Video QuickTips

Not really, the Flip camcorder started a revolution in video. The pocket-sized camcorder allowed users to capture pretty good quality video in a compact device and easily upload to youtube. Vloggers loved the Flip, as they could capture their thoughts anywhere anytime. Unfortuantely it seems it’s time has passed. Cisco, which purchased the company recently announced they are discontinuing the Flip. Cell phones, iPads etc all have cameras now and those multi-function devices have cut the Flip and it’s brethren out of the picture. Cisco says it will still support it’s users, but it is restructuring its consumer division, and the Flip plays no part.

That said, the Flip was good at what it did, and the millions out there still do. But it did have it’s shortcomings. Audio for one. The small built in mic captures passable sound, but the lack of a mic input severely hampered it’s usefulness. The lack of removable media is also a major shortcoming in my view. Dumping video off a “full device” can take a long time. Two hours of video can take hours to off load, believe me I’ve done it.

Its competitor, also now discontinued, the Kodak Zi8 addressed some of those shortcomings with a mic input, and removable SDHC and SD cards. In fact I am in the market for a Zi8 at the moment to use as a secondary camera in an upcoming documentary project. It will do double duty as a backup audio recorder since it has the mic input.

I like the removable media since one of the shoots will possibly be on the west coast and this will negate the need to bring a laptop to off load video onto, and allow me to travel light.

Kodak has introduced some newer models to replace the Zi8, but they lack some of the features of the Zi8.