Pure Digital kicked off a revolution with a cheap, dead-simple-to-use pocket camcorder. I bought the Ultra when it launched. The pop-up USB was inspired, and it was fun to capture videos of my pug blinking.
Yet with every newer, flashier iteration, Pure’s product line has continued to stray from what made its first offering such a success. I reviewed both the Mino and the MinoHD for Wired, and grew increasingly skeptical. First they traded low prices for Apple-like design lines and a smaller footprint. Then, by the time they added HD resolution, the Flip couldn’t top the picture quality of pocket cams sold by competitors for $50 less.
Nobody hits it out of the park on their first or second at bat, especially in consumer electronics. Pure did, miraculously. But the company’s latest offering isn’t a homerun (last baseball pun, swear). It feels like an identity crisis. The UltraHD adds 720P, 8GB of storage and an HDMI port to the Ultra, but now they’re back to pushing big and clunky?
It’s hard to force lightning to strike twice. But with four Flips to choose from, it’s even harder to explain to your grandmother which camera to buy or why. And I’m not certain even Pure could tell her.
[image via Flickr]
Someone filmed me sending a bouldering problem at my climbing gym the other day with one of these, and the quality of the video was surprisingly good, and from the passing around of the gadget, it seemed idiot proof and reasonably fun.
So, Steve – which camera do I buy?
I borrowed an original Ultra for my vacation last week and loved it. I was going to buy the MinoHD just because it was the latest and greatest, but what about the UltraHD?
The size of the Ultra was fine for me, and I’m a little hesitant about the internal battery on the MinoHD. I think I’d rather have AA’s.
If you had to recommend one for your grandma, which would it be?
It just seems like with the new point-and-shoot digital cameras that these (Flip, et al) will whither. I just bought a Panasonic TZ5 that has HD vid… why carry two gadgets?
I researched this for the last week and just placed an order for the Creative Labs Vado. Check out the video comparison at Vimeo:
http://www.vimeo.com/2523815
Caveat: I’m a QTPro, Handbrake, and Perian user, so the issues brought up re: video playback/editing on the Mac do not concern me. FYI. FWIW. YMMV. Esq.
@nicheplayer, for grandma: the original Ultra. It’s cheap, won’t confuse grandma with things like HDMI, touch buttons or a tiny screen they can’t see.
Personally, I’m using the Kodak Zi6 for a variety of reasons. Here’s my thoughts on it:
http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/Flip_Mino_HD
Don’t forget that the MinoHD has an internal, rechargeable battery, while the UltraHD uses AA batteries. Both have benefits and drawbacks, but the MinoHD’s battery is decently-sized for the storage capacity & I prefer not to waste AA’s or carry an external charger. So, I’d still recommend the MinoHD if you feel similarly about batteries. If you value the ability to carry extra AAs and swap them in for more run-time, you might still prefer the Ultra line (assuming you can live with the larger size).
i just bought a MinoHD and a Creative Labs VadoHD, both retail at the same price (though i got the Vado for 30 bucks cheaper at Amazon). Both cameras have the same resolution, but the VadoHD offers three different modes, including an HD+ at 60fps…the MinoHD only has one shooting mode. The VadoHD has 8GB or RAM to the MinoHD’s 4GB and the VadoHD has an HDMI port and a 2″ screen where the MinoHD has a generic audio out with an RCA conversion cable and of course the 1.5″ screen. Also, the VadoHD has actual buttons, which are very easy to use as opposed to the touch-screen like buttons of the MinoHD…the tactile response makes all the difference when i don’t want to take my eyes off the target to see be sure i don’t hit the wrong button. I returned the MinoHD. Also, both cameras shoot H264 codec (for some reason its a HUGE pain in the ass to use either cameras video with mac/adobe software) so that wasn’t a factor since they offset. I like the Creative Labs VadoHD!
I bought the Vado HD and I really liek it for its wide angle lens and slim form factor. Never played with the Flip before though but judging from the reviews and videos i see online, the Vado HD is better.