Pure Digital Flip UltraHD Camcorder Review

Flip UltraHD versus Flip MinoHD
• Flip UltraHD is heavier and thicker than MinoHD. • Our tests showed better performance in nearly every category for the Flip UltraHD. • Flip MinoHD costs $30 more and only has 4GB of internal memory (instead of 8GB on the UltraHD). • MinoHD uses an internal battery pack.
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The main difference between the Flip MinoHD and the Flip UltraHD is size. The MinoHD has nearly half the weight and thickness of its slightly cheaper big brother. With this smaller size, the MinoHD becomes more portable, easier to fit in a pocket, and also more difficult to get a good hold of. The Flip MinoHD is coated in a hard plastic finish that can be quite slippery in your hand, while the Flip UltraHD has a more grippable surface. The UltraHD also offers stereo audio recording, 8GB of internal memory (the MinoHD has 4GB), a removable battery pack, and a larger LCD screen.

In our testing, the Flip UltraHD showed significant improvement in performance over the MinoHD. The camcorder provided more accurate colors in bright light, less noise in low light, and a much improved video sharpness. It seems the processing and compression updates to the Flip UltraHD really improved the video quality of the camcorder. The two models did, however, have matching low light sensitivity scores.

The MinoHD is smaller and sexier than the UltraHD.

Since most Flip camcorder users aren't likely to care about slight differences in video performance, the real question for these two models comes down to size and design. If you're looking for the tiniest HD camcorder out there, the Flip MinoHD is what you want. The Flip UltraHD does have its perks, though. Its button design is better than the MinoHD, and its larger size gives you more to hold onto—making the camcorder less prone to drops and more durable overall. The Flip UltraHD also has a removable battery pack, as well as the option of recording to regular AA batteries (the Flip MinoHD has a non-removable battery). Also, when you think about it, the Flip UltraHD has twice the storage capacity of the Flip MinoHD (8GB/120 minutes vs. 4GB/60 minutes). So, if you're someone who likes to capture a lot of footage, the Flip UltraHD may be the more portable device in the long run. The Flip UltraHD is also $30 cheaper, which, for a consumer camcorder in this price range, is a lot.

The two have slightly different control schemes.		And the Mino is definitely slimmer.

	Comparison Specs
	Flip UltraHD	Flip MinoHD
Price	$199	$229
Primary Recording Media	8 GB internal memory	4 GB internal memory
Secondary Recording Media	None	None
Image Sensor	1/4.5-inch CMOS	1/4.5-inch CMOS
Effective Pixel Count	Unknown	Unknown
Mic Input	None	None
LCD	2.0-inch	1.5-inch
Viewfinder	None	None
Weight	170.1g (6.0 oz.)	94g (3.3 oz.)
Dimensions	56 x 108 x 30mm (2.19 x 4.25 x 1.17 inches)	50 x 100 x 16 mm (3.94 x 1.97 x 0.63 inches)
HD	Yes	Yes
Frame Rates	720/30p	720/30p
Compression	MPEG-4 AVC/H.264	MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Maximum Bitrate	9 Mbps	9 Mbps
Optical Zoom	None	None
Battery	AA (ships w/ battery pack, rechargeable via USB arm)	non-removable internal battery (rechargeable via USB arm)
Stabilization	None	None

Note: CCI is using a new color error formula this year for our new 2009-2010 rubric, so the numbers won't match up with the results from most camcorders we reviewed in 2008 and before. The new system uses the CIEDE2000 formula, which is the most accurate equation for determining color error, and will be in place on all our reviews as of 2009. The color error for the 2008 comparison model below (Flip MinoHD) has been recalculated using the new formula.

Bright Light Color Comparison
Flip UltraHD	Flip MinoHD

Video Sharpness Score Comparisons