Flip Video Ultra HD camcorder

More: see our video review of the Flip Video Ultra HD

The Flip Mino camcorder caused a bit of a sensation when it was released a couple of years ago, and we were impressed with the recent Mino HD which added high-definition shooting capability while keeping the same pocket size.

The Flip Ultra HD offers the same high-definition resolution but is significantly bigger than the Mino HD. It’s a chunky device, about the same size as a packet of 20 cigarettes (albeit a couple of centimetres taller) with a rounded front and a lens that protrudes very slightly.

The screen size – one of the problems with the Mino – has been increased to 2in and has a higher resolution. The plastic buttons on the new unit were easier to use than the touch-sensitive ones on the Mino.

Sadly the Ultra’s quality shows little improvement over that of the Mino, but the amount of storage it includes has doubled to 8GB, allowing for two hours' worth of footage instead of the Mino's one.

In fairness, the Ultra is likely to be used mainly for uploading video to Youtube and for that it’s perfectly adequate, but with jarring motion and blurred detail we wouldn’t be keen to use it for anything more important.

The upside is that despite the upgrades the Ultra HD is £10 cheaper than the Mino HD, although it’s certainly not as easy to fit in a pocket.

More: see our video review of the Flip Video Ultra HD