Camera news
Two snippets of interest to SciCasters:
Flip’s new UltraHD is finally available in the UK. This is a high-definition (720p) camcorder, and reviews suggest it’s almost as good in low light as the earlier Flips, making it a clear leader in the field. I believe it also has a slightly wider-angle lens than its sister the MinoHD, which should make it more useful for our sort of films. Available from Amazon and elsewhere. Starting price is around £120.
Kodak have announced a new addition to their range of Flip-like cameras, but this one may well be the holy grail. The Zi8 records full HD (1080p), has image stabilisation (the anti-shake feature many early HD stick cameras lacked), and — wait for it — a microphone input jack! If this works properly, and if the camera can cope with dimly-lit classrooms, we’ll have a new camera winner. It should be available in the UK from September, for around £150. More detail at Camcorderinfo.
I was about to buy a Flip Ultra HD, but the Kodak looks worth waiting for — a microphone input is a huge boon. Plug in one of these and your sound problems should be more-or-less solved.
