Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)

I film weddings professionally so I own several video cameras. All of my professional cameras still use tape and are too bulky for capturing quick home movies. Since the birth of my son I've been eyeing a small, solid state based camera. The Flip UltraHD seemed to be the closest fit for what I was looking for. The Flip series follow the Apple way of design. That is to eliminate things that may otherwise get in the way of a positive user experience. To make something that you just want to pick up and use without reading a manual. You won't find any controls for adjusting exposure or audio levels which can be somewhat annoying for someone such as myself. Therefore things like backlighting and clipping audio can be a problem. Camera shakiness is a problem especially outdoors since the UltraHD has a fixed 2.4 f-stop lens and no ND filter. The UltraHD compensates for this by boosting the shutter speed. Outdoor footage on a bright sunny day can easily take on a 'Saving Private Ryan' look if you're not careful. Also the lack of a wider angle lens makes it more difficult to use in tight locations. However I forgive the limitations of the UltraHD for it's sheer simplicity. I used it in conjunction with a Canon Powershot for a recent family vacation. I incorporated both video and stills and created a short home movie. It turned out great with the aid of iMovie 09. I don't use iMovie 09 for my business but just like the UltraHD it's easy and fun to use. Importing video can be a concern if you're using older (slower) hardware. For iMovie users I recommend downconverting the footage to 960x540. You lose little in quality and the footage is much easier to edit. To sum it up: If you can overlook the short comings of the UltraHD then you'll truly enjoy using it. The quality of the footage is great if you can work with the limitations.Get more detail about Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black).