With increasing competition in the space, Pure Digital has no choice but to turn up improvements. This is especially true with competing products offering more features, while gouging them at the price point (like the outstanding Kodak Zi8). As such, we had high hopes for the second-generation of the Flip MinoHD. For the most part, the company didn’t disappoint.
We said for the most part. In terms of video quality, the MinoHD has fostered some improvements over its predecessor. While it still does the same 1280 x 720 resolution, the improved color saturation and better handling of jerky movements is highly noticeable. Regardless, it still pales in comparison to the Zi8′s considerably better recordings (1080p at 60fps).
Now that the video quality is settled (it’s still not as good as it should be), let’s look at some of the highlights for this iteration. The new MinoHD now comes with a larger 2-inch screen (compared with the 1.5-inch from before) and offers twice the memory at 8GB, which makes for plenty more movies before having to dump them onto a PC. Even better, it now comes with an HDMI jack along the side, allowing you to watch the clips on an HDTV right from the camcorder.
The gadget’s body received a tune-up, too, trading in the plastic panels for an almost full-metal armor. It even comes with an awesome-looking brushed finish, which arguably makes it the best-looking pocket camcorder around. Overall build appears to have been strengthened, including the pop-out USB, which feels extra durable while it hangs by the side of the computer. Battery life is good for nearly two hours of continuous shoots, which isn’t too shabby.
Ultimately, though, it has to stand in comparison with the Kodak Zi8. Priced at $50 cheaper than the Flip MinoHD’s $230 price tag, it remains a difficult task for Pure Digital to win us over.
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
