 | Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black)
I like it.... -- 2009-01-06
I've had an Ultra and Mino. The Mino HD has much improved video, less jerky.....but indoors the video has much more noise. The video is sharper and plays back better if you can get over a little noise you'll love it. The FlipShare software is an improvement. I use SONIC DVD software to edit and burn. The DVDs look great, better than the video on my PC.
I have the Mino and the Ultra, I prefer the Ultra for many reasons... -- 2009-01-05
I have the MinoHD and the Ultra and the same laptop I use for high-end gaming.
I have jerky playback and the included FlipShare program takes forever with the MinoHD, yet no problems with the Ultra.
The primary reason is the resolution, understood, but this is the same high-end laptop.
Playback on my HDTV with the Mino was pretty disappointing, however on ANOTHER TV where you can manually set the resolution to 720p, it looked GREAT. What this means is your TV output playback experience is directly affected by your TV's ability to scale up or scale down; mine cannot be manually changed to 720p, it recognizes it as 480i. :(
With the lower resolution of the Ultra (yet still looks fantastic) - I have not found a TV where the Ultra didn't look good.
Also, the Ultra plays all of the videos with no jerkiness on the same laptop that also plays new DVD movies without a glitch. How is it that a Mino playback comes out jerky ? Sure, YOUR computer might play it fine, but it should be fine out of the box, regardless of drivers, codecs, bla bla. The Ultra is fine out of the box.
In summary:
1. I like the Ultra better than the Mino and the home-video quality is fine with the Ultra, especially if you'll be using it on the Web or You Tube or what not, your friends/family will just be glad someone didn't use a camera phone to take video.
2. The Mino must be USB charged which I think is a "minus" - I *personally* would rather carry double AA batteries that the Ultra uses (it does not USB charge) so that I can record as needed and swap out batteries and get instant power, versus waiting for USB to charge up over several hours.
3. Because of the higher resolution, 2 minutes of video on the MINO may be 70mb in size!! 2 minutes of video on the ULTRA is half that, 33mb. Who really wants to stream or download 70-200mb of video?
4. The buttons on the MINO are too sensitive and the glossiness is prone to fingerprints. The Ultra is matte and has good button feel.
5. For price, performance, and video quality, the ULTRA is by far the better value! I wish I could trade it back in for an Ultra and carrying case. :) P.S. if you're putting this on You Tube, the Mino resolution buys you nothing, since it will get scaled down to You Tube's size...
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 | Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (Black)
wow -- 2009-01-04
this is the best pocket cam i have ever seen its alot better than the vado and it very easy to upload to youtube.
The simplicity of this product made me review it..... -- 2009-01-03
It's been a while since I wrote a review, but the simplicity and practicality of this product compels me to write one. I LOVE this product. I'm a parent of two hyper active young boys (5 and 2)and have scores of "tapes" of them using my old camcorder (another great product, but woefully short on sharing capabilities) collecting dust. The lack of sharing made us stop recording memories.
I've always been a late adopter and discovering the Flip is no exception, but since discovering this product, my wife and I have taken several videos, uploaded them to Facebook and shared them with very happy and thankful grandparents.
The device comes bundled with a USB adapter making it easy to transfer pictures to the computer. It also comes with a cable to connect to the TV. When you first plug the Flip (via the USB adapter) it asks you to download the FlipShare software (and upgrade to the new version, which you should do). The software automatically opens up when you connect the Flip to the computer and categorizes your videos. Transferring and uploading is a snap for subsequent use.
The one negative is that there isn't a direct upload possible to Facebook (MySpace, AOL and YouTube are the default options). However, as your videos are on the computer, just Choose "Other" in the upload options. Flip creates a directory of the videos on your desktop and you can upload that to Facebook.
I'm sure the HD is a superior product (and costlier) as well, but the videos are fine and I would highly recommend this product.
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 | Flip Video Mino Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black)
Easy to use -- 2009-01-04
Really it is that simple to use that nothing else is needed but the camera and the computer. The AVI video quality is more than good for this camera.
I like it -- 2009-01-03
I wanted to get a camcorder to share videos with family without having to spend a lot of money and one I could hook up to the computer and upload without a lot of hassle. 60 minutes helps from not recording junk. LOL. The picture is pretty clear. The better your lighting the better your pictures. When I hooked it up to the computer a message came up telling me there was a software upgrade available. I did the upgrade and then every time I went to the software it would shut the browser immediately. I finally gave up and took the upgrade off. It worked then.
I put the upgraded software on my laptop so I can tell you the differences there too. The software that comes with the camera has a program where you can make a video with effects. It took a video I made, put some funky special effects and music to my video and was awesome. The new software will put music to your video but will not make as nice a video as the older software. The newer version has a different interface and looks nicer but the older version does more. Go figure.
I wrote to the company and told them what happened when I updated the software on my desktop. I included the specs of the computer and they wrote me back the next day and told me that the desktop did not have a processor big enough to handle the new software. I actually like the older version better so I am okay with that. I did appreciate the quick response.
The only con of this camcorder is that there is no zoom. I would have liked to be able to zoom in. It is small enough to put in your pocket. I use the waterproof/dust proof case and it is still manageable.
I also thought when I got the camera I could order skins for it later to change the look of the camera. I did not realize you have to send your design to FLIP when you order the camera and it comes with the new design. I was disappointed in that. I am not sure if I can send it to them to change the design or not since I did buy it from Amazon.
Oh I forgot 2 last things. After you make a custom video you have the option to create a link and mail it to someone. For some reason it takes 1-2 DAYS for them to get the link for your video.
Lastly I got the FLIP USB cables since my computer is sitting on the floor. I had to put 3 of the cables together to make them reach the top of the desk. Good thing they come with 3 together. I also use the cables on the laptop because it feels too flimsy plugged directly into the computer.
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 | Sony HDR-SR11 10.2-MP 60GB High Definition Hard Drive Handycam Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
It is worth the price... -- 2008-12-31
I found this at costco selling for 850, after a 150 off discount. . I found it on here for 699.00 I felt I found a bargain. I took it to my daughters school play and it was perfect. I would suggest a tripod and it was enjoyable to play with the features to get the recording just right. I think this will be used and not replaced for a long time. I recommend this to anyone wanting good quality and something that will last a while.
S'port mom -- 2008-12-30
I would recommend this product to others. Being that I have had it for a couple months and not a techie by any means, I am sure there are many features on this product I have yet to use. My reason for not providing this product with 5 stars is due to the original packaged battery life that does not last that long... had to purchase a larger battery. The 2nd reason is the product does come with a infrared light (that turns everything green) but I would have greatly appreciated a real light or to be able to use the flash as a light in dim situations. I have purchased a light that sits on top the product and runs off of the product battery and is inclusive of a infrared enhancer as well. My product as of lately has been having an issue with filming in darkness, but that can very well be from user error.
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 | Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Great video ... bad firewire port -- 2009-01-01
I purchased the HV30 and fell in love at first video frame. Unfortunately, the honeymoon was soon over when I tried to edit. The firewire port on the camera failed after one edit session. This seems to happen frequently with the HV30 as evidenced by the number of owners seeking answers as to why it worked one day with their computers and not the next. Finding solutions are next to impossible though everyone tells you to try this and that. I know that it is not the computer's firewire because I'm able to connect my other video cameras without a hitch. I am sending it back to the factory for repair. I hope this was just part of a bad batch and not systemic.
CANON VIXIA HV30 -- 2008-12-31
Great camcorder. Small, great images, easy to use. I love the tape format. We use it to record for our school weekly TV broadcast and also to record the performing arts productions. Parents and students like the clarity of the picture.
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 | Canon VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Good cam overall -- 2009-01-05
I used the HF100 with a 16GB Class 6 HCSD. Generally speaking, the color is very good, HD quality video is very clear, the pictures are very nice, all of which you may read from other reviewers. I just want to point out a couple of things which may be improved over time:
1) It takes "quite a long time" (5 - 10 seconds?) to start or to change between video mode and camera mode. This is annoying.
2) The small size of the camcorder has its side effect as well: harder to hold steady
3) When used in camera mode, the fastest speed I could get is 1/120s. Not too good in a very bright environment. I do not know if you can make it higher.
At least for someone like me, I think this is a pretty fantastic machine. -- 2009-01-05
I don't exactly know what people's qualms are about AVCHD. I have used miniDV hd camera's fairly extensively (a friend of mine loves them), but I really can't understand why people like them more.
There are a few really nice features about this camera. First, and I think most importantly, it has absolutely no moving parts (except the zoom lens). Anything that moves, like a motor to power a little spinning tape, for example, is pretty likely to break. I don't buy new cameras very often, so this is a pretty major concern for me.
The complaints that most people have with this camera, from what I've read in these reviews seem to stem from buying cheapy, crappy memory cards. It even says in the comprehensive manual that it is a bad idea to use anything lower than a class 4 memory card, because it might not be able to write all the information fast enough. I bought a 16gb Kingston SDHC for about $40, and have had superb quality.
The microphone that is built in is pretty good too. It offers some nice, stereo sound that is good for amateur film makers (though nothing will replace my nice little condenser mic).
The built in filters do a fairly nice job when working with different lighting, though I sort of wish this task was automatic.
The still camera offers some pretty good quality, but there are some problems. For example, if I want to take a picture, I have to switch to photo mode, press the record button, have the onscreen error that says I cannot record in photo mode, then press the picture button. I'm surprised that made it past product testing. I never much liked still photography, so I don't really care, and I don't usually use a video camera for stills anyway. This might just be my cam, though.
The included software is useless. I have not successfully been able to import anything with it. Actually, though, there really is no point. I have used this with Windows XP and Windows Vista, and I could simply plug it in and view my video files.
Another nice feature is that it seems to integrate pretty well into Sony Vegas 9.0b, and I am assuming Vegas 8 as well. This may not matter to some people, but I know in my Panasonic DVD Ram camera, it was a pain to comvert everything to mpg before I could edit it.
The only real complaint I have about this cam is the battery life. It doesn't seem fair that this gets the same battery as my DVD Ram camera, but it doesnt have to power any moving parts. I get about 79 minutes of power, then it shuts off. If I am not using any power to spin a disk or a hard drive, why don't I have more to use?
In the end, this is a very good camera, that I feel really does the job, especially for home movies or amateur film making. I really like it, and have found myself playing with it more than any of my other cameras.
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 | Creative Labs Vado Pocket Video Camcorder (Silver)
A Good Value, But Quality Not As Good As The Flip Ultra -- 2008-12-29
We found the "Creative Labs Vado" pocket camcorder on Amazon's Deal of the Day for roughly 1/2 the price of the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (White) (which we already own and use a lot), it seemed to be worth the risk of buying it as a backup pocket camcorder. Here are my observations:
Pros:
* Acceptable video quality *FOR THE PRICE* - The Vado is much more grainy and washed out than the Flip Ultra.
* Has built in USB connector - Like the Flip Ultra, it is very short but the Flip includes an extension cable
* Has Video Out - can be connected to a TV for playback, but no cables included (Flip Ultra includes the cables)
* Large LCD screen - Bigger screen than the Flip Ultra
* Saves files in AVI format - No conversion needed
* Very Small - Much smaller form factor than the Flip Ultra
* Internal Rechargable Batteries - Recharges from USB, Flip Ultra takes 2 AA batteries
Cons:
* Low Video Quality - but again good for the price
* Awful Audio Quality - Seriously bad audio quality almost makes the Vado useless for fliming beyond 10' or so
So for a really inexpensive camcorder, with YouTube usable quality, this is a fairly good option. For use in any meaningful way, not so much. We will give the Vado to our son and keep the Flip Ultra for our use.
Easy to use -- 2008-12-28
My 10-year-old loves this! He and his friends are making stupid movies and posting them on youtube for the rest of their friends to enjoy. I control what gets posted to youtube with password security. Anytime someone uses his name or some other detail that you don't want to share with child-predators, I just refuse to post it. The kids are learning a little internet safety while having fun being silly kids and creating movies and silly storylines. I highly recommend this as a toy for the middle-school age group.
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 | Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Orange)
wow -- 2009-01-04
this is the best pocket cam i have ever seen its alot better than the vado and it very easy to upload to youtube.
The simplicity of this product made me review it..... -- 2009-01-03
It's been a while since I wrote a review, but the simplicity and practicality of this product compels me to write one. I LOVE this product. I'm a parent of two hyper active young boys (5 and 2)and have scores of "tapes" of them using my old camcorder (another great product, but woefully short on sharing capabilities) collecting dust. The lack of sharing made us stop recording memories.
I've always been a late adopter and discovering the Flip is no exception, but since discovering this product, my wife and I have taken several videos, uploaded them to Facebook and shared them with very happy and thankful grandparents.
The device comes bundled with a USB adapter making it easy to transfer pictures to the computer. It also comes with a cable to connect to the TV. When you first plug the Flip (via the USB adapter) it asks you to download the FlipShare software (and upgrade to the new version, which you should do). The software automatically opens up when you connect the Flip to the computer and categorizes your videos. Transferring and uploading is a snap for subsequent use.
The one negative is that there isn't a direct upload possible to Facebook (MySpace, AOL and YouTube are the default options). However, as your videos are on the computer, just Choose "Other" in the upload options. Flip creates a directory of the videos on your desktop and you can upload that to Facebook.
I'm sure the HD is a superior product (and costlier) as well, but the videos are fine and I would highly recommend this product.
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 | Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Pink)
wow -- 2009-01-04
this is the best pocket cam i have ever seen its alot better than the vado and it very easy to upload to youtube.
The simplicity of this product made me review it..... -- 2009-01-03
It's been a while since I wrote a review, but the simplicity and practicality of this product compels me to write one. I LOVE this product. I'm a parent of two hyper active young boys (5 and 2)and have scores of "tapes" of them using my old camcorder (another great product, but woefully short on sharing capabilities) collecting dust. The lack of sharing made us stop recording memories.
I've always been a late adopter and discovering the Flip is no exception, but since discovering this product, my wife and I have taken several videos, uploaded them to Facebook and shared them with very happy and thankful grandparents.
The device comes bundled with a USB adapter making it easy to transfer pictures to the computer. It also comes with a cable to connect to the TV. When you first plug the Flip (via the USB adapter) it asks you to download the FlipShare software (and upgrade to the new version, which you should do). The software automatically opens up when you connect the Flip to the computer and categorizes your videos. Transferring and uploading is a snap for subsequent use.
The one negative is that there isn't a direct upload possible to Facebook (MySpace, AOL and YouTube are the default options). However, as your videos are on the computer, just Choose "Other" in the upload options. Flip creates a directory of the videos on your desktop and you can upload that to Facebook.
I'm sure the HD is a superior product (and costlier) as well, but the videos are fine and I would highly recommend this product.
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 | Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom
Color was off and quality in less than bright situations not high def -- 2008-12-31
Used over Christmas and watched it together with the family. All the kids marveled at how my 2 year old's Barney doll was red in the video!! Every situation that was less than full bright was totally pixelated. Also, when I zoomed in at the mall, it got totally grainy. I used it to record the kids with Santa and figured why bother buying a photo package, i'll just capture stills from the HD video. Well, it is all unusable pixilated garbage. Every still I captured and every bit of the video totally pixelated in the less than bright conditions. I wouldn't even call the conditions generating the pixelation low light.
Other than that, if it is bright, it works great!
awesome camera -- 2008-12-29
simply i liked this camera very much, it is my first and it is easy and friendly to use
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