Review: Disney Flix Jr. Video Camera

Written on Dec 5, 2009 by RuthJS and filed under Digital Blue, Disney, Reviews

The Flix Jr. video camera by Disney is a functioning digital video recorder for children ages three and up.  Able to record up to 30 minutes of video in two minute increments, the Flix Jr. comes in three varieties: Cars, Toy Story, and Princess.  I reviewed the princess version.

Out of the Box

Framed in pink and purple, Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle are ready to join any little princess on a documenting adventure.  The camera features a rubberized, non-slip grip and simple to use buttons.

There’s a small LCD screen (about 1 x 1.25 inches) on which young directors can view their masterpieces as they film, and a red light on the front alerts their subject to the fact that film is rolling.

The princess picture on the right side (if you’re holding the camera) hides the jacks for the USB and TV connectors.

TV out and USB cables are included, and the software for downloading is conveniently installed on the camera.  Setup takes just a minute the first time you transfer a video to your computer.  One thing to note, is that there is no file selection capability in the download software.  So, in order to avoid duplicate downloads, delete the videos from the camera after they have been transferred.

Pressing any button will turn the camera on, and it turns off automatically if you stop using it.

Now, on to the fun part . . .

Taking Flix Jr. For a Test Drive

Upon seeing the Flix Jr. in a box on my table, my friend’s daughter gasped and said, “oh, I want THAT for Christmas!”  She didn’t even know what it was, but she was already bubbling over with excitement.  When I explained that it was a video camera, she nearly burst.  After freeing the camera from it’s plastic prison, installing the requisite three AA batteries and pealing her off the ceiling, my friend’s daughter was off and ready to film.

Here’s what I learned following her around:

• The camera is sized perfectly for little hands.
• The buttons are simple and easy to navigate.
• The microphone does a decent job picking up the audio as long as the child isn’t screaming with excitement.
• It is VERY easy to download videos onto your computer or to watch them on a TV.
• The simple act of holding the camera produces spontaneous fits of giggles and causes those around the filmer to act completely ridiculous; and if that’s not a glowing recommendation, I don’t know what is.

As, as for production quality, here’s a sample:

NOTE: due to the length of the videos taken by my testers and the fact that I am not a film editor, the video I included is one which I took that is substantially less giggly than those of the kids who used the camera.  Sorry.

You’ll notice in the video that the focus isn’t super sharp, nor does the camera keep up with very quick movement.  However, in all reality, it’s almost as good as old school VHS cameras, which is plenty good enough for a small child (who will no doubt drop it, pick it up, and keep filming).

Speaking of dropping it, just so you know, the Flix Jr. does bounce, and was no worse for the wear after falling down the stairs twice.  Sadly, I can’t even blame this on my young testers.

Things that I would changeabout the Flix Jr. are very few, but they include:

• I wish it had a wrist or neck strap for easy portability.
• Retailing between $70-$80, this seems like a potentially expensive investment.

These two negatives are the only things that keep the Flix Jr. from earning full marks.

In a Nutshell

The Disney Flix Jr. video camera is a fun gadget that is easy to use and built to withstand the “loving” play of three to eight-year-old kids. My testers had an absolute blast with the camera and didn’t want to give it back.

The Flix Jr. models are available now direct from Amazon.

Rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars – Editor’s Choice

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