Flip Video Camcorder

[wavinwayne]

My wife wanted a Flip Video camcorder for her birthday, so I got it for her. I love it. No, the video quality is not GREAT, but it's OK, and it downloads videos straight to the computer via built-inn USB connector. For $129, I think it's the cat's meow.

Do any of you have one of these? If so, what do you think of yours?

 

[Quattro Pete]

How much memory does it have and at what resolution does it shoot?

 

[Solo2driver]

I have used other versions of the inexpensive camcorders like the Aiptek A-HD and Jazz HDV178, for about the same price you get removable SD card memory and 720p HD video.....but The Flip is nice and compact and idiot-proof, and even uses a decent video encoder chip (I use the same one in one of my products, Zoran COACH 8M)(640x480 @ 30fps TV quality). Will indeed not look super-fantastic on an LCD screen but definitely works okay for YouTube and even DVD creation.

Does the one you got have the tripod mount in the bottom? At least it makes it more versatile.

The Flip Mino HD just came out, interested to see that one perform, a bit more at $229, but it may have the new Zoran COACH 10P chip or the Ambarella (like the Aipteks) for good encoding and minimal compression artifacts, for the price.

 

[wavinwayne]

FWIW, the Flip camcorder that I got for my wife will record 60 minutes on internal memory. It is 640x480 (not great). Yes, it has the tripod mount in the bottom, but I doubt we'll ever use it. We just like to have the camera handy to get some quick videos onto the computer of our children. It works very well for that purpose.

 

[wilnis]

We bought one a year ago, love it, and bought one for our kids and their new child (our grandson) and we get regular updates via e-mail. Neat, easy, inexpensive and just right. Bill

 

[Quattro Pete]

Interesting. Although for a little over $100 one could get a Canon A580 - it can shoot 640x480 video, but it's also a decent point&shoot 8-megapixel camera. Granted, you'd need to buy a memory card for it, but memory is really cheap these days. I just don't think the A580 compresses the video as much as the Flip.