Flip Mino Video Camera - Black, 2 GB,1 Hour (1st Generation) OLD MODEL
by Flip Video
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List Price: Our Price: $40.00 You Save: $109.99 (73%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Flip Mino Video Camera - Black, 2 GB,1 Hour (1st Generation) OLD MODEL
Customer Review: Great quality for such a small camera! ***UPDATED: Camera stopped working all of a sudden ***
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This small camera definitely proved to be more than what I expected; it is practical, small like the size of a regular cell phone (which makes it easy to carry everywhere) and very easy to use.
First thing to mention for those interested in a small video camera, do not expect many functionalities from this model, the zoom it has is digital and does not reach that far; While the functions are very basic (record, play/pause, next/previous) I have found it very easy to use, when you plug it into your PC via USB you can install the software included in it (for both pc and Macintosh) or you can also simply drag/drop the files into whatever folder you want.
The movies are recorded in AVI format and the quality is next to good, I connected the camera into a 50" HDTV and the image did not distort at all.
Bottom-line, a great product, small, easy to use and very practical. I have a 10 month son and I can take this everywhere to record everything I'd like to when I'm with him. I have yet to take this to a concert and test how good is the sound recorded. For my purposes, this is the best product I could ever find.
It also includes a small bag to keep it so you don't have to spend extra on a case for this, unless you want something fancier than the once included. Cables to connect it to a TV are also in the box.
*** Updated ***
So I've had this for almost a month and today it simply stopped working. I was watching some videos in it and when I inserted it in my laptop's USB socket nothing happened, the white light that usually appears when plugged was not there. I disconnected it and tried to turn it on and nothing happened. So I googled the problem and found that some users have experienced this issue with the 60 min. model (the one I have) One of the forums discussing the problem suggested to contact support which I did. Response time was great, within the hour I got an email asking me for the model number printed in the bottom part of the camera. After I provided that information and since the camera didn't seem to have a reset button, I started pushing the `On/Off' and `REC' buttons, I pushed them and held them for some time and then... it simply turned on!
I have been turning it on and recording all day and it seems it is working ok now; I also received an answer from customer service with a potential resolution (which was to reset the camera by clicking a hidden button in the tripod opening area) that I will copy below in case someone else has this problem, it may help, since I got this fixed before that I can't tell if it does.
I guess all I can say is that regardless of the product failure (which can happen to anyone) their customer service and response time were excellent, I work in a customer service are so I can tell you about it =)
I am not removing any stars from my review since the product is working again and this is an isolated problem that can happen to anyone. I was very happy with the response time and customer service they provided.
Response from Flip Video Support:
"We suggest trying to reset your camcorder, and then attempt to charge it again.
To reset, simply take a pin and insert it into the reset hole within the camera's tripod mount, wait five seconds before powering on, and then power on without touching any of the buttons on the back of the camcorder for an additional five seconds.
This should complete the reset process.
Next, please connect the USB arm to a high-powered USB port on your computer, and ensure your computer is powered on. You may see no activity on the camcorder - neither lights nor indication that the camcorder is charging - for the first 30 minutes. Once the initial 30 minutes has concluded, you should see some indication that the camcorder is charging and be able to power the camcorder on. Continue charging for the full amount of time (we suggest three hours) to ensure that the battery is completely charged before recording again."
Customer Review: A Complete Review: From a Lemon to a Perfect Mino
Summary: 3 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This is a VERY HONEST review of my Mino and the Customer Service at PureDigital (the makers of the Flip Mino). Please keep in mind when dealing with electronics there are always lemons for whatever reason. I, unfortunately, was someone who had a lemon. I believe it is important to add a review of these broken products so that customers are well informed about potential problems and their frequency (for example, if 50% of the reviews are reports of problems it is typically a good idea to be wary of a product).
I wanted to title this... "Even an Idiot Can Use," however, my title would not be entirely true. When I first picked the Mino out of the minimalist box it was so easy there was no need to read the "QUICKSTART GUIDE." The Mino is THAT intuitive. Nevertheless, if you do need to read through the guide, you will be happy to know it is a tiny pocket-size foldout brochure... yes, you heard me right... no 500 page book... no instructions in 10 languages (which may not be a good thing if English is not your primary or strong language).
I immediately began recording videos both in and outdoors. In low light and bright light. The small screen made everything I recorded look beautiful and bright. However, on the small screen it looked as though it had a hard time focusing at anything closer than a 1 ½ feet. I found this to be true (much) later after loading the videos on my computer.
After recording several minutes of video throughout the day I came home in the evening, popped in the incorporated USB plug and nothing happened. All the videos and files on the Flip were corrupted. After trying several "fixes" nothing worked. I contacted Customer Service by email, which promises a response within 4 business hours. They were true to their word during this initial contact and were back to me fairly quickly. After several days of back-and-forth emails (no longer within the 4 hours the promised) they did acknowledge that I had a broken Flip and replaced it free of charge. They even emailed me a PDF that allowed me to ship the Mino back to them without paying UPS shipping. I was ecstatic with customer support. However, my cheery attitude took a change in direction when I did not receive a working Mino back until a MONTH LATER! The positive though, it contained all of the videos I recorded from the first day I got the Mino.. in WORKING condition. I really appreciated that extra touch.
Pros:
- Small
- Intuitive
- Super easy to use
- Easy to connect to a PC and retrieve videos off the Mino
- Free shipping back to Pure Digital on broken Mino
- Customer Service works hard to recover videos on broken Mino
- Fairly inexpensive (good for when you don't want to bust out the high dollar camera in conditions where it could become damaged)
Cons:
- Small sheet of directions in English only (not an issue for me but something to note. I did not subtract stars for this)
- I received a broken Mino and there are others out there. Not sure how pervasive these problems are yet but you should look over the reviews and see if this is becoming a trend or isolated incidents before purchasing.
- Customer Service took a month to get a working Mino back to me.
Finally, this does not belong in the pro or con section for me as I knew this before I received the product but I feel I should let everyone know what to expect before purchasing. This is not a camera to film your child's birth, first steps, or ailing family members last birthday. The quality is good enough to post on the internet, email videos to family members, let your children play around with, etc. Please be aware before purchasing the camera's limitations. It is amazing for what it is... a small, light, easy to use video camera, with fairly good picture quality that you don't mind knocking around. A great camera to take to a theme park, on a horseback riding trip, filming the kids playing dress up to email to grandparents, etc.
Customer Review: It's okay... I guess
Summary: 3 Stars
Before all you 5-star reviewers go ballistic on me, hear my reasoning. I am VERY picky!
There are a few problems I've encountered so far. The case that comes with it can't protect the camera from anything except dirt and scratches. If you drop it while it's in the case, don't automatically expect it to come out alive. Hopefully, they design a tougher, more durable case like the ones they have on iPod Nanos - something that allows the viewfinder to peek out, and keep all the buttons open.
The black color makes fingerprints show up on it very easily. This isn't that big of a problem, but it really bothers me to have my fingerprints dirty it - no matter HOW clean your fingers are. However, the case IS a pretty handy cleaning cloth, so it might not be that big of a problem.
For some reason, when I plugged it in and shut down my computer, the battery was completely dead when I tried to turn it on again. I thought it was broken after the first day. I'm not sure why, but the thing was USING power while trying to RECEIVE power, and failing. This may be just a fluke and might not necessarily happen to everyone, but it happened to me, so I'm just letting you know.
The software that came with the camera is next to worthless. It's only good for the bare essentials of editing videos. Even Windows Movie Maker - which comes on PCs for FREE - is better than the software on this thing. I'd much rather use WMM than its software.
The microphone can't pick up sound worth a crap at a distance. If you're more than 15 feet away from it, you'll probably find yourself watching a silent movie afterwards (or maybe just whispers). People will have to speak loudly in order to be heard. Also, when someone is really close to it and talking, they might as well be yelling at it. It's not very balanced at all.
The touch-sensitive buttons are too sensitive sometimes. And if your fingers aren't COMPLETELY clean, they're not sensitive enough.
It also feels pretty cheap. The plastic power button feels like it could get stuck inside it at anytime for some reason, and is unresponsive sometimes. Also, the USB connector that pops out of it isn't too sturdy... I'm nervous leaving it suspended in midair with all that weight on the connector. It makes me think it'll suddenly break off, leaving it powerless (ha... bad joke).
However, it's not all bad.
The camera is, as already established, really small and lightweight; which is very important for me. I, personally, carry a lot of things - cell phone, iPod, gum, keys, Nintendo DS, wallet - in my pockets, so I can use all the space I can get.
It's extremely easy to use. As a matter of fact, if you have to look at the quick start manual at all, you probably shouldn't even be holding a $180 camera to begin with. Even a monkey could use it. No joke.
It DOES make it really easy to share your videos (that is, if you want to). However, if you don't plan on putting your videos on the Internet, this feature is negligible.
The video quality is actually pretty decent, considering how small the thing is.
It only takes about 2 seconds to turn on and focus, and less than 1 to turn off. So, I guess if you ever find yourself witnessing a UFO, you could whip this thing out without having to worry about it powering up and focusing.
All and all, I'm not sure whether this thing is worth the money. I suppose its good for those who are technologically retarded, but that's about it; unless the form factor is your thing. If you're good with more complicated devices, you might want to consider an investment in a video camera with more features and higher quality.
I'd give it a 3.5, but since there is no half-star, it rounds down to a 3.
Customer Review: limited niche product
Summary: 2 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
An interesting little camera. It is small, about the size of a small remote control, has a fixed internal memory and recharges its internal battery only through a USB port.
The video quality is okay, but not great. My Canon A720 IS shoots MUCH better video, and more of it, depending on the memory card used. This camera is limited to only the internal memory, and records 60 minutes at 640x480, 30 fps in MPEG-4, (assuming the battery lasts). That should be pretty good video, depending on the flavor of MP-4 used (part 10 or h.264 is a very good codec, but it isn't stated that this uses h.264). The only place any such information is found is on the bottom of the box in very small print.
The camera has software built in to copy video to a computer (Windows XP, Vista, or Mac OS X only). Manipulating it from there on is not well documented, and the software has to be loaded from the camera to your computer - not a good thing. There was very little documentation included, which is not acceptable for the price. Granted, this is a video camera for people for people who don't want to be bothered learning any details about the gadgets they use, but a true gadget lover wants to know things that just aren't included. Their website is Flash only, and the most recent edition of Firefox couldn't load any useful information - another major strike against them.
I found the camera easy to use, but extremely limited. It has to be recharged by USB port, so you can never get far from another device (most likely a computer) to recharge the camera. You cannot expand or swap the memory or change the video quality, so it is pretty much a niche camera for keeping around the office or home to point and shoot odd little bits of video here and there, or for short trips away from a USB charger.
I can't see $180 for a camera with such limited capabilities. Personally, I would much rather deal with the larger A720 IS, and be able to shoot 8 megapixel stills as well as great video, have removable SD memory cards, and use AA size batteries, all for only $20 more. The difference in flexibility and usefulness for that $20 is pretty amazing, and casts a pretty big shadow over the Flip. The small size is about the only strong point (if you happen to think smaller is better), but with the need for USB power and limited memory, it would not be a good camera to carry around even though it is small enough to fit easily into a shirt pocket.
Also, the build quality is not great. The camera looks great, but the pop-out USB jack is kind of flimsy and oriented so the weight of the whole camera hangs off at an angle. You will probably want a USB extension cable.
It just doesn't seem very well thought out. The buttons and "touch points" that operate the camera are pretty sensitive, and are easily bumped by accident when the camera is on. It is not comfortable to hold, and the beefy metal tripod mount seems way out of place on a little camera like this.
If your video shooting desires fit in with its limited functions, this camera might be useful, but it seems to me it is just an expensive, limited function toy. It comes in a very nice flip (aha!) top box with a soft cloth carry bag (all nicely coordinated by the marketing team). Would that as much thought had gone into the design/use of the actual camera as was spent on the packaging/marketing concept.
Customer Review: Big Fun In A Small Package
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Flip Mino Camcorder, 60 Minutes (4.5 Stars due to the 'shake' factor)
I am used to using a large Camcorder and then downloading the video to our computer for viewing. So picking up this very small light camera to record events was something totally different, I did not really know what to expect, but didn't expect a lot quality wise when it came to images. The images were sharp and the colors vivid. The sound pickup is really amazing considering the size of the camcorder. It even did well in taking videos in fairly low light conditions....such as sunset, or inside the house in a cloudy day. This little gem couldn't be easier to use, you simply take it out, press the on button on the side, then the record button in the middle of the back of the camera and you are recording for up to an hour, until you need to download the videos to YouTube, or your computer...or where ever you want them. Delete what is on the camera and start again. Downloading it to my computer was a piece of cake, however I understand that if you have a Mac, it is not quite as simple as a PC. It fits into my jeans pocket, in the side pocket of my purse and also has a wrist strap. Takes no time at all to take it from your pocket and start recording, so it is great for capturing spontaneous moments. To download to my PC I simply pop open the top and plug it into a USB port on my computer and from there it is simple as following the instructions on the screen and takes just minutes to do. The viewing screen in the back of the camera (where the record stop and start button is located) is large and provides easy viewing of what you are recording, and easy to see the play back on as well. There are also tones when the buttons are pushed to alert you to the fact that you are starting and stopping a function. It also has a zoom, so you can move in for a little tighter shot, I was surprised about that feature.
The downside of it is that it doesn't have the anti-shake features larger video cameras have so I found when walking and filming there can be a lot of bouncing around. Every time your hand moves even slightly, it seems like a big motion, so you have to concentrate on holding the shots as steady as possible, less of a problem if you are only shooting a small clip while you are standing still vs. a longer clip while you are moving. Also the device is small enough that my finger kept finding its way in front of the lens. So you have to just watch out for that, I'm sure it is just a matter of getting used to using it and just after a few times using it, I am much better at holding it far enough down that this doesn't happen.
Still, I really feel the good things outweigh the bad by quite a bit. I know in the past I have missed a lot of things I would have loved to have filmed because I didn't want to carry around the larger video camera all the time. The Flip Mino Camcorder is now with me everywhere I go and is so easy to use, I pull it out everywhere to catch scenes I want to preserve. I am having a great time with this little gadget and really think you will enjoy it as well. I think, for the price, this little camcorder is so easy to use and can't be beat! Very Nice!