Flip video cameras vs. Using video on pt & shoot

[J.T. Griffin]

Hey guys, i’ve been toting around with you tube videos a bit and was thinking of getting a flip video camcorder and getting the waterproof housing for it.

However, I have an Olympus underwater camera that shoots video and didn’t know if I wouldn’t just be better off sticking with that in terms of quality.

Also with those flip cameras, can you view the videos on your tv or is the quality such that they should best be viewed on the computer.

Thanks for your thoughts,
JT

[Tim Angeli]

JT,

Not sure if you’ve seen these, but they might interest you.  I don’t have any personal experience with them, but was thinking they could be seriously fun to play around with on the river.

http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_wh1/index.html

http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_ca9/index.html

No need for a waterproof housing, HD, and quite affordably priced.  

-Tim

[Shannon Drawe]

I have an older version of that camera, and it’s still working quite well. I use it strictly for podcasting so I am not sure what viewing on TV would look like, but with the HD it may be fine.

[Mike McKeown]

JT, I have an older version of the Sanyo and they are great. With the improved image quality, it should be excelent.

Pro’s
Don’t have to worry about swimming.
Fits great into a vest.
Good battery life.
Easy to use.
Image stabilization.
Easy to download footage.
Pretty good software to edit videos with.

Con’s
Picture quality.
Quit easy to move around in your hand.
Difficult to zoom with out moving around too much.

I have an Olympus underwater camera and it didn’t cut it.
Not enough time on the clips, only 1 minute.
Quality is toooooooo poor.
Difficult to zoom.
Card write speed is very poor.

[Neal Osborn]

JT – not to dodge your original specific question . . . but a lot of guys (guides particularly) are loving the GoPro HERO HD video camera system.  It is an HD camera that straps on your head so your composition is whatever your eyes are looking at.  It allows you have both hands free to fish and still capture the scenery and the fish strike, fight, and landing. It comes with a waterproof housing!  If I was in the market I would get a HERO hands down over a Flip.  It is a steal at less than $250.  Good luck finding one – they are always on backorder.

http://www.goprocamera.com/index.php?area=2&productid=33

[Tim Schulz]

The GoPros are hard to find in stock.  If you are interested in one, here is where I bought mine:

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/GoPro-HD-Helmet-HERO/GOP0010M.html

(Looks like they have over 40 in stock.)

[Author]

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