Review on 🎥 Brushed Metal Flip MinoHD Video Camera, 2nd Generation - 8 GB, 2 Hours (Discontinued by Manufacturer) by Chris Castro

I'm a videographer (among other things). I got my first camcorder in 2005 when I was enrolled in a Masters in Digital Imaging and Design to learn how to capture and edit video. I still love my Panasonic MiniDV camcorder. I record great videos, I have a great stereo condenser microphone, 10x optical zoom, dicomar lens and 3 CCD sensors. But it's standard definition and MiniDV tapes are required. So if I want to work with video I have to capture it from the camera to the desktop using software (Final Cut Pro) to do anything with the media. I've thought long and hard about getting an HD DVR with a hard drive, but I'm careful with my finances. The Flip Video line of cameras appealed to me, but the price makes them a bit extravagant for swing. Buy. But one day, just before Thanksgiving, this Flip MinoHD camera showed up at Revain as a gold box deal for [.] with free shipping. Two hours of HD in your pocket at this price? It was too good to pass up. And I'm so glad I have this little device. Although the quality is not up to the level of a real camcorder, it is very capable. In fact, over the past few years I've shot a lot of videos with a small Canon camera that I always carried with me. Flip is smaller, lighter, more discreet, records amazing stereo sound and comes with very good software for uploading, organizing, editing and sharing videos. (This software also makes it easy to extract a single image as a still image). I am a Mac user and there are no compatibility issues. Battery life is excellent, and the fold-out USB port fits perfectly and charges the camera quickly. I also bought an AC charger but haven't used it yet. I also bought HDMI cables to show my elderly mother what I captured on her HDTV at a size that she really appreciates. The tiny 2-inch LCD on the camera is a bit heavy for older eyes, including mine, but it's good enough; There is no focus here so you can get a rough idea of the framing of the frame which I think is all I need. (Don't even bother with the digital zoom, it's pretty much useless.) When I view the results on an HDTV or desktop (I can play video from the camera or just upload it to my desktop), I'm often pleasantly surprised by the quality of my recordings. Media is natively recorded in mp4 format, which is suitable for almost anything you want to do. The software even offers options to share via Facebook (possibly a bit unreliable) or Twitter (not tried). Definition). But in the meantime, I'll be shooting most of my personal stuff on the Flip. It's easy, fun and inexpensive.