Flip UltraHD Video Camera 8 GB Review

The Flip UltraHD is an interesting camcorder. It is easy to use; the video is fine, and the range of accessories is quite interesting.

Flip has been making easy-to-use camcorders for the last several years from mini-sized flipcams to the new UltraHD that have been easy to use and which deliver quality imagery every time.

When you first look at the small LCD screen at the rear of the UltraFlip, you see how easy it is to frame your video and, since all it takes is a push of the big red button - there really is a "big red button," honestly - and you have two-hours of video capability in a package that looks more like a smartphone than a camcorder. At 2.2 by 1.2 by 4.2 inches and weighing only 8.8 ounces, the third-generation UltraHD's dimensions agree with that assessment, however, there's one feature you will find that just isn't on a smartphone and that's a dedicated camera lens at the top of the front of the camcorder.

Just flip it on, frame your video and you can shoot up to two hours of imagery at 60 frames per second with the press of the button. The UltraHD shoots high-definition imagery at 1280 by 720 pixel resolution. This also happens to be the native resolution of standard high-definition video.

Of course, the two-hour limitation is something that you will have to remember, so either ensure that your laptop is nearby as the USB upload port also charges the built-in battery or you can power the UltraHD with three A-A-A lithium batteries.

The beauty of this camcorder is two-fold: first it is simple to use and sophisticated so that your images are autostablized and second, when you plug in the USB arm the UltraHD automatically enables the built-in Flipshare Software on your PC so that you can not only watch your video, but you can edit it. The same software also enables you to set up channels to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media.

The UltraHD looks like it is about to become the heart of a simply sophisticated system as a micro-HDMI interface cable is planned so you can view or upload your images to your PC or the Internet and there are lens accessories planned, plus more. The UltraHD may not look like it is a "real" camcorder because it doesn't have a flip-out screen and there's no large, wide-angle photo lens (as you find on the Sony line) but it is certainly an interesting camcorder for the photographer who wants to take high-speed video (it operates at twice normal 30 fps speed) but then use that video with a wide variety of devices.