Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1445 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Flip Video
• Model: Flip Mino HD
• Released on: 2009-04-01

Customer Reviews

Excellent piece of kit
I have used this high definition camcorder of mobile phone dimensions for recording guitar pieces and people speaking. The video and the sound quality are excellent. Putting videos onto youtube with the camera's software is straightforward as is editing the videos.

You plug the camera straight into your computer via a flip out USB jack and you can then work with your vids while the camera is charging.

There are two tiny niggles with the camera. As is often the case, in the paper instructions one of the procedures does not give the right button to press to do something(see later for correct order). Once you have cracked this everything is very easy. Secondly when using the camera's own software rather than another upload programme to transfer videos to youtube, an irritating message is embedded on your youtube video saying 'recorded on (date) on a flip mino camcorder'(or words to that effect)which stays there even if you delete it on the youtube upload set up. I have managed to get rid of this once or twice and will eventually suss out how to avoid this or use another upload programme for transfer.

Now that youtube is doing HD vids the quality of the HD recording is not diminished by uploading to a lower format.

Unlike it's Kodak counterpart, this camera can be stood on a flat surface because the designers were smart enough not to put the attachment for the handcord on the bottom surface. There is also a standard tripod thread and the small Gorillapod tripod works well.

Switch on, frame the shot, press the red button to start and finish recording. Press bottom right then top left to view. Press the trashcan, bottom left and top left to erase ( these buttons move the cursor to yes). Use the plus and minus signs to zoom when recording - if you must - and to adjust volume when playing back. The camera will switch itself off if you leave it standing for more than about 30 secs.

When plugged into the computer a white light on the usb jack flashes until charged then stays on all the time. Remember to press your 'safely remove device' button on your computer toolbar before removing the camera from the USB socket, just in case...

The best piece of gear for me. Well thought out and not complicated but beautiful results. Expect to pay around £170 with delivery included. I would not buy this particular product from the US. Get a proper import designed for the UK.

Tiny but has flaws...
I, like a many, was in awe of the price tag on this little gadget. It does what it says. You press the button it records, press it again it stops. It will playback with audio coming out of speakers and is as simple as simple as can be.

The things I wish it also did just as simple but oddly missing:

There is no pause facility so if you want to edit on the fly you cant which means there is a ot of unwanted footage being digitised. You can also NOT pause playback.

There is no fast forward or rewind - this get VERY anoying.

The TV out jack is tiny. Its an irregular size and requires a specific cable. It woyuld be better to of been standard.

Finaly the 'HD' written on the cover is not TRUE HD. It is what is commonly known as HD but just does not live up to what we have come to expect from a HD TV (for example). The 720p is not a patch on the 1080p or even the 1080i (not available on this device yet).

The size nd weight is exceptrionaly small and light. Its great to pretend its a phone and film people cheekily without them knowing whikle pressing it to your ear, but if you want holiday snaps it will jiggle about and shake with the slightest hand movement. A really jumpy picture is the result. Weight and stability usually gives better results.

Finally, the screen is 4:3 but the picture is 16:9. This is very odd and a waste of screen. You think your getting a bigger picture until you switch it on.

A new 8Gb version hs ust been released in the states. I'd get that version and leave this one on the shelf. I also suspect the features listed abouve will be available soon so it might be worthwhile waiting a little longer for what is essesntially a good quality 'phone' camera.

Oh and grabing your videos is easy nd like using a USB memory stick. File format is WMV - disappointing. MOVs would be better.

Somewhat overhyped
Lots of hype surrounding this product. Bottom line its best feature is the ease of upload to PC and further upload to youtube or similar. The lens quality is pretty poor, you need to get pretty far back to get a decent framed shot - the zoom might as well not be there, all you need to do is take 3 steps forward and you achieve pretty much the same effect. Audio quality is very much below average. £100 more buys you a massive step change increase in everything - plus ease of upload. I wouldn't buy it again if I had the choice.