I continue to be impressed with the Flip Mino pocket camcorder (see previous post) -- It's small enough to take along everywhere, and yet shoots very good video. I used it this weekend at a wedding -- capturing the first kiss unobtrusively in the church, and then shooting at the reception in a restaurant with rather dim lighting. The Mino did well -- yes, the indoor footage is somewhat grainy, but the contrast range is still very good, from white dresses to dark suits, and the Flip even holds up with sometimes constant flashes from all the photographers.
The Flip concept of pocket camcorders really has broken open the market -- Flip Video reports having sold over 1.5 million camcorders after one year, and currently has the #1 and #3 best-selling camcorders in the U.S., according to the latest rankings from market research firm NPD.
Meanwhile, Flip has introduced a new personalization option to customize your own Mino when you order online -- and the service is free.
You can choose from thousands of designs including retro, tattoos, sports, and nature, or from leading design firms and popular brands.
For your personal style, upload and use your own image, or use the Pattern Generator tool to create a unique design: start with your favorite colors and pattern style, scroll though generated variations, and set the intensity from mild to wild.
The design is applied to the entire front of the camcorder (currently only the white model), and can include transparent areas to mix with the base color. The design is then covered with a protective clear coat.
But there's more -- you can share your design for free, or set up a Flip Designer account on CafePress.com to sell your design, and earn $10 each time it is purchased.
Currently, the custom designs are only available on the Flip Mino. But the satisfaction guarantee allows you to return even a personalized camcorder for any reason within 90 days of purchase.
The Flip Video Mino is available in white and black for $179 (or $152 street), with 2 GB of internal memory, to store approximately 60 minutes of TV-res video.
See my Digital Camcorders Gallery for more on digital camcoders, from webcams to HD.
Find the Flip Video Mino on Amazon.com