Flip Mino HD

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When we reviewed the Flip Ultra less than a year ago we were, like millions of others, smitten by its simplicity, ease of use and price. Small enough to fit in your pocket and simple enough for a toddler to use, it was an instant hit with people keen to shoot video and post it online in minutes. The geniuses behind the original Flip have followed it with this new model, taking a small logical step but a giant technical leap to high definition.

Features
Surprisingly the Flip Mino HD is lighter and smaller than the Ultra, weighing in just over 90g and shaving a few millimetres off its predecessor’s dimensions. On the downside, it feels a little less robust than the Ultra. The camera records video at 720p, which is the lowest of the HD standards. It recharges via the Flip port, which is now thankfully on top of the device. Memory has been beefed up from 2 to 4GB – all the more important because the Flip still doesn’t accommodate external storage. Once you’ve hooked the Flip up to a computer you can upload videos to the web in no time.

Performance
There’s no doubt that the flip Mino is an extremely nifty high-definition camera. However, we found the 1.5in screen size disappointingly small – it simply fails to do justice to the top-notch HD footage. But the sound quality is much better than its predecessor, the Ultra. The viewing and editing software, bundled with the device, has been tweaked further, making it even easier to get your footage from the Flip to your computer, and from there to YouTube and elsewhere online.

Ease of use
Using the Flip is child’s play. The manufacturer’s philosophy has always been to keep only what’s essential. Thus, on the camcorder’s interface the red record button is given prominence. Also present is a playback button, and there’s a bin button for deleting footage. The zoom controls sit either side of the recording button. The 2x digital zoom is possibly one of the weakest features on the device, but that said, the Flip is best used to capture spontaneous moments than make high-quality video.

Value for Money
At £170 the Flip Mino HD is the most expensive of the Flips (the Ultra costs £99.95). However, it’s a great price for a point-and-shoot camcorder that comes with bundled software, works out of the box, shoots in HD and is compatible with both Macs and PCs. In terms of the Flip’s HD competitors it fares well, sitting somewhere in the middle.