New Flip Ultra video cameras might flip your switch

LOS ANGELES -- If you haven't already flipped for the Flip, you might now.

Pure Digital Technologies, which turned the video business around with its line of small, handheld video cameras, today unveils a major revamp of the Flip Ultra camera.

The two new models are the $149 Flip Ultra SD and $199 Flip Ultra HD.

What's new: High-definition video footage for the $199 model, a bigger LCD screen (2 inches instead of 1.5 inches), longer recording time and battery life.

The enhancements add a lot. People ask me all the time about purchasing a video camera. For non-pros, the Flip has been my top recommendation, and remains so. It's the top-selling video camera, according to the NPD Group.

The Ultra is a pocket-size camera that aims to make videomaking easy. It's a perfect companion for traveling or recording life on the go. It's not a good choice for major events such as school plays or recitals, weddings or sporting events where you need longer recording times and a strong zoom lens to bring you closer to the action.

The Ultra isn't as inexpensive as it once was. You can buy entry-level camcorders from Canon, Sony and others in the $300-to-$400 range, where the big advantage is longer recording time and major zooms.

Sony's DCR-SR85, which sells for $365 on Amazon, has a 25X zoom, compared with 2X on the Flip. Samsung's $249 SC-MX20 has a 34X zoom.

However, most of the entry-level video cameras don't shoot in high-definition, which offers brighter colors and a wider image. The Ultra HD shoots in the 720p resolution, one step below the top 1080p format.

Pure Digital, recently acquired by tech giant Cisco, first brought high-def to its line of compact video cameras with the slim Mino, introduced in 2008. The Mino sells for $229 and has a 1.5-inch LCD preview screen. The difference in body size is slight, but the extra half inch for the LCD is major — with these little cameras, you need all the help you can get. I greatly prefer the Ultra.

More new features on the new Ultra: