Hacking The Flip UltraHD Mini DV

 
The Flip UltraHD by Pure Digital (recently acquired by Cisco Systems) is really an innovation. With its palm-size physical dimensions (4.25″ x 2.19″ x 1.17″ (H x W x D), 1280 x 720 resolution, 16:9 HD aspect ratio, 8gb memory / 2 hours recording time, dead-simple file management / video editing software included in the camera and price tag under $200 US, one can hardly go wrong for creating personal videos or video location scouting. (1280 x 720 x 72dpi jpg still images of passable quality for most location scouting needs can be saved from video as well.)

There are, however, a few features that seem lacking in the UltraHD out-of-the-box, foremost for me as follows:

The fixed-focus F2.4 lens is more or less a “normal” length lens and is too “tight” for many shooting situations nor does the lens ring have threads for adding a wide-angle adaptor lens

The UltraHD has no image stabilization, so hand held or moving shots tend to often result in a “shaky cam” effect

 
One well-documented method of improving results due to the first problem is to superglue on an adaptor ring and buy whatever adapter lenses you want. I went with a 32.5mm – 37mm step-up ring, (1) [amazon-product type="text" text="Kenko .43x Fisheye Lens"]B0000BZLTL[/amazon-product] and (1) [amazon-product type="text" text="Kenko .5x Wide Angle lens"]B00006I5D8[/amazon-product], all purchased very reasonably from B&H Photo in New York City.

WARNINGS / CAVEATS:

Modifying your Flip UltraHD will void your warranty. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Be *very careful* with SuperGlue (cyanoacrylate) – if you get any on the lens it could be BIG trouble. The Flip’s lens is plastic! Also be very careful not to get the glue on any other parts of the camera – I personally am currently trying to figure out how I am going to get the battery cover off again – don’t ask Finally, in case you didn’t know, you can actually glue your fingers together pretty tightly with SuperGlue. Be careful with that stuff!

 

My hacked Flip UltraHD: glued on 32.5mm – 37mm step-up ring with a Kenko .43x Fisheye Adapter Lens attached
 


YouTube: rmdembroski: Flip UltraHD DIY Lens Hack
 
Hey, Flip Video! Give us some THREADS on that lens!
 
The other problem with the Flip UltraHD, as mentioned at the beginning of this post, is image stability. An emphatically requested feature addition for future Flips for me would be for image stabilization!

Altho the inherent motion-reducing properties of the wide angle and fisheye lenses help, it’s *real tough* to generate a steady video stream using the UltraHD without putting it on a tripod and especially if you are moving / panning at all. An expensive professional electronic photo / video gyro stabilizer solution is hardly that in this case, considering the expense and additional hardware required. The very essence of the Flip is it’s diminutive footprint and low cost.

The solution I am currently trying is using the [amazon-product align="center" type="text" text="Manfrotto 585 ModoSteady 3-in-1 Camera/Camcorder Stabilizer and Support System"]B00103BRMQ[/amazon-product], but at the same time, I have succeeded in undermining the beauty of the UltraHD by adding all this hardware.
 
[amazon-product align="center" type="image" image="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31CwM-ZR4-L._SS400_.jpg"]B00103BRMQ[/amazon-product]

[amazon-product align="center" type="text" text="Several configurations of the Manfrotto 585 ModoSteady 3-in-1 Camera/Camcorder Stabilizer and Support System"]B00103BRMQ[/amazon-product]

[amazon-product align="center" type="image" image="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21zIoRKQPrL._SS400_.jpg"]B00103BRMQ[/amazon-product]
 
I am currently researching a DIY gyro solution; some others with the same idea have discussed solutions using everything from spinning bicycle tires to old hard drives to toy gyros. The jury is still out on this one!
 


 

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