod (the Flip has a tripod socket) if you are shooting landscapes and architecture especially if you are trying to pan.

If it’s just holiday footage then you might not want to carry any extra kit, instead think about resting it on something like a rucksack and wedging it steady. If you are handholding, use both hands to grip your Flip Camera and lock your elbows to your body to create a firm triangular shape, it really does help. Wedging yourself next to a wall can also keep you and the camera steady. Avoid pans if you don’t need them, shoot in static shots and edit later.

If you are shooting medium close up reality style action or interviews on the wide end of the lens it’s a lot easier to keep rigid.

Please add a comment if you need any more Flip Video shooting advice.

Check out Amazon UK or Amazon US for fast delivery and for the best prices I’ve found on the Web.

LATEST: THE NEW FLIP MINO HD IS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK AND THE US

The new Flip MinoHD looks like a supermodel without the emotional baggage! The latest version of the Mino doubles storage to 8GB, enough for two hours of video, and has a bigger 2 inch LCD screen. One of the drawbacks of the old Mino was its’ small 1.5 inch monitor. The new Flip MinoHD now boasts HDMI output and more responsive touch-sensitive buttons.

Software now includes the option to share direct to Facebook as a Magic Movie feature that auto edits and transitions footage into a ready-made clip.

TECH SPECS

Internal Memory: 8GB (120 minutes).
Screen Size: 2.0″ (transflective TFT).
Screen Resolution: 960 x 240 pixels.
Video Resolution: 1280 x 720.
Frame Rate: 30 frames per second (constant frame rate, progressive scan).
Video Bitrate: 8.8Mbps (average – auto adaptive algorithm).
Video Format: H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression, saves as MP4 file.
Lens Type: Fixed Focus (1.5m to infinity).
Aperture: f/2.4 (fast lens for great results in low-light environments).
Zoom: Smooth multi-step 2x digital.
Interface: 8 Touch-Sensitive Capacitive Buttons (Power, Play, Delete, Record and 4 way navigation).
Dimensions: 3.94″ x 1.97″ x 0.63″ (H x W x D).
PC Connection: Built-in flip-out USB arm (up to 2.0 USB speed).
TV Out: HDMI™ Mini Connector (Standard HDMI™ Cable not included).
Battery Life: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, charges on both USB and Flip Video power adapter.
Tripod Mount: Yes.
Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OSX.
Min. Requirements: (PC) 3.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or faster processor, Windows XP SP2 with 512 MB of RAM or Vista with 1 GB of RAM, and USB 2.0 port (Mac) 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo or faster processor, 1 GB of RAM, OS X Tiger 10.4, Leopard 10.5 or Snow Leopard 10.6, and USB 2.0 port.
Software: Pre-loaded FlipShare™ software for instant viewing, editing, one-click emailing, and online sharing:
Browse, playback, organize and archive your videos.
Create movies with video clips, music and titles.
Edit clips and create still-image snapshots from video.
Instantly upload to Facebook™, MySpace™, YouTube™ and other video sharing sites.
Share your videos privately using attachment-free emails or greetings cards (free and unlimited video sharing).
Create private Flip Channels to share your videos with groups of family and friends.

Buy the best priced Flip MinoHD 8gb at Amazon UK or Amazon.com (US)

With the start of University and College just around the corner  I received an email from a Mum thinking of buying a Flip for her Son who is about to fly the nest. It got me thinking I wish I’d had a Flip when I was at Uni several years ago! Here are 7 reasons why I think a Flip Camera would make a great piece of student kit:

.

1. The Flip is cool, it turns heads and starts conversations. That’s useful for First Years needing to make a first impression and strike up friendships. I am not suggesting you are going to start filming complete strangers, more like on Day 1 sitting in the Bar: “Have you seen this babelicious new camera?”. Remember cool people make friends easily – Ever seen the Fonz in Happy Days?

2. They say University years are some of the best years of your life. You’ll want to remember them later on in life, having a pocket size video Flip Camera means you’ll be able to capture all the fun and games of University life without carrying an obtrusive camera around like you’re a Video nerd doing their Media Studies project instead of socialising. Not a good look.

3. Time to share. Every student needs a decent social networking page to build Uni friendships and keep in contact with school mates who are now scattered all over the country. You might even want to show your Mum and Dad your new room, girl/boyfriend or tattoo! The Flip Camera plugs straight into your PC or MAC via the USB Flip out arm and sharing is easy via Flips own online sharing service or uploading to You Tube and then sticking the Video in your Facebook, MySpace or Twitter feed.

4. You can use it for your studies (yawn). You can record lectures, study groups, experiments, shoot the whiteboard, or use it as a voice recorder during one to one sessions. You can record your latest thoughts about your dissertation into it for later reference.

5. If you are interested in a Media Career (after your Spanish Art degree) you can learn the basics of filmmaking, editing and video journalism with the Flip. The principles are the same however small the camera.

6. You could make money out of the Flip. Who knows the person in your circle of friends could turn out to be the next Brad Pitt, and you’ll have the Video of them dancing like a madman at the Freshers Ball to sell to Celeb TV in years to come. Also if you capture unusual student pranks or crazy stunts you could make advertising revenue via sites like YouTube and Break.com.

7. If your Flip gets stolen or trashed at College (this has been known to happen) it won’t hurt as much as losing a £300 swanky Camcorder. Mum will forgive you (eventually).

Buy the best priced Flip Ultra HD at Amazon UK

Buy the best priced Flip Ultra HD at Amazon US

If you can’t decide whether to buy a Flip Camera or which Flip to buy drop me an email (see right hand column). I answer every email I receive and if I don’t think the Flip is the right choice for you I will tell you!

I am happily using my Flip a year since I bought it, no regrets,  but unlike a shop I’ll also point out the negatives as well as the positives of buying a Flip so you can make an informed decision.

See the Flip at Amazon UK

See the Flip at Amazon US