Flip Mino HD 8GB camcorder

MORE: click here to view our video review of the Flip Mino HD 8GB

The original Flip Mino HD was released last year and was the first of Flip's miniature camcorders to record video in high-definition.

The new model, which confusingly has the same name, has an improved design and a few improved features.

It looks largely the same as its predecessor, and in fact the lens and most of the internals are the same - video quality is as before. But the camera has a larger rear screen, improved from 1.5in to 2in, and the screen's quality has been improved too, so it's now easier to see what you have shot.

The controls remain the same, with a large red button to stop and start recording, and touch-sensitive controls for playing and deleting clips, changing the volume or zooming in and out when recording.

The feature that gives the Flip models their name, the USB connector that flips out from the top when you flick a switch, remains. This makes it easy to connect the device to a PC or Mac for copying clips - it charges its battery from this connection too.

Another big change is the memory, which has been expanded from 4GB to 8GB, increasing the amount of video that can be stored at once by two hours. There is also a mini-HDMI connector on the bottom of the Mino HD now, so that it can be directly connected to a flat-panel screen - a huge improvement from the substandard video connector on last year's model, although you will need to buy the cable separately.

As before there is a tripod connector on the bottom if you want really steady shots, although while quality was decent, we would not recommend using the Flip Mino HD for anything truly important such as a wedding.

Recorded video looked good, but colours were sometimes a little off and suffered from 'fringing' where areas of colour blended.

Software is included on the camera itself. It loads when the camera is plugged in, and can be used to directly upload your films to Youtube and other services, among other things.

The Flip Mino HD is easy to use and works well. If you do not need top-quality video and want a very small camcorder, it's ideal.

MORE: click here to view our video review of the Flip Mino HD 8GB