Flipping Out – In Praise of the Pure Digitals Video Camera

Rory, one of the guys in our office, is fond of advising budding filmmakers not to buy a good quality camera. “If you have the kind of money to be buying a camera,” he says, “you have enough to make a short film. Or better yet, give the money to me and I’ll make a short film with it.” A decent quality camera can be rented, with tripod for under £100 a day and if you can find a cameraman with his own equipment then you might even be able to avoid that cost. “If you insist on buying a camera,” Rory continues, “get one of these.” It is at this point that he reaches into his pocket and pulls out something the size of a normal digital still camera. This is the Flip, and it comes in several variations (Mino/Ultra, SD/HD etc) all of which are available for well under £200.

The Flip is pocket-sized, very, very simple to use and comes with a handful of useful features thrown in. It can record up to 120 minutes of footage in HD quality, it has a built in USB adapter meaning you can plug it straight into your computer and it also has its own software pre-installed that allows you to easily edit and organize your footage as well as capture stills and load clips instantly onto all the popular video sharing websites. Here is the Flip website and here is a camera test using the Mino. Make sure you hit the HD button on the bottom right of the video player. This is where you can buy it.

There are many uses for the Flip and we are sure you can discover many more. Here are some of the tasks we have set it to work on

Composition and camera movement training tool
The Flip is perfect for the budding director who needs a camera to play with. With the Flip you can practice composing shots as well as working out what camera movements and angles work. This valuable training tool can also be used in rehearsal with actors in the weeks leading up to the shoot and the hire of the expensive camera. Now you have a rough idea of what you are going to shoot and how it is going to look when your fancy camera arrives.

As a cheap, expendable and portable camera
For those with a larger, if not unlimited budget, the Flip can be used to film from slightly more perilous positions. For example, it can be strapped to the side of a car, or held over a precipice without too much capital being put at risk. Because of its small size it can also be used in tight spaces where a bulkier camera will be awkward or unusable.

On the fly filmmaking
The Flip’s portability means that it need never be far from the filmmaker’s grasp. This makes it extremely useful for capturing footage whilst out and about in everyday life. Capture locations, exciting events, record interviews (see here (www.raindance.tv) for some interviews recorded on the Flip). Make mini-documentaries and super-short shorts. You could even film a young relative’s birthday party.

Viral Filmmaking
As the film industry spirals out of control a new model of independent filmmaking is responding to new media platforms. Mobile phone and internet videos are increasingly popular; youtube hosts multi-episode series, the viral has become a powerful form of advertising, it has become very easy to add videos to blogs and more and more formal media channels are recruiting user created content. The Flip makes creating these videos very easy; it is simple to record footage and the quality is more than sufficient for internet video-players. It’s low price and simple design mean that it is now easier than ever for someone to upload content. It is up to you to find an idea original and good enough to bring in a large audience. Here is a nice little film made on the Flip

Now so far this article has come probably come across as some form of subtle (or not so subtle) marketing, but it is worth noting that the Flip is not without its drawbacks.

Firstly, the video and lens quality is not amazing. It is more than good enough for the functions listed above, but don’t hold out any hope of it being good enough to show at your local IMAX. The picture quality is better on the Ultra than on the Mino, which adds a yellow tinge to its images. Secondly, for the serious filmmaker the 2x digital zoom is not particularly useful and the inability to manually focus the camera may be somewhat inhibiting. Thirdly the lens angle is a little narrow, more so on the Mino than the Ultra. This, however, is somewhat fixable if you attach an external lens to the camera. Pure Digital, who makes the Flip, does not endorse this process but it seems quite useful. Here is a youtube video showing how it is done. Fourthly and finally, the microphone is an omni-directional condensing one. It is of surprisingly good quality but you may want to consider a separate sound recording system.

These drawbacks are minor however when compared to the smorgasbord of possibilities that the Flip camera will provide you with. We don’t recommend you buy a camera, but if you do, this is the one you should go for. You can buy the Flip here.

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James has been out of university for a year now and no-one has walked up and offered him a job - yet.

He is, at the moment seeking shelter and solace in the warm bosom of a Raindance internship and hoping that the recession will have gone away by the time he emerges from the cocoon-like cellar.

At the moment he hones his (already razor-sharp) skills by writing articles and timetables for the above mentioned festival company.

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