REVIEW: HD in Your Hand: The Flip MinoHD

Cisco seems driven to be a leader in the handheld camera race, and its Flip series has become the name to beat. Striking an effective balance between price and power, Flip cameras are the epitome of casual consumer video. They may not have the advanced features or versatility of more expensive cameras, but when all you need is a point-and-shoot, hassle-free video camera, Cisco’s got your back.

The Flip MinoHD is far from industry-grade, but more than enough for pedestrian use. Photo: courtesy of Cisco

One of the latest Flip cameras, the MinoHD, demonstrates all the lessons that Cisco has learned in the years since it started the line. It unites clear and crisp HD video with a form factor that is almost shockingly small and convenient. GMANews.TV took it for a spin, and we can tell you right now that it’s a worthwhile investment, well worth the price. If you really need proof, though, here’s what we’ve got for you: The Body Unless you're wearing skintight pants, the MinoHD can easily give your mobile phone a run for its favored spot in your pocket. It's one of the smallest HD cameras on the market, with a sleek form factor that looks far more expensive than it actually is. Who says a video camera needs to look like a clunky, hard-edged affair? The MinoHD is smooth and shiny, with gently rounded edges and a faintly ergonomic feel in your palm. Only the central record button has traditional tactile response, with the other buttons reliant on electrostatic touch. The shininess does tend to show off fingerprints and smudges very easily, so you may find yourself wiping it down a lot. Fortunately, the surface is also scratch-resistant, so the sleeve of your cotton shirt will do in a pinch if you don't have a microfiber cloth nearby. We don't suggest you do this often, though. Tech is always better cared for with the right cleaning implements. Power-up With a boot-to-record time of less than five seconds, the MinoHD is a citizen journalist's dream. If your reflexes are fast enough to catch the action happening around you, the MinoHD won't disappoint. Built-in image stabilization systems keep the video from getting too jittery (unless you're using the MinoHD variant that doesn't carry it, in exchange for a slightly lower price tag). If you’ve got one, though, a tripod would be your best bet for truly steady footage, since the MinoHD has a socket for that in its base. A lot of video cameras tend to be fussy about what settings to use in what viewing conditions. The MinoHD takes all of that out of your hands and lets you focus on taking the video you want. It tweaks its recording settings on the fly to match your lighting situation, and while it may perform best in well-lit areas or daylight, it does a decent job in low-light scenarios too. There’s no built-in lamp, so you’ll have to get creative if your scene is a little darker than you prefer. There is practically no motion blur or ghosting with the MinoHD, and the zoom lets you get a tighter shot without you having to get closer. Also, while some cameras may claim to support HD video, there’s a fair amount of pixelization in their output. The MinoHD’s output is very clear at 1920x1080, with artifacts and grain appearing only in extremely dim light. You may have to be careful with just how much video you take, though. All this clarity means huge filesizes. An hour-long video eats up about 4GB of space on your computer. It’s well worth it, though, and once you start using the MinoHD you’ll be very reluctant to use a lower-tech camera. You can play videos back on the unit itself or elsewhere (more on that below), letting you manage files on the go. The onboard speaker is clear and crisp, although it doesn’t convey just how solid the MinoHD’s audio quality is as well. Even though the Flip series does cater to consumers rather than industry professionals, what it gives you is still pretty damn good. Connectivity The MinoHD, like the rest of the Flip series, has a standard USB connector built into the casing. A switch on the side releases the connector like a switchblade from the top. While this does have a mild coolness factor, a recurring problem with Flip cameras is still present: your USB port had better be right on your desk, in easy reach. There's no viable way to attach the camera to your desktop computer, for instance, if your ports are nowhere near a flat surface. Cisco would have done well to include a USB extension cord, but that's easily bought from electronics stores. Transfer rates are good, considering the size of the files you'll be working with. The included software is also effective and provides basic management of your handheld creations. For purists who want to do their own file management, you can eschew the program entirely and treat the MinoHD just like a flash drive or a digital camera's removable media. The MinoHD also has a mini-HDMI port at the bottom for direct viewing on an HD-ready monitor or television, but you'll have to get the conversion cable yourself, too. Unlike some of the earlier models of the Flip, the only way the MinoHD can be charged is via its USB connector. There is no extra power input, and that's allowed Cisco to compress the overall form factor even more. SRP Unless you’re after industry-grade video and options, the MinoHD probably has everything you’ll need. And it’s much cheaper than most handheld devices. The SRP is PhP9,995 for the 1-hour version, and PhP10,995 for the 2-hour version. - TJD, GMANews.TV