Wade, mind letting me know what camera you got?

MC

I use my Flip for all my skiing and every thing else!

Its easy to keep it dry with out using it I think I have never had a problem. I keep a water proof box in the boat to store it in along with phones and keys etc. Its up to you.

Another Flip question...  says it won't work with a G4 (non-intel) Mac.  Is that completely true or is it only for certain features?

Deke, I'm running a G4. The latest version doesn't work with, but the slightly older software (version 4.5) does. I just set it up last week and it is EASY.

Buy through this link to help me out, ever so slightly:

Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)

The price is ridiculously cheap.

As far as the waterbox goes, it's easy enough to keep in the boat w/o getting wet. think cell phone. You bring it in the boat w/o a waterbox, right?

Thanks!!

\/\/

Wade,  where can you find the older software?  Website looks like it only has latest.

I was planning on picking up a Flip Ultra HD, but I'm curious if anyone has compared (or given consideration to) the waterproof Gopro cameras??  Larger, a bit more money, and no zoom.  Their website has some awesome action videos, but little info on technology (ie. image stabilization).  Also, not sure if it would attach to a tracker.

**Editing to Update....I got some info from another site... apparently the GoPro uses a "fish-eyed" lens, and is primarily for close ups.  The thought being that a skier at the end of a rope would look like "background" and be too small for this design (assuming filming from the boat or pylon).
Sounds like the Flip is still in my future.

Last edited by davemac (Tue, Mar 2, 2010 10:14 PM)

I make like 15 cents or something (maybe a couple bucks) if you buy a flip through that link.

Wade have you taken any video using the Flip on the Trakker yet?  I would love to see some.

Here is a sample video of the Flip Ultra: http://www.danbirch.com/flip_ultra.MP4

The camera has no optical zoom, very poor audio quality (at least on a boat), no image stableization, and a mousehole viewfinder.  Also, you have to plug the entire camera into your computer, which may not always be a good idea (one accidental bang against the camera, and your usb/camera will suffer), depending on the computer you are using.

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10  has 5x optical zoom, a 3" viewfinder, way better audio, Image Stableization (which isn't that great), has a cable that plugs into the computer, and is the same price.
as previously posted, a sample video can be seen at: http://www.danbirch.com/Ski_videos/SANY0080.MP4

I'm not saying that the Sanyo Xacti is the only camera out there (I understand they just came out with a version 20), but, compared to the Flip, it blows it away.  I would be interested to see Wade's Flip HD videos as well.

Wade, I posted the answer w/photos on the Sanyo Dual Camera thread. (yes, it has the tripod mount).  It does have software, I believe.  I just plug it into my computer, and drag the files off the camera onto my computer, and upload them.  That seems easy enough to me.

Just picked up a Flip Ultra HD.  Went skiing this noon and filmed two of my coworkers.  I don't have a tracker (yet) but we were very impressed at the outcome just freehanding the camera.  Plenty of zoom, decent quality, and reasonably stable picture.  On top of that, the built in software is ridiculously easy to use.  Having never used the software before, I was able to surprise them by downloading and emailing them videos of their sets within just a few minutes after getting back to our desks.

Video Trakker great. Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10  not so good.  If you get  slack in a run, it will get out of focus and never return unless you turn it off.  It might just be my camera.