This handheld camcorder is probably the most affordable, best invention that I’ve ever used in my professional career and my personal life. Last year, I worked on a project that required the purchase of about 100 digital video cameras. As you can imagine, that’s a lot of cameras! So, we set out on a mission - to find the best camcorder with the best quality (high definition preferred) for the best value. Our camcorder of choice? Flip Video UltraHD Handheld recorder.

We used these cameras to shoot lots of footage all over the country last year. Our goal was to provide clips that were crisp and clear enough for distribution to the media, if necessary. If you watch cable news, you’ve probably seen some of our news videos - all filmed with a flip video recorder, all filmed by volunteers who required limited to no training in how to use these cameras. They’re so easy to use, they’re the perfect camcorder for someone who gets intimidated by lots of buttons or transferring data to their computer.

The Search for the Perfect Digital Camcorder

Our criteria:

• Ease of use
• Short time in transferring video to computers
• High definition (the ability to pick up names on name tags, signs, etc.)
• Zoom feature
• Cost
• Battery life

We tried out a bunch of cameras, the Flip Video Recorder was our final choice of our official camera for the project.

Flip Video Ultra HD - Ease of Use

Our team needed to find a camera that anyone could use, right out of the box. We had volunteers using these cameras and flip video recorders are so easy to use, that even ‘electronic’ illiterate people were able to operate them and successfully capture video.

Flip Video Ultra HD - Transferring Video to Computer

The next important criteria was: how fast can we get these videos distributed once we record them? With a Flip Video, you simply pull out the USB on the side of the camera and plug into your computer. You then drag and drop the file. Then, you can e-mail it, upload it to a server, watch it on your computer, burn it to DVD video, whatever. It’s so fast and easy. No memory sticks to worry about, not film roles or tapes. All of the video is stored in the camcorder, itself. (Note, you can upgrade the hard drive with an additional memory card - optional)

Flip Video - High Definition & Zoom Features

We needed a portable camcorder that was also Hi-Def and had a digital zoom. With this camrea, you’ve got it! We were amazed at the HD clarity and how it compared to more expensive $300, $400, $500 HD camera models.

Flip Video Price

Since we needed to buy these cameras in such a high quantity - we wanted something affordable. Under $200 each was a great bargain. There are several models to choose from - UltraHD or just Flip Video Ultra (a bit more cost effective than UltraHD). If you’re in need of capturing family birthday parties, school plays, etc. either camera will serve you just fine.

These digital camcorders are great for teens, grandparents and everyone in between. They’re small, portable and the quality of video and ease of transfer is absolutely breathtaking. They retail anywhere from $99 dollars to $199 dollars, depending on the model and Amazon.com is almost always running a discount.