Flip Mino Review
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 9:27:02 PM
Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. I've had several ideas for blog posts recently, but just haven't sat down and wrote them out.
My outdated video camera is nearly 10 years old, so I've been thinking about getting a replacement. The Flip Ultra has been on my radar screen for quite a while. With Scott Hanselman's glowing review and the release of the 2nd generation Flip Mino, I was finally convinced. As an early Father's Day gift, I ordered one online and it arrived today.
Wow. I just can't get over how much I like this gadget. It's no bigger than a point-and-click camera, it's ridiculously simple to use, and the software to manage your movies is right on the camera. You just plug the camera into any PC (or Mac, apparently) and go. Within minutes of opening the box I had recorded my first short videos and transferred them to my PC. I like the fact that it comes with a TV RCA audio/video cable so I can show videos when visiting friends or family. I haven't tried all the features, but it appears that you can easily convert, upload and share videos online, too.
As other reviewers have stated, the light sensor does an excellent job of quickly adjusting to any light conditions. Video quality is passable, but it's certainly good enough for casual use. To me, the built-in rechargeable battery in the Flip Mino is well worth the premium over the Flip Ultra. I'm not too crazy about the touch-sensitive buttons surrounding the big, red record button, but that's not a show-stopper. I'm also impressed with the short time it takes to power up the device and start recording.
So far, I am absolutely thrilled with this purchase. I once read (regarding photography) the best camera is the one you have with you. With the Flip Mino's small form-factor and easy-to-use features, I see my family and I recording and sharing a lot more memories in our future.