The Flip Ultra: Small Camcorder That’s Made a Big Impression

Sometimes simplifying a device makes it a better buy than adding a boatload of features. The Flip Ultra camcorder is the perfect example. It has scaled down all the features that other camcorders sport to the bare essentials, and it seems to be working for consumers. The Flip Ultra has spent some significant time as the best-selling camcorder on Amazon.com. In fact, it has claimed 13 percent of the entire camcorder market after only a year in existence.

It’s no surprise either; the Flip Ultra offers a small profile, good resolution, excellent low-light (read: indoor) performance, easy syncing with built-in video editing software and a price tag that’s considerably lighter than other camcorders ($149).

Consumers aren’t the only ones warming up to the Flip Ultra. David Pogue, the New York Times technology columnist, praised the Flip Ultra for its simplicity. Business Week called it a great deal and a real contender against the big names in camcorders like Sony, Canon and Panasonic.

It remains to be seen whether the Flip Ultra can maintain its success against the major camcorder manufacturers, but if the success of the Flip Ultra is any indication you may start to see pared-down versions of the overloaded offerings from Sony and Panasonic soon.