Is the Flip Ultra video camera comparable to the PV-GS320?

Question

Price is not an issue. I am talking everything, from simplicity to upload and edit to actually using it.

Answer 1

beyond comparison?

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/ratings.php

Answer 2

Completely not.  They're not in the same league; they're targeting different types of consumer.

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The Flip Ultra is the simplest of simple, in terms of use.  It shoots in a highly-compressed MPEG format, which is OK for things like YouTube, but not so great if you're looking to watch on TV.  It has very little in terms of features you can use to control the look of your image.  It has only a digital "zoom," which isn't really a zoom using lenses, it's more of a "guess" as to how the image would look if it was truly zoomed in; that leads to graininess.  As for uploading, just plug it in via USB.

This is a camera that is aimed to people who just want something they can use to shoot basic video, and share it with people online.  They are not targeting those who want to, for example, shoot good-looking vacation videos and share them on TV with friends.  They're certainly not targeting the serious video hobbyist.  Furthermore, if you're into editing, many programs might not support this camcorder's file format.

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The PV-GS320 is a great consumer camcorder.  It shoots on MiniDV tape, which is the best-quality consumer format.  It's also supported by just about every editing software program ever created.  It uploads to your computer via a Firewire cable (NOT USB!  Firewire is also known as IEEE 1394, DV, and i.Link).  Your computer may or may not have a port for Firewire.  If it does, great...if not, you'd have to purchase and install a Firewire card, which is not expensive.  Think roughly $30 or so.  The PV-GS320 records full-frame video, made to look good on TV.  It has 3 CCD imaging sensors, for GREAT color rendering.  Professional camcorders use this 3-CCD system; most consumer camcorders use just one.  This camcorder allows a great deal of manual control over your image.  It has a 10x optical zoom, which is a true zoom using moving lenses.  No graininess results from use of an optical zoom.  It has an optical image stabilizer as well, which is standard in higher-priced camcorders.

This is a camera geared towards video hobbyists, who like having the ability to use their footage on a computer, but who also like their video to look good on a regular TV.  It's a nice little machine.

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Now, I'm not sure of what your particular needs are.  For all I know, the Flip Video Ultra might meet your needs just fine.  All in all, the PV-GS320 does everything the Flip Video Ultra can do, but does it better, and does more things on top of that.  Of course, this comes at a higher price.

So, evaluate your particular needs, and think about what you'll be using this camcorder for.

Then, head over to http://www.camcorderinfo.com for some GREATLY helpful stuff.

Enjoy, let us know if you need anything else!

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