Flipping Over Flips!

Big news! Flip has now come out with the Flip MinoHD! Woo-hoo! It weighs 3.3 ounces and holds 60 minutes of HD video on the internal hard drive. The original Flip is about the size of a cell phone and this once is thinner and lighter. Nice!

If you work in a school that doesn't have any Flip video cameras, beg, borrow (but don't steal!) to get one. Creating videos used to require a higher level of hardware, software and tech skills. Sure you might be able to check out a video camera from the library, but does your computer have a firewire port? Do you know how to capture the video? Flip video cameras take the hassle out of all that, so you can focus on the real reason  you're using it in the first place - to use video as a learning tool.

 

I was talking with Brenna's 5th grade teacher, Scott Hossack. They were doing a reader's workshop and the class was divided into 3 groups. He worked with one group and the other groups used Flips to record their sessions. He is going to watch the tapes and can then meet with those groups and give feedback. What a great use of technology! He was able to focus on the group he was working with, knowing that he wasn't missing the other sessions.

Flips are so easy, it's crazy. I've shown even the most techphobic teachers how to use these babies and he intimidation factor is practically at zero. Power on - press record - zoom in or out - press record to stop. That's easy, but really getting the video onto the computer is generally where it all falls apart. That's where the Flip shines. A cool little USB plug flips out the side and you just plug it in your computer and drag the file to your computer. Done. 

How Do They Compare?

Quality

I recorded the 4th adn 5th grade production of Romeo & Juliet on a Flip and on a Sony Handycam (traditional miniDV digital video camera). I thought the quality of the Flip video would pale in comparison, but it was the same. I couldn't tell which video came f

rom which camera. 

Speed

I dumped the 40 minute production of R&J on my computer in about 3 minutes with the Flip camera. I dumped the 40 minute production of R&J on my computer in at least 40 minutes with the Sony Handycam. Yes, it captures at real time. Also, I accidentally forgot to uncheck a box and the video was broken into 3 minute segments. Not what I wanted.

Zoom

You do sacrifice on zoom, though. The Flip only goes 3x optical, where traditional cameras go higher. I'm not sure how much they'll be able to improve in that area because you need a large lens to have a better optical zoom.

Size

3.3 ounces? Size of a small cell phone? Hello! You could pop this in your pocket and take it with you everywhere. Also, I recommend spending another 22 bucks on a Gorillapod tripod. You can put it on a table top or bend it around a street sign or, apparently, a surf board!

I hope Santa puts one of these under the tree for my family this year!