Category: Neighbourhoods

Which Flip should I buy?

UPDATE:  I rewrote this in October 2012. To see new views please go here.

—–

It’s a question I’m often asked.   May I start with something simple.  I’m assuming you want something that is easy to use, easy to carry and makes video which is simple to edit and very quick to upload to the internet.  If so buy this one, the Flip Mino – but not the high definition one.

If you are going to but a flip get this one
If you are going to buy a flip get this one

Why?

It is light and very easy to carry in a pocket or a bag.
I’ve used and owned the larger ones but found that the red record button was prone to stick.  On these it works like a dream.
60 minutes is plenty of recording time.
The built in usb connector is darned useful.
It does wide screen, which is nice.
There’s no point in buying the high definition one because the lens is the same and the files are just bigger and take ages to upload to the net.

Tip:  the white one if often cheaper than the black one and you’ll rarely find any for less than they sell on Amazon.

What if I want something like a Flip that isn’t a Flip?

At the moment the best reason to do that is because you want better sound. The Flip does perfectly decent sound in straightforward conditions – but make it very noisy and you start to struggle a bit.

Oddly there are not that many sensible choices. There are growing number of high definition flip type camera  that allow you to do what you can’t do with a flip – plug in an external microphone.

Dave Briggs has this very informative explanation of why it’s worth buying a Kodak Zi8:

What Dave says is right, but the point of the Flip is simplicity.  Once you have to add an external microphone, plug it in,

Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera - almost but not quite
Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera – almost but not quite

mess with it, hope it doesn’t drop out then – to keep the file size down, remember to reset the video recording quality to less than HD (for upload speed) I’m not convinced the more complex camera will be better. It does have one advantage – you can take stills.

It is still simpler to buy the Flip and ask someone to step into a quiet room to talk to them.

However sound is all important in online video so there’s a more expensive but better solution.  I bought one a few weeks ago and love the new Zoom Q3.  You can record just audio if you wish ( a still photo combined with an mp3 makes great content) and will record very simple video with great audio. There’s a built in USB connector, you can use and sd card and the file sizes are weeny – so whizz up to the net.

This is what @documentally says about it – and I agree with him:

What then is special about it?:

Robust
Same ease of use at the Flip
Great sound without needing an external mic
Low resolution video – hence small file sizes.
Does just audio in great quality

So for for me the almost ultimate is the Zoom Q3 – give me widescreen yet low def video on the Zoom Q4 and I’ll be a very happy man.

Central Social Media Surgeries: We’re moving!

The Birmingham Social Media Surgeries have taken place within the walls of a number of venues since their conception in September 2008. We’ve previously set up camp at BVSC Birmingham Centre for Voluntary Action, and have run the central surgeries from our offices at Fazeley Studios in Digbeth.

But we’ve noticed during the winter months some people have been reluctant to make the dark evening walk to Fazeley street. So we’ve decided to move to a venue a little bit closer to the city centre.

The December Social Media Surgery Social was at our new venue – the studio. The lovely people at the studio are letting us take over their bar area free of charge allowing us to carry on our voluntary service (so long as people buy a beverage from the bar). It’s a bright space with excellent WiFi and a friendly atmosphere, and located right in the centre of Birmingham – it couldn’t be easier to get too (see directions below).

Wendy and Kati from Fazley Studios
Wendy and Kati from Fazley Studios

While we are excited about holding our Central Birmingham Social Media Surgeries in the city centre, we also want to say a HUGE thank you to all the lovely people at Fazeley who stayed behind after work to make sure we could run a surgery in the reception area, providing us with tea and coffee and always there to help.

Read more

December Central Birmingham Social Media Social

Our brains are fried, we’ve done a bunch of great social media stuff… it’s time to kick back and have a chat with friends we have met through the Birmingham Social Media Surgeries this year.

Our December Social Media Surgery is going to focus mainly on the ‘social‘ part of ‘social media’. It’s a great chance to come a meet other people who have been to surgeries in Birmingham, discuss your ideas and work, and hopefully go away feeling supported and inspired for the new year.

The Social Media Social will take place on Tuesday 15th December from 5pm – 7.30pm at the studio on 7 Cannon Street, Birmingham, B2 5EP (link to map).

Talkbar Bar Area
Photo: Edward Moss

The lovely people at thestudio are letting us take over their bar area free of charge – all the more reason to buy another drink or two. They are located right in the centre of Birmingham and couldn’t be easier to get too (see directions below).

Feel free to drop-in anytime during the evening. There’ll be no agenda and it is up to you whether you come to share and show ideas, or just socialise. It is a space for voluntary groups, organisations to chat and get to know each other. Whether you’ve been to a surgery before or are interested in finding out more about what we do – all are welcome. We’d also love it if the surgeons (our voluntary social media experts) who have helped over the year come along too.

If you want to let us know you’re coming, – sign-up using the form on the BeVocal site here. Or just turn up on the night.

How do I get there? From New Street Station walk down the ramp out of the Pallasades, turn left onto New Street (past H&M) and Cannon Street is the first road on the right. Thestudios are further up on the right (opposite Jigsaw), and the restaurant is on the second floor.

Find out what normally happens at a Social Media Surgery here.