Flip Video Flip UltraHD

Lens & Imaging System

The lens on the Pure Digital Flip UltraHD is fixed, which means it has no moving parts. The camcorder has a focus range of 1.5m to infinity and its maximum aperture is f/2.4. There are no filters or adapters available for the camcorder’s lens, nor would it make sense for the camcorder to have this option. Being a fixed lens, there is no optical zoom capability on the camcorder, but there is a 2x digital zoom feature.

Lens
Filter Diameter	0.0mm
Focal Range	1.5–1.5mm
Focal Range (35mm equivalent)	0.0–0.0mm
Maximum Aperture	f/2.4–2.4
Optical Zoom	0x
Advanced Zoom	0x
Lab-Tested Wide Angle	42.0°	How we test wide angle

Sensor
Type	CMOS x 1
Size	1/4.5 inches
Pixel Count (Gross)	0.92 megapixels
Pixel Count (Effective)	0.92 megapixels (video)

Zoom Ratio Examples
Wide Angle	2x Digital Zoom

LCD (5.31)

The Flip UltraHD features a 2-inch color LCD with a 230,400-pixel resolution. This is the same screen featured on the new Flip Ultra standard definition model and it is half an inch larger than the LCD on the Flip MinoHD. The screen is plastered to the back of the camcorder and cannot rotate, swivel, or pivot. The screen cannot move at all, which makes the camcorder more compact, but also makes things very difficult if you’re filming at an odd angle or if there is lots of glare. The screen is coated with a glossy coating as well, which made glare even more of a nuisance.

There is no viewfinder on the Flip UltraHD.

Feature	Pure Digital Flip UltraHD	Sony MHS-CM1	Pure Digital Flip MinoHD	Kodak Zi6
Display Size	2.0 in.	2.5 in.
Display Resolution	230400 pixels	pixels
Touch Screen	✗	✗
Viewfinder	✗	✗

Connectivity (1.38)

Connection	Pure Digital Flip UltraHD	Sony MHS-CM1	Pure Digital Flip MinoHD	Kodak Zi6
A/V output	✗	✓
Component output	✗	✓
HDMI	✓	✗
USB	✓	✓
FireWire	✗	✗
Headphone jack	✗	✗
External microphone	✗	✗
Wireless Remote	✗	✗
DC Power	✗	✓
WiFi	✗	✗
GPS	✗	✗

The Flip UltraHD has two connectivity options: USB and HDMI-output. The UltraHD features the standard flip-out USB arm that should be familiar to any Flip user. The arm snaps out from the body of the UltraHD when you slide down the gripped button on the side of the camcorder. As with previous models, the arm isn’t incredibly sturdy and the flip-out mechanism isn’t very well designed. The bulkiness of the Flip UltraHD compared to the Flip Mino also makes it a much bigger pain to connect to a computer.

Since the USB arm only extends roughly an inch from the body of the camcorder, it means the Flip has to be right next to you computer when you plug it in. The thing is, since the UltraHD is actually thicker than many laptops, it can create a lot of difficulty when you connect it to a USB port. When we connected camcorder to a MacBook Pro, we had to prop the laptop up on a small book or pad of paper in order to get the UltraHD’s USB arm to line up properly. This is terrible design, as you can risk damaging your computer’s USB ports, or the USB connector on the camcorder, simply because the USB arm doesn’t bend or flex (like any ordinary cable would). Pure Digital does sell accessory USB cable extenders, but for $25 bucks a pop—you’ve got to be kidding.

In comparison, the Sony MHS-CM1 uses a regular USB cable connector, while the Kodak Zi6 has a similar pop-out USB design like the Flips.

While all Flip camcorders have the standard built-in USB arm, the Flip UltraHD is the first to have an HDMI output. The HDMI output is located on the lower-left side of the camcorder and it doesn’t have a port cover or any protective element. We like the inclusion of HDMI on an HD camcorder, but it does mean that you’re out of luck if you want to connect the Flip UltraHD to you’re old standard definition television.

Battery (4.95)

In comparison, the Sony MHS-CM1 lasted quite a bit longer in our test (124 minutes), but that camcorder has an internal battery that cannot be removed. The Flip MinoHD also features an internal battery, and it lasted for 93 minutes in our test. The Kodak Zi6 features a similar battery design as the Flip UltraHD—it can run on 2 regular AA batteries and it ships with a set of rechargeable ones.

A power adapter is available for the Flip UltraHD, which enables you to recharge the device using an ordinary power outlet (see image below). This item is good to have, especially if you plan on traveling and don’t expect to have a computer USB port handy to charge the camcorder. Pure Digital’s website also claims this power adapter will result in faster charge times. Unfortunately, the design of the Flip UltraHD USB arm makes it difficult to connect the camcorder to the power adapter (not to mention a laptop computer). Find out how the Flip UltraHD performed in our battery life test.

Media (5.71)

The Flip UltraHD offers 8GB of internal flash memory—double the capacity of the Flip MinoHD. This 8GB of internal memory is where all video recorded with the camcorder is stored. There are no memory card slots or any options for removable storage. The 8GB of memory will hold roughly 120 minutes of video on the Flip UltraHD, while the 4GB on the Flip MinoHD is only good for about an hour of footage.

The Sony MHS-CM1 takes a different route than the Flip camcorders, as it records video to removable MemoryStick Pro Duo cards. The Kodak Zi6 also follows this design, except it captures video to SD/SDHC memory cards. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.