As with previous Flip cams that we've reviewed, the controls on the front of the Flip were extremely basic and user-friendly and looked very similar to older Flip cams, particularly the MinoHD, although the UltraHD was a bit bulkier than its predecessor. The UltraHD shoots 720p video at 30fps. Utilizing the menu on the front of the cam is a piece of cake! You press the red "record" button to start and stop, press the "+" button to zoom in and press the "-" button to zoom out. There is a trashcan-like icon that you press in order to delete videos. Videos can also be posted to YouTube and MySpace as was the case with the older models. Like all Flip video cams, the UltraHD includes pre-loaded FlipShare software for managing and editing clips. This software automatically launches after you insert the USB connector and plug it into a Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Mac OS X computer.
I wasn't terribly impressed with its zoom capability as there was no real upgrade with this feature. The UltraHD had the same 2X digital zoom as the MinoHD. I had to actually get up out of my chair and walk closer to my friend to get a nice closeup of him jamming out on the sax. Although, images did look sharper and clearer than those of the MinoHD. The UltraHD has 8GB of storage and allows you 120 minutes of video. The MinoHD only allowed 4GB of storage and only 60 minutes of footage. The UltraHD also includes an HDMI port for easy hookup to your TV and the typical pop-out USB jack for hookup to a computer. There is no HDMI cable included, but it does include a rechargeable AA battery pack and supports AA batteries.
The UltraHD definitely has its pros and cons but would definitely enjoy shooting with it, especially at at inexpensive MSRP of $199.99 (that's $30 less than the MinoHD). My friend was especially happy to see himself later that night rockin' out in HD on the tube.
