Review: Flip UltraHD With Image Stabilization Camcorder (Demo Comparisons)

This is a product review of the Flip UltraHD camcorder, with Image Stabilization included.
The new UltraHD has 60fps video (59.94 actual), which produces a smooth, clear image, versus the 30fps (29.97 actual) of the older one.
While the construction is not nearly as good as the older camera, this does bring benefits as well, such as louder and more clear recording (the lighter plastic allows more sound through itself, versus the old one), a lighter package, and a battery cover that's actually easier to remove, and reattach. The switch is a little cheezy to unleash the battery pack, but it's the design that makes it easier.
The camera comes with a rechargable AAA battery pack. If your pack dies, you can also use 3 AAA batteries to power the device.
The HDMI port was moved to the bottom, as well as an extra port for future accessories. An optional magnetic wide-angle lens attachment will be available in the future, provided you don't mind extra fish-eye in your video output.
Color reproduction is pretty accurate, although slightly on the reddish hue at times, with crisp, clean details. Problem comes to dark enviornemnts, where the video is a bit dark, and muddy, albeit not as grainy looking as the older model.
Red Light, disabled or not, will light when charging on the newer model, which doesn't light on the older model, if disabled. You don't have to turn on the screen to see if it fully charged, because the light will go out when it's done charging.
Video filesizes depends upon the environment. Moderately to darker video are actually smaller for the 60fps model, but a 10-minute video in daylight is about 100 to 150MB larger. Darker means smaller by about 200MB, but it comes at the cost of compression. The unedited demo footage (about 1 minute edited out) was 300MB on the 30fps model, while the same footage on the 60fps model clocked in at 204MB. Both were held side-by-side (hence some shakieness even on the stabilized one) on the demo, and were started and stopped at the same time (about .2 seconds length difference between both files). While this does make quality suffer in dark environments, a direct upload will be faster.
KEEP IN MIND THAT YouTube DISPALYS ALL VIDEOS AT 30 (29.97) fps. The 60hz advantage is less vertical shearing in fast movement.

While the dark performance is not the greatest, I highly recomend this product, as a stable image is a plus, as well as the louder microphone volume, and the lightweight package with near touch-sensitive controls make this a get.
You may find it a tad uncomfortable to hold over long periods of time, due to the flatter profile, something the older model didn't suffer from. The curved front surface greatly alieviates this.

Again, worth the price of admission, especially if you, like myself, don't have steady hands. The stabilizer helps a lot. Goes for $199, and is in Black, or White. Other colors/options may be available, even customization.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• flip
• ultrahd
• ultra
• hd
• ultrahd3
• hd-3
• hd3
• image
• stabilization
• stabilize
• stable
• stabilizing
• review
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• comapre
• comparison
• comparisons
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• new

[richardpcrowe]

I have not had problems with image shake using the original Flip Ultra HD.

[georgef551]

@richardpcrowe

You've got one very steady hand.

I envy that.

[CaGunReporter]

my wife and i are looking at all four of the current flip cameras, your video really helped us into what i think will be a confident purchase, the "gen 3" thanks a lot!

[georgef551]

@CaGunReporter

Glad I could help.

[LunchB0XGuy]

how many other hands does this guy have?

[georgef551]

@LunchB0XGuy

Just the 2. Right hand manupilating stuff, left recording the video.

[LunchB0XGuy]

ha thats funny



[georgef551]

@EricZoot

The Gen 3 (I.S.) model, if you don't have the steadiest of hands. Just keep in mind it'll not eliminate most movement, but will reduce its effect on the image.

If you're steady, any Flip will do. If you record often, go for one with 8GB of memory (some have only 4). They record 1 and 2 hours, respectively.

[EricZoot]

so what should i get im getting one very soon

[arman2417]

@georgef551 yeah who knows