Posted on April 22nd, 2008.
The Flip video camera
is a huge success, and that’s at least partly because it’s so simple and easy to understand. The Flip doesn’t try to do everything; rather it tries to be a competent if basic video recorder — and nothing else. To see just how competent the $150 Flip camcorder is, check out this straight-up comparison to a $3,200 Canon XH-A1 HD camcorder. The comparison videos were taken at the same time, with the little Flip duct-taped to the side of the big Canon.
While no one is saying that a high-end video camera can be replaced in all cases by a Flip, the reality that inexpensive camcorders are “good enough” for many applications is inescapable. My daughter’s RCA Small Wonder (functionally equivalent to the Flip) takes good enough video and is a joy to use. And my wife has even surprised me with the quality of video taken with our Sony point-and-shoot camera.
Small, cheap, good quality video recorders won’t necessarily “change everything”, but the technology is still disruptive in its own way.
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