Pure Digital Flip Mino Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Jun 25, 2008 5:47 PM
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Ease of Use (10.0)A camcorder that's the size of your cell phone, lets you record video with one press of a button, and can plug right in to your computer for instant upload is an Ease of Use machine. Three steps is all it takes before your Flip Mino video is on its way to YouTube. Point, shoot, upload. Technophobes, grandmas, and even very intelligent animals like parrots and poodles can operate the Flip Mino.
The Flip Mino is fully automatic--there are no Manual Controls. Cruise control is how you drive the Mino, and most novice shooters will enjoy the ride. The miniscule 2x Digital Zoom is the extent of onboard control, and using it is a snap because the buttons are above and below the Record Start/Stop button.
There's also no need to stock up on AA batteries, since Pure Digital went for a rechargeable internal system with the Mino. On the downside, you can only record for as long as the internal battery allows - there's no option to swap out a new battery pack. Make sure your Mino is fully charged and ready to rock before you head out. All in all, the Mino's improvements hold an edge over the Ultra.
Handling (4.75)
Traditional camcorder girp methods have to be tossed out the window here. Equate shooting with the Flip Mino to shooting with a slightly thicker Blackberry Pearl. There's no right or wrong way to hold the Mino - just don't drop it or it will fall through a sewer grate in the sidewalk, never to be seen again. Pure Digital includes a cheap wrist strap that is constructed of a thin braided nylon weave with a clear plastic casing. Though this setup looks flashy and shimmery, keep in mind that a cord that thin can only withstand so much pressure before snapping right off.
It seems as though the most comfortable way to hold the Flip Mino is to place your index finger and middle fingers across the face of the camcorder, just below the lens. The ring and pinky fingers support the Flip Mino from underneath while the thumb remains anchored to the Record Start/Stop button. Of couse, every shooter has their own distinct style. Some shooters may want to place all four fingers on one side of the Flip Mino and the thumb on the other. You can also pinch the Flip Mino from the bottom, using your thumb and index finger like a lobster claw. Once you transition yourself from the traditional camcorder grip, the Flip Mino is easier to work with.
Last year's Flip Ultra had a four-way directional pad that was easy to navigate. This year, Pure Digital upped the ante and threw a smattering of touch-sensitive buttons on the back. They're not actually buttons in the traditional sense - there's no click or tactile response. It's just a touch-sensitive area. JVC attempted a similar interface on its 2008 standard definition Everio camcorder line, but the model we tested, the GZ-MS100, lacked the responsiveness the Flip Mino offers. It's simple, it looks very slick, and it works. What more could you ask?
Menu (6.5)
The Flip Mino does not have a menu interface, but relies on a series of touch-sensitive buttons to perform tasks. Play/Pause, Add, Delete, Previous Clip/Rewind, Next Clip/Fast Forward, and Zoom are all accessed beneath the LCD screen. No menu, presumably, means less confusion for the owner. Given the lack of manual controls, Pure Digital was correct in this decision. Adding a more interactive interface would have needlessly complicated things. Sony's NSC-GC1, by comparison, is equipped with a full menu goverened by a small joystick.
Portability (10.5)
A camcorder that can easily be confused with a cell phone is definitely at the far end of the Portability scale. The Flip Mino measures a petit 100 x 50 x 16 mm (3.94 x 1.97 x 0.63 inches) and weighs a feathery 93.5 grams (3.3 ounces). You can pocket the Flip Mino with ease, just like you would a compact cell phone. There's no need to carry around clunky external media either, thanks to the Flip Mino's built-in 2GB flash memory. However, Pure Digital also went with an internal battery, meaning if you run out of juice on the road, you'll need to find a USB port with power behind it. The Flip Ultra used AA batteries, which fared better for portability's sake.
LCD and Viewfinder (2.0)
The Mino has a built-in 1.5-inch LCD screen with a 69,696-pixel resolution, the same as the Flip Ultra's. The image is sharp, but still lacks in fine detail and accurate color depiction. It tends to give an overly optimistic view of image quality. "Wow," you might say while shooting, "this picture looks incredible." Well ... wait until you see it on a full-sized TV before you get too excited.
The LCD is embedded in the body of the Flip Mino and does not extend or rotate. Pure Digital could have upgraded screen resolution, if not the size. Perhaps the next-generation Flip will address this.
Battery Life (15.4)
We tested the life of the Flip Mino's internal battery by recording continuously until the juice was drained. Strangely enough, the Flip Mino recorded a single video clip for well over the 60 minute mark, despite the advertised 60-minute capacity. This serves to demonstrate just how much of a factor the content of your picture has on recording length. The Flip Mino uses a variable bitrate, which means that static or simple shots are recorded with a lower bitrate. More detailed shots record more data per second.
The Flip Mino's total battery life was 153 minutes and 51 seconds (2 hours, 33 minutes, and 51 seconds). This is a stellar performance, but be aware that you cannot swap out the battery when it has drained, due to its internal design. The Flip Mino must be connected to power via a USB terminal between shoots, while the Flip Ultra features AA batteries for continued recording.
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