Flip Video Ultra review

The Flip is the rebellious toddler of the camcorder world.

It's spawned a new category of budget MPEG-4 video cameras that, while not intended to replace a more expensive digital camcorder, still provide quality far superior to that of a mobile phone. The result is a handheld device that captures up to an hour of good quality video that can be easily downloaded to your computer or instantly played back on a TV.

We were immediately impressed with the Flip's simple operation. Shooting our first video was just a case of inserting the supplied pair of AA batteries, switching on, and hitting a big red button. To view video, with sound, you press Play; to delete it, yes, you press Delete. See, you've got the hang of it already. Even transferring footage to your PC is foolproof, via the flip-out USB connector.

How does it stack up to the Creative Vado, though? Next to the sleek metallic lines and larger screen of its rival, the Flip looks decidedly toy-like. It's about twice as thick as the Creative, its screen is smaller, and its lens looks like it was lifted from a Kodak Brownie. But go beyond its cosmetic appearance and you'll find the Flip not only sits in the hand more comfortably than the Vado, it also produces a noticeably better quality of picture and sound. We found its video quality top notch, and it suffered none of the over-exposure of bright scenes that afflicted its rival. The screen may be small, but it's crisp and clear, and thanks to transflective LCD technology it was easily visible even under bright sunlight.

The Flip Ultra comes complete with a soft pouch and the cable you need to view videos on your television. The Vado costs less, but doesn't include either. We also preferred AA batteries (you can use rechargeables) to the Vado's built-in lithium cell, as you can carry spares rather than needing a USB port to recharge the camera.

The Flip is great fun and produces very watchable footage with zero effort. What more could you ask?