Mac|Life digital video camera RSS Feed

Flip MinoHD

Roberto Baldwin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:43:00 -0600

Shoot HD video anywhere.

Only a few years ago, shooting and editing video to share with your friends could be a huge hassle. Even with all the video-editing software and ever-growing variety of DV cameras, editing that video of you being spit on by a llama at the petting zoo could still be a pain.
Fortunately for those filmed being accosted by exotic animals, video camera technology has progressed beyond tape technology, and camera prices have dropped dramatically. Wannabe Spielbergs can shoot and share the fruits of their video labor with relative ease. The Flip MinoHD is a good example of what is available today for the YouTube-loving masses.

The Flip MinoHD jumps on the widescreen HD bandwagon, because we all know that widescreen and HD are the new black. The new addition to the Flip family shoots video at 1280x720, double that of its sibling, the Flip Mino. This bump in resolution gives you a more vibrant final video with fewer artifacts. Unfortunately, the screen on the Flip MinoHD is identical to that of the Flip Mino. Because the display is the standard aspect ratio, instead of widescreen, the image on the display is teeny tiny. When you are shooting your subjects they seem smaller than they need to be. You’ll encounter the same situation when reviewing your videos on the device. Hopefully, Flip will rectify this situation in future incarnations of the MinoHD.

The controls on the back of the camera are intuitive and the buttons light up when their functions are available. Flip mysteriously removed the ability to use digital zoom before recording video, which is an odd feature not to carry over from the Flip Mino. Flip’s sharing and editing software is stored on the Flip MinoHD and is user friendly. You can share your videos via YouTube, AOL Video, MySpace, and email. Email sharing sends recipients a link to a player on Flip’s website. Videos can be exported as movies with music and titles as H.264 MPEGs or as videos ready to burned to DVD. While the software boasts editing ability, it is editing in the loosest sense of the term. You can trim the videos and connect multiple videos together, but that’s pretty much it.

The quality of the video is surprisingly good. Going from low-light to bright-light situations was a smooth transition. The MinoHD’s white balance also performed very well. Skin tones registered true to life. The camera handled quick movements without too many artifacts or the “wavies” that plague other low-end video cameras. The Flip MinoHD needs to handle quick movement well because it has no image stabilization. Videos shot while walking or after drinking any sort of caffeinated drink can resemble Cloverfield without the creepy spider monsters. If you’re looking for a stable shot, you should use the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera. In addition to the lack of image stabilization, the camera has no audio input. The internal mic is serviceable in low-background noise situations, but can be easily overpowered by traffic, wind, and the baying of animals.

Still, with all its limitations, the Flip MinoHD is a fun little video camera. It doesn’t try to cram in features that the intended audience doesn’t want or need. The biggest drawback of video cameras is that their owners don’t want to lug them around after the first month of ownership. The Flip MinoHD solves that problem with its small size and ease of use.

iMage Webcam

Roman Loyola — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:27:23 -0600

No iSight? This USB camera rotates and pivots, but lacks a mic and doesn't work with iMovie HD.

The box for the iMage Webcam says it's "Truly Plug & Go," and Pico Instruments' website touts the iMage by explaining that "no device driver is required prior to use." The driver part is true, but the iMage isn't entirely a plug-and-play device. Still, the iMage is a nifty little alternative to the iSight.

Unlike the iSight, the iMage uses USB, which you might prefer if your FireWire 400 ports are all taken and you don't feel like swapping out plugs. But Apple applications that allow webcam use (iMovie HD and iChat, for example) look for a webcam connected via FireWire 400 only. And this is where the iMage's plug-and-play fails - plug it in, launch iChat or iMovie HD, and the software can't use the iMage. To use the iMage with iChat, you need to install the iChatUSBCam plug-in (free, www.ecamm.com/mac/ichatusbcam). Once the software is installed, the iMage works like a charm and serves up clear video, but it doesn't have a microphone. You need a separate mic for videoconferencing. We weren't able to get the iMage to work with iMovie HD.

The iMage isn't as cool looking as the iSight, but its 2.25-by-1.75-by-1-inch body features a magnetic base that'll hold the camera in place on a metal surface. The camera pivots up and down, and you can rotate it 180 degrees.

The bottom line. Since the iSight is becoming harder to find (it's no longer for sale at Apple's online or retail stores, and newer 'Books and iMacs have the iSight built-in), you'll have to consider alternatives. The iMage is a worthy camera for iChat AV videoconferences, as long as you BYO microphone.

COMPANY: Pico Instruments
CONTACT: www.picoinstruments.com

PRICE: $59.95
REQUIREMENTS: 600MHz G3 or faster or Intel processor, Mac OS 10.4.3 or later, USB; iChatUSBCam software needed for use with iChat
Small. Uses USB instead of FireWire. Magnetic base holds it steady.
Requires third-party software to use with iChat. Can't use with iMovie HD. No microphone.

Optura S1

Roman Loyola — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Not pocket size, but small enough to keep in your tacky fanny pack.

Canon's Optura S1 digital video camera is small enough to carry around with you to record those priceless, impromptu moments-no more settling for the mediocre video quality and limited recording time of your digital point-and-shoot still camera. The Optura S1's video quality is quite good-provided you have adequate lighting when you shoot.

Measuring 2.1 by 2.9 by 4.1 inches and weighing about 20 ounces, the Optura S1 comfortably fits in your right hand. (Will lefties ever catch a break with camcorders?) While holding the camera, you access most of the Optura S1's functions with your right thumb, including the Start/Stop button, Power switch, Function button, Focus button, Exposure lock, Set dial, and Menu button. Press the Menu button, and you have easy access to the camera's options, which are listed using icons on the LCD display-though you'll have to learn what the cryptic icons represent. A rectangle with a pair of black and white triangles, for example, leads you to all the options for the camera's display-intuitive, eh? You can breeze through the options using the Set dial, which you also press to lock in a setting.

The Optura S1 uses a good-looking 2.5-inch widescreen LCD. If you don't want to shoot in widescreen, you can set the camera to capture video in the standard 4:3 TV ratio. When you're shooting, icons line the edges of the screen to tell you what settings you're using. Once you learn what those icons mean, they help you quickly know what the Optura S1 is doing. The LCD backlight button that instantly brightens the screen is a nice touch.

The S1 also has two other thoughtful design features you'll appreciate, even if they won't change how you shoot video. The first is that you load MiniDV tapes through the top of the camera-older Canon cameras load from the bottom, so access is blocked when the camera's mounted on a tripod. The second feature is a built-in lens cover that opens and closes with a flip of the switch on the side of the camera-no more fumbling with (or losing) a lens cap.

The Optura S1 has a 2.2-megapixel CCD. According to Canon, 4:3 video uses 1.23 megapixels of the CCD; widescreen mode without image stabilization uses 1.5 megapixels; and widescreen mode with image stabilization uses 1.38 megapixels.
Still images (which are saved to a mini SD card) use all the CCD's megapixels.

In scenes where lighting is adequate or bright, the Optura S1 produces excellent video quality with accurate colors, good sharpness and focus, and nice shadow detail. When lighting is dim, however, the Optura S1's video looks noticeably grainy. We didn't notice any image degradation when using the S1's 10x optical zoom, but as we expected, image quality quickly got fuzzy when we ventured into the camera's ludicrous 200x digital zoom. Still images aren't as sharp as those from a dedicated digital still camera, but they're acceptable, with good color and detail.

The bottom line. It's not the camera to use if you're shooting at night, but for most other situations, we like the Optura S1.

COMPANY: Canon
CONTACT: 800-652-2666 or 516-328-5000, www.canon.com
PRICE: $799
REQUIREMENTS: FireWire-equipped Mac, Mac OS 10.1.5 or later
Compact. Easy to use. Widescreen LCD. Built-in lens cover.
Disappointing image quality in low-light environments. Unintuitive LCD icons.

BONUS TIP: Start Early, End Late
When recording video, make sure you capture everything by starting your recording early, before the scene you want to shoot actually starts. Also, don't end your recording exactly when the scene ends-let the recording go for a little while. This will give you more flexibility when editing your footage. And who knows-you might just catch that priceless, unexpected moment that'll win you a few bucks on America's Funniest Home Videos.