Side-by-side comparison: Flip Video Ultra vs. Flip Mino

by David Spark on June 18, 2008

Friend of mine thought his new Flip Mino was delivering worse quality than the older Flip Video Ultra. He asked me if that was the case. I didn’t know, so I decided to do a side by side comparison and see for myself.

I shot two short videos looking at a mirror and holding the two cameras side by side. Same crappy in-room lighting, same sound in the room. Take a look/listen and let me know what you think. Which camera actually records better? I didn’t do any editing. Both cameras use the same software.

Flip Video Ultra



Flip Mino



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  • http://www.pjk.net pjk

    Ultra FTW, IMHO

  • Kristin Kueter

    the ultra is better.

    k

  • http://laurent.pierssens.com Laurent FP

    Hi David. Definitely the Ultra.

  • http://www.thecmoclub.com Pete Krainik

    Have used the mino now for a few days and it appears to perform better when the lighting is good. FYI. Also next time you do this, please comb your hair at least ( just kidding )

  • David Spark

    Yes, I think I agree with everyone. Ultra is better. With regard to better lighting, I would say the majority of time I use these devices is when the lighting is really bad, like at a party with just the overhead lights.

    And yes, I know I need a haircut. :)

  • http://www.faulconer.org Philip Faulconer

    Under the present conditions, I’ll add my vote for the Ultra.

  • Marissa Goldmark

    While both have roughly the same sound quality, the video is indeed better on the Ultra.

  • Charlotte Ziems

    Great idea David. The Ultra is better, which answers my question as to whether I should upgrade. ;-> I’ll stick with the original Flip.

  • http://www.sparkmediasolutions.com/ David Spark

    With regard to sound. I’m behind the microphone and the subject that’s in front of the microphone (in this case the mirror which isn’t talking) always sounds better. But both were put under the same conditions in this case.

  • http://kadisco.com Josh Kadis

    Timely! I was just looking at which one to buy for the SRAM project I was telling you about – thanks again for your advice on that. We’ll be doing a mix of indoor and outdoor shooting, but the Ultra looks like a safer bet overall.

    By the way, the Kyte review is on the way, I wanted to wait until I’d used it a bit more.

  • http://www.Capozzola.com Michael Capozzola

    The findings are actuakky more conclusive in THIS video:

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9031830169792497501&hl=en

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