Pure Digital Flip Mino Camcorder Review

The real question we need to address, then, is how well it responds to dynamic shooting conditions. In general, the camcorder can get the job done, and better than you might think. Responses to changing light conditions are about as fast as the average camcorder. Major exposure shifts - from bright sunlight to dim shadows - take about 2-3 seconds. When required to make a slow, subtle shift, the Flip Mino does a decent job, though we detected a slight stuttering as it increases and decreases exposure. The auto white balance holds up under most conditions.

Auto focus is an issue, which is not surprising considering this is a fixed focus lens (f/2.4; 1m - ∞). Practically speaking, it can't focus on anything closer than a foot from the lens. This is the type of camcorder that is going to be shoved in front of people's faces all the time (you've seen enough party clips on YouTube to know this is true). When this is the case, the footage looks blurry. Maybe your beer goggles will forgive some focus issues, but the Oscar committee will not. Remember this well.

Overall, the auto controls are adequate for the intended use. Just be sure to give the camcorder a little distance from the subject.

Overall Manual Control (0.25)
There is very little to write about when it comes to manual controls on the Flip Mino. This should come as a joy to some, especially those who are sick and tired of not understanding their increasingly complex electronic devices. To others, the bald simplicity of the Flip Mino may come as a disappointment. As someone who spends all day long playing with camcorders, this thing is shockingly simple. It records video, it zooms (2x digital), it plays back your video, and - brand new to this generation of Flips - it can fast forward and rewind in each clip. Aside from the plug-in upload software, that is the comprehensive list of features.

Pretty much every other camcorder offers more manual control than this, typically 10 times as much control. Digital still cameras that record video have a lot more control. Even some cell phones have an exposure control or white balance control. But therein lies the hook that has made the Flip so popular: what good are those features if they leave so many people confused?

If the Japanese and Korean manufacturers are smart, they'll see a lesson here. Mindlessly adding and subtracting features to make the spec sheet look more attractive is no longer the key in this lower-end market. Instead, they'll have to compete on user experience, which is probably where they should have been focusing all along.

Zoom (2.5)
As stated above, a 2x digital zoom is about the only manual control the Flip Mino has going for it. The zoom is operated by pushing and holding the plus and minus buttons on the back of the camcorder. The placement of the controls is less than ideal for tight control, but that line of thinking won't get you very far with this camcorder. Even though it's only a 2x digital zoom, there is a range within the space from 1x to 2x. It doesn't just leap forward when you tap the button.

The lack of an optical zoom is a shame, even for a camcorder of this size and price. We understand that in order to accomodate a moving lens element, Pure Digital would have had to make some serious modifications, but a digital zoom inherently decreases image quality. When the resolution is so low, you don't want to degrade the image any further. However, it appears to be the norm for camcorders of this ilk. The previous generation, the Flip Ultra, does not offer an optical zoom either, nor does the Sony NSC-GC1.

Zoom Power Ratio (0.0)
There is no optical zoom on the Pure Digital Flip Mino. You will find a 2x digital zoom.

Focus (0.0)
There is no manual focus control on the Pure Digital Flip Mino. By comparison, the Sony NSC-GC1 had a small switch to flip between tele macro and wide angle shots. Considering the intended audience, a fully automatic focus is probably the wiser choice.

Exposure & Aperture (0.0)
There is no manual exposure on the Pure Digital Flip Mino. This is perhaps the most surprising omission. The concept of "making the picture brighter and darker" is the easiest of all manual controls - far simpler than conveying white balance or how to focus. And yet, it's absent. Clearly, Pure Digital operated on the Doctrine of Least Resistance when designing the Flip Mino. If people don't need a control, if something could be dome automatically by the camcorder, they simply didn't add it.  

Shutter Speed (0.0)
Of course, given the above statement, there is no manual shutter speed.

White Balance (0.0)
Nor is there a manual white balance.

Gain (0.0)
Certainly there is no manual gain. Of all the major manufacturers, only Panasonic offers manual gain control.

Other Manual Controls (0.0)
There are no manual controls on the Pure Digital Flip Mino. For more details about the camcorder special uploading features, jump to the Editing section.