Flip Ultra Video Camera - White, 1 GB, 30 Minutes (1st Generation) OLD MODEL by Flip Video
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Digital camera reviews of Flip Ultra Video Camera - White, 1 GB, 30 Minutes (1st Generation) OLD MODEL
Digital camera Review: Delivers What it Promises
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the second Flip Ultra that I have purchased from Amazon. It does exactly what it is designed to do: produce easily transferable tv quality videos with a minimum of "technical interference" (dials, buttons, and settings) in a very compact package. Slip this in your pocket or purse and it is always available for those "Kodak Moments" that are otherwised missed. The Flip is pretty much "dummy proof" - turn it on, press the red button to start and stop recording, flip out the built in usb arm, plug it in to your computer. Once the video is downloaded you have the option of editing it, adding music to it, emailing it, or uploading to sites like YouTube for online viewing by others. The included editing software is rudimentary, but works for quick edits. The video files can be easily imported into more sophisticated editing programs for more extensive productions. This is an innovative product that is inexpensive enough that no family should be without one.Digital camera Review: Do not Purchase this product
Summary: 1 Stars
It does not work as advertised....will not download on a Dell computer with Windows XP professional. My computer would not recognize it was plugged in a USB port. Spent many hours with their Techs that were really no help at all. If yours works you are lucky. It was easy to get a refund from Amazon.Digital camera Review: Does what I had hoped
Summary: 5 Stars
The other reviews are good, after reading them I knew exactly what to expect and I wasn't disappointed. We don't record a whole lot so the 30 minutes isn't a big deal, and the size is very convenient. The zoom is almost useless however, and it is difficult to hold steady, especially if you walk and record at all, but those were thing I had already heard before I ordered it. Overall I'm very happy, I've been wanting a camcorder for a while.Digital camera Review: Don't believe the hype
Summary: 1 Stars
Although this camera may look cute, fun, and productive, it's not. I only gave it 2 stars because it can take videos.
The video quality is poor, if not terrible. Everything's so blurry, it doesn't do well with movement... It's a surprise I was able to figure out what was going on in the video. Not to mention the screen was practically microscopic.
And I'm sure you've read that it has its own USB port, so you can upload things straight from the camera to the internet. Well, mine wouldn't. And the help-line is anything but helpful. They give long, complicated instructions that don't work. After about three different Flip Camcorder people giving me useless instructions, one of which actually made me lose some videos on my camcorder, I gave up. If you were planning to take videos with this camera and upload them to the internet hassle-free, I suggest you think again.
Also, every button you press on that thing is slow. As soon as I got it, everything took at least 15 seconds. If you don't mind waiting that long to switch to a different video, then you're in luck.
And the battery life... Oh, the battery life! That was probably the worst thing of all. It runs out after about 30 minutes or so, and it takes 2 double-A batteries to get it going again. It just eats through them! This is what eventually made me stop using it, because I couldn't afford buying a pack of batteries every couple of days.
It also has nothing cool about taking videos. Basically, you can take a half-hour of video and then watch it. I guess the ease of acccess is okay, but its kind of confusing at first, because not only do the buttons each do a totally different thing, but many of them have two or three functions, that you have to try to put the buttons in the sequences to get the correct function.
Really, the only good thing about this camera is that you it's small. A true waste of my money. You can get a camera that takes picture, video, accepts memory chips, has a 2.7" screen, and has way better picture quality for the same-or cheaper-price. Really, I'm serious. Don't waste your money on this piece of junk.
Digital camera Review: Don't buy if you want to playback on TV
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought with the idea of showing the videos on my TV. Little did I know how wrong I was.
As most are probably aware, you can use the connector cable for a composite video connection. This usage is limited to the 30 minutes of video currently stored on the Flip.
If you want to look at something you shot last week, all I can say is good luck. Flip uses an unusual avi codec that only your computer will be able to decipher (after installation of the codec).
So if you were thinking of connecting a usb drive full of videos to your TV, it won't work. Same for an SD card. Your TV will not recognize the codec. Neither will a Playstation 3.
Supposedly, you can use Windows Media Encoder to convert the files, but I haven't found a setting yet that works or googled up any advice on how to do it. Either the sound won't play or I get a corrupted file message.
Flip support will not help, I tried. Regardless, you're looking at 20 minutes of processing to convert a 3-1/2 minute video. Try that on folder full of videos and you'll say no thanks.