Flip Video Ultra

The Flip Video Ultra is an inexpensive plug-and-play camcorder whose focus is on simplicity and ease of use. The Ultra is the new and improved version of the Flip Video from Pure Digital. The Flip Video Ultra has no tapes, discs or memory cards; all video is stored on its built-in flash memory. Transferring your videos to your PC is simplified as well: 1) there are no cables; simply plug in the flip-out USB adapter to your PC, 2) there isn't any software or drivers to install; once the Ultra is connected to your USB port, built-in software loaded in memory on the camera allows you to transfer your videos.

Where to Buy

Flip Video Ultra Black
MSRP $149.00
Release date September, 2007
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Pros & Cons22
Reviews12
Details
Buy It
Competitors12
Comments6
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
11 reviews
60
negative
mixed
positive
7 positive
0 mixed
4 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
+8agreedisagree

•
Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
+8agreedisagree

•
Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
+8agreedisagree

•
Very light, weighs little more than a deck of cards.
+7agreedisagree

•
So simple to use even a small child can use it.
+7agreedisagree

•
Uses standard AA batteries
+5agreedisagree

•
Compact - fits in your pocket
+5agreedisagree

•
Inexpensive - 1GB model retails for $150
+4agreedisagree

•
Uses MPEG4 compression
+2agreedisagree

•
Cheap!!
+1agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
No cap or cover to protect the lens when not in use.
+6agreedisagree

•
No way to upgrade memory capacity
+5agreedisagree

•
Video quality is decent but not great
+4agreedisagree

•
The record button is small and centered in between other buttons. Pressing the record button with your thumb often results in pressing other buttons.
+2agreedisagree

•
No re-chargable batteries
+1agreedisagree

•
VGA only resolution, not full NTSC or PAL,
+1agreedisagree

•
No HD
+1agreedisagree

•
Uses outdated AVI format
+1agreedisagree

•
Low resolution screen makes it hard to judge quality of take.
+1agreedisagree

•
"Playback failed" errors
0agreedisagree

•
Strange color availability exclusive to Walmart
-1agreedisagree

•
buggy software that does not give even an easy option to save videos
-2agreedisagree


12 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

Features

  • video: 640 x 480, 30 fps, 4:3 CMOS sensor, MPEG-2
  • colors:
    • 2GB - white, black, orange, pink
    • 1GB - white, black, lime green*, pink*
  • 1.5" LCD screen, speaker, microphone, tripod mount
  • swiveling USB arm to connect to computer
  • uses standard AA batteries
  • built-in software: organizer, mailer, publisher (to YouTube, AOL, etc.), editor
  • get your Flip Videos transferred to DVD at 9,400 photo/pharmacy locations in the US
  • 2X zoom
  • Dimensions: 4.125" x 2.25" 1.25"
  • Weight: 4.9 oz.

* only available at Walmart starting November 2007

The Ultra is available in 5 color options (black, white, orange, lime green, and pink) and two capacities (1 GB for $149, 2 GB for $179). The most notable improvements over the previous generation are the simplification of the publishing of video to video sites like YouTube and AOL, and increase video recording quality.

The Ultra was release in September 2007 and is available from many online retailers as well as in stores. Pure Digital has an exclusive deal with Walmart to provide exclusive color options beginning in November 2007. Consider the Aiptek GO-HD priced at under $300 for similar functionality but with HD recording (1280 x 720, 30 fps) with upgradeable SD memory.

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This report was started September 21, 2007 at 12:17 pm by Erik
with the last edit occurring August 26, 2009 at 12:15 pm by Lefty10
This page has been viewed 8271 times, with 163 edits by 18 contributors.
See the full report history »

Buy It

Flip Video Ultra

• Flip Ultra Series Camcorder, 60-Minutes (Black)

• Pure Digital Flip Video Ultra 60 Minute Black

UPC: 092684000438

EAN: 0092684000438

MPN: F260B

Competitors

Flip Video Ultra is ranked 8th among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Camcorders »
Flip Video Mino

Flip Video Mino

MSRP  $179.99    Released  June, 2008
Pros
  • Compact design
  • Very lightweight
  • Improved battery life
Cons
  • Doesn't record HD
  • Not much video quality improvement over standard digital camera videos
  • More expensive than the Ultra
ProSCORE
4 reviews
70
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Flip Video Ultra 0% vs. vote Flip Video Mino 100%
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD700

Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD700

MSRP  $600.00    Released  October, 2007
Pros
  • 720p recording in MPEG-4 AVH/H.264 format
  • Good price for its features
  • Included cradle has many output options including HDMI
  • Improved compression means more recording on a single SD card
Cons
  • Lens is a very small diameter and is only X5. Same lens as used to be on HD2 would fare much better.
  • Could do with a faster lens.
ProSCORE
4 reviews
89
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Flip Video Ultra 0% vs. vote Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD700 100%
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1010

Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1010

MSRP  $799.99    Released  July, 2008
Pros
  • HDMI output
  • Improved bitrate to 14 mbps; up from 12 mbps in the HD-1000
  • Face detection feature
Cons
  • poor image stabilization
  • Because of its light weight, video gets shaky when zoomed to 10x.
  • expensive for the average consumer
ProSCORE
7 reviews
77
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Flip Video Ultra 0% vs. vote Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1010 100%
Panasonic HDC-SD9

Panasonic HDC-SD9

MSRP  $799.95    Released  March, 2008
Pros
  • 3CCD recording
  • Very small and lightweight
  • HDMI output
  • Capable of recording FullHD 1080p @ 24 fps
  • 58 hours record time on 32 GB SDHC memory card
ProSCORE
3 reviews
100
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Flip Video Ultra 0% vs. vote Panasonic HDC-SD9 100%
Creative Vado VF0570

Creative Vado VF0570

MSRP  $99.00    Released  May, 2008
Pros
  • Great value for the price
  • Lightweight
  • Easy to transfer to your computer
Cons
  • No extended memory option
  • No Mac software
  • No optical zoom
ProSCORE
7 reviews
61
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Flip Video Ultra 33% vs. vote Creative Vado VF0570 67%
Aiptek GO-HD

Aiptek GO-HD

MSRP  $299.00    Released  May, 2007
Pros
  • Inexpensive HD camcorder
  • Very compact
  • HD recording - 1280 x 720 @ 30 fps
Cons
  • No built-in memory
  • Doesn't include built-in memory or an SD card
  • fits palm poorly
ProSCORE
5 reviews
72
Vote! (4 votes)
vote Flip Video Ultra 50% vs. vote Aiptek GO-HD 50%
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000

Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000

MSRP  $1,000.00    Released  September, 2007
Pros
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Includes cradle with many output options including HDMI
  • Decent battery life and recording times
Cons
  • 1080i only - no 1080p
  • Still image quality is not that sharp
  • Slow autofocus
ProSCORE
18 reviews
57
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Flip Video Ultra 50% vs. vote Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000 50%
Aiptek A-HD 720p

Aiptek A-HD 720p

MSRP  $129.00    Released  August, 2007
Pros
  • Hundreds of dollars less than competition
  • Strong flash
  • Video capture is actually pretty decent
Cons
  • No optical zoom
  • Annoying placement of record button
  • Records at 30 fps
ProSCORE
4 reviews
62
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Flip Video Ultra 50% vs. vote Aiptek A-HD 720p 50%
Creative Vado HD

Creative Vado HD

MSRP  $229.99    Released  December, 2008
Pros
  • affordable price
  • full 720p high definition video
  • 8GB of built in capacity
  • easy to use, upload or playback
Cons
  • no expansion slots for further memory
  • no optical zoom
ProSCORE
2 reviews
83
Vote! (0 votes)
vote Flip Video Ultra   vs. vote Creative Vado HD  
Kodak Zi6

Kodak Zi6

MSRP  $179.99    Released  September, 2008
Pros
  • Very well priced
  • Takes SDHC cards (cheap, and high capacity)
  • Uses AA batteries - can be replaced on-the-go, rechargeable
Cons
  • Very poor low light capabilities
  • No wind noise cancellation
  • No microphone input
ProSCORE
4 reviews
62
Vote! (0 votes)
vote Flip Video Ultra   vs. vote Kodak Zi6  
RCA Small Wonder EZ201

RCA Small Wonder EZ201

MSRP  $100.00    Released  September, 2004
ProSCORE
0 reviews
N/A
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Flip Video Ultra 100% vs. vote RCA Small Wonder EZ201 0%
Flip Video

Flip Video

MSRP  $119.00    Released  May, 2007
Pros
  • Cheap video camera (512 MB: $119, 1GB: $149)
  • Small, lightweight (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3", 4.8 oz.)
  • Very simple to use. Minimalist design
  • Seemlessly and simply upload videos to YouTube
Cons
  • Poor video quality (mobile phone < Flip Video < MiniDv)
  • USB may be awkward to connect to your computer
ProSCORE
2 reviews
67
Vote! (4 votes)
vote Flip Video Ultra 100% vs. vote Flip Video 0%

Suggest a new competitor to add to the list of competing products.
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Comments

1.  avatar bferman said:

You can buy the Flip Ultra as Best Buy as well in both 1gb and 2gb varieties, but it only comes in White at that store.

This video camera is solid state and has no moving parts. My 4 year old even shoots video with it.
Sep 24, 2007 9:48am
2.  avatar Erik said:

Oprah's getting in on the YouTube sensation. She had Steve Chen and Chad Hurley on her YouTube special episode today. Oprah used the Flip Video Ultra to make some videos.

Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVssEHODO5M

She's got a new Oprah channel. It's kind of annoying that embedding is disabled and comments are heavily moderated, though. Baby steps, Oprah. Baby steps.
Nov 06, 2007 7:03pm
3.  avatar molawlor said:

IF YOU HAVE A MAC!! Please be aware, the camera crashes my finder every time I connect it in whatever account I use. The updater hangs every time I attempt to run it. You can't access new or old software to reinstall at the website. Total POS. Don't waste your money. I'm taking mine back at first opportunity.

No I am not an idiot who can't handle plug-and-play. I have 2 Apple hardware certifications.
Nov 24, 2007 11:20am
4.  avatar molawlor said:

Oh, and I forgot to mention that after the updater failed one time, it popped up a window that advised me to do a manual update and provided a dead link. Nice.
Nov 24, 2007 11:22am
5.  avatar bo3b said:

Works fine on my Mac. I don't have an Apple hardware certification but I've been a Mac owner for many years.
Jul 06, 2008 9:16am
6.  avatar DamienT98 said:

I love my flip. I managed to get one from Circuit City in their closing down sale for only $100. But i'd pay double for it, it is worth every penny. The nice thing is, the file it films in will go straight into Windows movie maker and Youtube.. so no need to have file converters.

I used mine recently in a car accident, another car hit me and my flip happened to be in my pocket, the handy size it is. I got the damage on film and the guy saying sorry and admitting fault. It is a useful thing to have!
Mar 02, 2009 2:19am
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

fractalhorizon

avatar
October 17, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
29
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
10 cons
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Very light, weighs little more than a deck of cards.
  • Uses standard AA batteries
  • Inexpensive - 1GB model retails for $150
  • Uses MPEG4 compression

Cons

  • No cap or cover to protect the lens when not in use.
  • No way to upgrade memory capacity
  • Video quality is decent but not great
  • The record button is small and centered in between other buttons. Pressing the record button with your thumb often results in pressing other buttons.
  • No re-chargable batteries
  • VGA only resolution, not full NTSC or PAL,
  • No HD
  • Uses outdated AVI format
  • Low resolution screen makes it hard to judge quality of take.
  • "Playback failed" errors

Competitors

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Erik

avatar
September 24, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
73
negative
mixed
positive
8 pros
3 cons

Pros

  • No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
  • Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
  • Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
  • Very light, weighs little more than a deck of cards.
  • So simple to use even a small child can use it.
  • Uses standard AA batteries
  • Compact - fits in your pocket
  • Inexpensive - 1GB model retails for $150

Cons

  • No way to upgrade memory capacity
  • Video quality is decent but not great
  • Strange color availability exclusive to Walmart

Comments

"Oprah's getting in on the YouTube sensation. She had Steve Chen and Chad Hurley on her YouTube special episode today. Oprah used the Flip Video Ultra to make some videos.

Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVssEHODO5M

She's got a new Oprah channel. It's kind of annoying that embedding is disabled and comments are heavily moderated, though. Baby steps, Oprah. Baby steps."

Competitors

Erik prefers Aiptek GO-HD, Creative Vado VF0570 over Flip Video Ultra
Erik prefers Flip Video Ultra over Flip Video
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

bferman

avatar
September 24, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
80
negative
mixed
positive
8 pros
2 cons
love itlove it

Pros

  • No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
  • Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
  • Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
  • Very light, weighs little more than a deck of cards.
  • So simple to use even a small child can use it.
  • Uses standard AA batteries
  • Compact - fits in your pocket
  • Inexpensive - 1GB model retails for $150

Cons

  • No cap or cover to protect the lens when not in use.
  • The record button is small and centered in between other buttons. Pressing the record button with your thumb often results in pressing other buttons.

Comments

"You can buy the Flip Ultra as Best Buy as well in both 1gb and 2gb varieties, but it only comes in White at that store.

This video camera is solid state and has no moving parts. My 4 year old even shoots video with it."

Competitors

bferman prefers Flip Video Ultra over Flip Video
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Amanie

avatar
September 21, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
3 cons

Pros

  • No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
  • Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
  • Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
  • Uses standard AA batteries
  • Compact - fits in your pocket
  • Inexpensive - 1GB model retails for $150

Cons

  • No way to upgrade memory capacity
  • Video quality is decent but not great
  • Strange color availability exclusive to Walmart

Competitors

Amanie prefers Creative Vado VF0570, Aiptek GO-HD over Flip Video Ultra
Amanie prefers Flip Video Ultra over Flip Video
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

strangefish

avatar
October 4, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
88
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
1 con
have ithave it
love itlove it

Pros

  • No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
  • Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
  • Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
  • Very light, weighs little more than a deck of cards.
  • So simple to use even a small child can use it.
  • Uses standard AA batteries
  • Compact - fits in your pocket

Cons

  • No cap or cover to protect the lens when not in use.

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

sandman

avatar
February 18, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
71
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
2 cons
love itlove it
have ithave it

Pros

  • No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
  • Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
  • Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
  • Very light, weighs little more than a deck of cards.
  • So simple to use even a small child can use it.

Cons

  • No way to upgrade memory capacity
  • Video quality is decent but not great

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

rene

avatar
July 16, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
6 cons

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • No way to upgrade memory capacity
  • Video quality is decent but not great
  • The record button is small and centered in between other buttons. Pressing the record button with your thumb often results in pressing other buttons.
  • No re-chargable batteries
  • "Playback failed" errors
  • buggy software that does not give even an easy option to save videos

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

bsmith68

avatar
May 14, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
0 cons
love itlove it

Pros

  • No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
  • Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
  • Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
  • Very light, weighs little more than a deck of cards.
  • So simple to use even a small child can use it.
  • Compact - fits in your pocket

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Competitors

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

lylong

avatar
October 9, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
4 cons
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • No cap or cover to protect the lens when not in use.
  • No way to upgrade memory capacity
  • Video quality is decent but not great
  • The record button is small and centered in between other buttons. Pressing the record button with your thumb often results in pressing other buttons.

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

bo3b

avatar
July 6, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
0 cons

Pros

  • No software to install - built-in software is loaded in memory on the camera itself
  • Easy to transfer videos to your PC and share on YouTube and email
  • Built-in USB arm, so you don't need other cables
  • So simple to use even a small child can use it.

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Comments

"Works fine on my Mac. I don't have an Apple hardware certification but I've been a Mac owner for many years."

Competitors

bo3b prefers Flip Video Mino over Flip Video Ultra
bo3b prefers Flip Video Ultra over Aiptek GO-HD
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No
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