Flip Ultra HD Review

Small, pocket-sized HD cameras are becoming increasingly common and affordable.  For less than $200 the options are surprising as the market for web-based video expands.  Vloggers, first-time movie makers, and anyone who wants to capture everyday life and share it in HD need only find a camera that suits their tastes - for me, this was the Flip Ultra HD.

As the 4th video camera in my current collection, what drew me to the Flip in the first place was that I was eager to shoot home videos.  You might expect that with three other cameras this wouldn't be such an issue, but the truth is that it's tough to be spontaneous when carrying a full-sized camera around actually requires some pre-planned dedication.  Portability is everything in this case.

Flip Ultra HD - Front View

The video quality here is impressive given the size and price of the unit, although the Flip Ultra HD shoots 720p at 30fps (1280x720 widescreen) as opposed to the full 1080p.  It comes with a rechargeable battery pack that can also be switched out with two AA batteries, and is otherwise charged through the USB port that pops out of the side of the camera.

Shooting is kept simple and straightforward.  The red button on the back starts and stops recording, and your videos are automatically kept track of given the time and date.  There is a small zoom function, and basic navigation that lets you scroll your videos on the camera.  You can also preview your recordings as you go on the 2 inch screen, which I actually found quite comfortable.

Uploading is equally easy.  Pre-loaded software helps catalogue your footage into folders by the month it was shot in, where you can then organize and export your footage as you please from your computer.  Existing footage on the camera is then removed after capture to free up space for your next outing.

Flip Ultra HD - Back View

Things to keep in mind during shooting is that given the small size of the camera, you'll experience a lot of shaking if you're moving around too much.  Even with an image stabilizer, this is unavoidable with a small unit and you might want to consider using a tripod - there is a mount on the bottom of the camera.  

The Flip Ultra HD should be looked at as an entry level camera (and not an alternative to the full-sized cameras) as there really isn't any way to upgrade it.  There's no mic jack (although it does record audio), no additional space for a memory card, and shooting features are at a bare minimum.  

Still, it's an agile and fun little video camera that makes shooting simple and spontaneous.  Not to mention, it's still a huge step up from what most cell phones are capable of.  You'll find yourself more willing to take it out because you can hide it in your back pocket, and for the sake of sharing more with friends and family this is a definite plus. 

This concise unit is sure to make you rethink the way you shoot video or maybe even give you the courage to start doing it more often.  Throw the Flip HD in your pocket and have fun capturing your everyday adventures!

Below is a Flip cam test that I shot while experimenting with how I could mount the small camera to various points on my Jaguar.  The border around the video was added in post - more on this Flip HD test here. 
 

Chicken Noodle Soup

Of the few things I usually choose to make for myself, chicken noodle soup has long been a favorite and became a regular addition to my menu in film school.  I'm not talking about canned soup here either - not that chicken noodle soup is that complicated to make.  The way it makes the place smell is as much a treat as the meal itself, and I always make a lot so I can enjoy it for a few days.

Cooking this today reminded me of my winter semesters in the dorms.  January and February always feel a bit bleak to me, and this all just seemed emphasized when you were trapped in a small box of a room.  The communal kitchen was usually a disaster, but still, chicken noodle soup was the one thing worth cleaning the kitchen for (at least the bit of counter that I needed).

In between several edits I need to wrap up this weekend and a forecast full of snow, there's nothing like a bit of comfort food.

Film School Storyboard

Film school was meant to over-prepare you for the potential challenges that the real world would present.  While I still have yet to encounter the majority of these situations, the truth is there were some great exercises that I still borrow on to this day.

In the very first core film production class that I ever took, we were required to do an in-camera edit.  This meant no software and that things would have to happen chronologically for your project to make sense.  Like most projects, things were left fairly open-ended for each of us to make our own mistakes and find a personal style.  I was reminded of all this when I discovered my original storyboard for that in-camera project, titled Homeless, that I'd drawn up.

Homeless Storyboard - Click to Enlarge

I always argued that every filmmaker created a homeless guy movie at some point, so I suppose I was eager to get my own out of the way.  While the project is alright, it's always been the technique and experience that I gained from it that I like to talk about.  Finding the storyboard just further emphasizes what a great starting point this was for learning how to think through my shots, cuts, and how to compose a complete piece.

With the music altered in post and titles added when I uploaded it to YouTube years later, this project is otherwise exactly as the storyboard illustrates.  Despite blogging about my film school history on a regular basis, it's cool to actually discover a piece of it and have the story present itself.