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35-454: When introduced, the Dakota Digital sparked massive interest, primarily due to its price tag: US$ 10.99. At the time, a digital camera of similar low-end resolution and functionality was in the $ 40–$ 70 range. The reason for the low price was that the Dakota Digital was a single-use camera , i.e. the consumer takes the pictures, returns the camera to the store, and the pictures are returned to

70-793: A company bought by Cisco Systems in March 2009; variants include the UltraHD , the MinoHD , and the SlideHD . Flip Video cameras were known for their simple interface with few buttons, minimal menus and built in USB plugs (from which they derived the flip name), and were marketed as making video "simple to shoot, simple to share" Production of the line of Flip video cameras ran from 2006 until April 2011, when Cisco Systems discontinued them as to "exit aspects of [its] consumer businesses". Flip cameras contributed to an increase in

105-488: A computer with a flip-out USB connector, without the need for a USB cable. Flip Cameras record monaural sound, and use a simple clip-navigation interface with a D-pad and two control buttons which allowed for viewing of recorded videos, starting and stopping recording, and digital zoom . The third and final generation of Flip UltraHD cameras retailed for $ 149.99 and $ 199.99 for 4GB (1 hour) and 8GB (2 hour) models respectively, incorporate digital stabilization, and increased

140-630: A few challenge/response pairs have been seen in the wild. After their experience with the Dakota models, Pure Digital Technologies partnered with CVS to produce a "disposable" video camera, which in turn formed the basis for the successful Flip Video series of entry-level digital video cameras. Disposable camera A disposable or single-use camera is a simple box camera meant to be used once. Most use fixed-focus lenses . Some are equipped with an integrated flash unit, and there are even waterproof versions for underwater photography . Internally,

175-493: A function to convert video to WMV format. The first version was originally released as the "Pure Digital Point & Shoot" video camcorder on May 1, 2006 as a reusable follow-on to the popular CVS One-Time-Use Camcorder, a Pure Digital product sold through CVS/pharmacy stores that was designed for direct conversion to DVD media. The CVS product was a line extension of previous digital disposable camera products, sold initially through Ritz Camera and associated brands under

210-423: A longer key (128 byte challenge, 128 byte response), but because the hash function was not stored algorithmically in firmware. Theoretically, the response could not be mathematically related to the challenge and the only correlation between the two could be a record saved in the manufacturer's database (which authorized processing systems would have to access to read pictures from the camera). In practice, though, only

245-647: The Dakota Digital name. The camcorder was renamed as the Flip Video a year later. On September 12, 2007, the Flip Ultra was released. The Flip Ultra was the best-selling camcorder on Amazon.com after its debut, capturing about 13% of the camcorder market. Flip products received an unusually large advertising campaign, including product placement , celebrity endorsements, and sponsoring of events such as concert tours during their introduction. From 2009, and through

280-578: The MP4 file format, while the older models used a 640 x 480 resolution. The MinoHD and SlideHD models have an internal lithium-ion rechargeable battery included, while the Ultra series included a removable battery that can be interchanged with standard AA or AAA batteries. All models lack memory card extension slots, though the Flip UltraHD(2 hr) can record to a storage device via FlipPort. Models can be connected to

315-426: The 'point and shoot' method that these disposable cameras were made for make them popular with many photographers who enjoy the 'less than perfect' style these cameras provide, in a move away from digital imagery, which can also be seen in the rise in popularity of ' lomography '. This has also led to a number of 'lost art' type projects where disposable cameras are left in public spaces with a message for anyone finding

350-677: The Cisco takeover, the Flip range was sold in Europe by Widget UK . A smaller version of the Flip, the Flip Video Mino, was released on June 4, 2008. The Mino captures video in 640x480 resolution at 30 frames per second. On launch it retailed for about US$ 180 in the United States, providing about 60 minutes of video recording capability with 2 GB flash memory capacity. The third and final Flip MinoHD

385-430: The Dakota Digital reusable. Public announcement of how to transform the single-use camera into a reusable camera, paired with the very low camera price, immediately created high demand for the Dakota Digital. So Ritz began pulling the Dakota Digital out of its stores after learning of the hack, and the original camera soon became difficult to find. In July 2004, a group of hackers made available methods to further improve

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420-560: The Flip Video camera include an underwater case, a mini- tripod , a bicycle helmet attachment, and a wool case (Mino camcorders) or soft pouch (Flip UltraHD), rechargeable battery replacements for the UltraHD series, and an extension cable. Flip Video's accompanying software is called FlipShare , which facilitate downloads of videos, basic editing, and uploading to various websites. After the release of version 5.6, FlipShare no longer included

455-405: The Flip Video division. Some observers suggested that the Flip was facing growing competition from camera phones , particularly smartphones (which disrupted consumer electronics trade such as point-and-shoot cameras, wristwatches, alarm clocks, portable music players and GPS devices) that had recently begun incorporating HD video cameras. David Pogue of The New York Times disagreed with

490-467: The Fujicolor Utsurundesu (1986) is an example of Showa retro . Disposable cameras are popular with tourists and people traveling around the world to save pictures of their adventures. Since the late 1990s, disposable cameras have become increasingly popular as wedding favors . Usually they are placed on tables at wedding receptions to be used by guests to capture their unique perspective of

525-522: The camera phone-competition theory. He said that smartphones made up only a small fraction of overall worldwide sales of cell phones in 2011, and the Flip was still selling strongly when its discontinuation was announced. Other potential causes of the shutdown include the fact that consumer hardware was not part of Cisco's core businesses of services and software, and that their profit margins on consumer electronics were narrow. CNet reported that Flip's Christmas 2010 sales disappointed Cisco. Cisco shut down

560-499: The camera to take some images and then post the camera back, or pass it on to another person. The low cost of the cameras makes them a perfect tool for these sorts of projects. Digital one-time-use cameras (and also digital one-time-use camcorders) are available in some markets; for example the US saw the introduction of one such digital camera in 2004. Digital disposables have not had the success of their film based counterparts, possibly from

595-424: The cameras use a 135 film or an APS cartridge. While some disposables contain an actual cartridge as used for loading normal, reusable cameras, others just have the film wound internally on an open spool. The whole camera is handed in for processing. Some of the cameras are recycled , i.e. refilled with film and resold. The cameras are returned for "processing" in the same fashion as film cameras. In general

630-739: The case of the video camera ) for the customer. Almost all digital 'single use' cameras have been successfully hacked to eliminate the need to return them to the store. The motivations for such hacking include saving money and, more commonly, the challenge of overcoming artificial impositions (such as a 25 shot limit on an internal memory that can store 100 images). The high-voltage photo flash capacitors in some cameras are sometimes extracted and used to power devices such as coil guns , stun guns, homemade Geiger counter projects and "RFID zapper" EMP devices. Flip Video The Flip Video cameras are an American series of pocket video cameras for digital video created by Pure Digital Technologies,

665-589: The consumer in print and CD-ROM format (after an additional $ 11 processing fee) while the camera is refurbished and resold. The Dakota Digital wasn't the very first digital camera introduced as a single-use concept camera - Pentax did it in Japan two years before with the Tottemo EG . However, it was the first single-use digital camera to be mass-marketed (the Pentax/Sanyo camera was only a three-month trial run), as well as

700-559: The event. A station was even set up so people could upload the videos to YouTube . FlipShare TV was an accessory for the third-generation Flip UltraHD camera, allowing users to connect the TV base to their TV, plug in a USB transmitter key to their computer, and view their Flipshare library. On May 21, 2009, Cisco Systems acquired Pure Digital Technologies for US$ 590 million in stock. On April 12, 2011, Cisco announced that it "will exit aspects of its consumer business", including shutting down

735-520: The event. More commonly they are available in colors to match the wedding theme such as ivory, blue, white, gold, etc. So-called "accident camera kits" containing film-based disposable cameras are increasingly being carried in vehicles to take images as evidence after an accident . The absence of batteries allows instantaneous usage even after extended storage, for example in a glove compartment. They often have cheap plastic lenses, below average film quality, and fixed focal lengths. The quick ease of

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770-451: The expense of the process (especially compared to normal digital camera use) and the poor quality of the images compared to either a typical digital camera, or a disposable film camera. Usually, the display shows the number of shots remaining, and once this is completed, the camera is returned to the store. The digital files are then extracted from the camera, and in return for keeping the camera, they are printed out or stored to CD (or DVD in

805-455: The familiar single-use cameras today, Photo-Pac failed to make a permanent impression on the market. In 1966, French company FEX introduced a disposable bakelite camera called "Photo Pack Matic", featuring 12 photos (4×4 cm). The currently familiar disposable camera was developed by Fujifilm in 1986. Their QuickSnap line, known as 写ルンです ( Utsurun-Desu , "It takes pictures" ) in Japan, used 35 mm film , while Eastman Kodak's 1987 Fling

840-457: The firmware. Others investigated the USB interface, and John figured out the authentication mechanism and how to disable it. Others figured out how to download the images using modified versions of software for SMaL's other cameras, and other people are reverse-engineering the proprietary RAW file format. The security mechanism on the original camera consisted of a challenge and response. The challenge

875-399: The first single-use digital camera sold in the United States. Almost immediately after introduction, several people began work on hacking the single-use Dakota Digital in attempts to transform it into what would be the least expensive reusable digital camera available at the time. In November 2003, only four months after it was introduced, they succeeded in this task. Technical details about

910-440: The frame rate from 30 to 60 frames per second. With FlipPort, users can plug in external accessories. All Flip cameras included the required video player and 3ivx codec software, FlipShare , on the camera's internal storage. For all models after 2010, an HDMI cable can stream videos to TV screens. Later Flip Video models came in a variety of colors, and could be custom ordered with designs digitally painted on. Accessories for

945-486: The internal components were publicly posted on the Internet, along with instructions for creating various compatible link cables that connected the Dakota Digital to home personal computers. In addition to this, special third-party software provided a way to download pictures and clear the camera's internal flash memory to allow more pictures to be taken. The technical data, instructions and software met all requirements to make

980-484: The one-time-use camera represents a return to the business model pioneered by Kodak for their Kodak camera, predecessor to the Brownie camera; it is particularly popular in situations where a reusable camera would be easily stolen or damaged, when one's regular camera is forgotten, or if one cannot afford a regular camera. A company called Photo-Pac produced a cardboard camera beginning in 1949 which shot eight exposures and

1015-455: The original Dakota Digital by upgrading the camera's firmware , or internal programming. These firmware upgrades added several new features, most notably the ability to adjust or remove the original 25 picture limit, along with various other changes and improvements. A few months after the original camera was pulled off the shelves, Ritz introduced two new models of Dakota Digital, the PV2 series. One

1050-463: The popularity of similar small tapeless camcorders , although the inclusion of HD video cameras in many smartphones has since made them a more niche product. Flip cameras' video quality was unusually good for their prices and sizes. They can record videos at different resolutions. FlipHD camcorders digitally record high-definition video at 1280 x 720 resolution using H.264 video compression , Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) audio compression and

1085-464: Was based on 110 film . Kodak released a 35 mm version in 1988, and in 1989 renamed the 35 mm version the FunSaver and discontinued the 110 Fling. In Japan, annual sales of disposable cameras reached a maximum of more than 89 million in 1997. Annual sales declined to less than 5 million in 2012, but increased to more than 9 million in 2019. The revived popularity of disposable cameras, such as

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1120-413: Was mailed-in for processing. Cameras were expensive, and would often have been left safely at home when photo opportunities presented themselves. Frustrated with missing photo opportunities, H. M. Stiles had invented a way to enclose 35mm film in an inexpensive enclosure without the expensive precision film transport mechanism. It cost US$ 1.29 (equivalent to $ 16.52 in 2023). Though incredibly similar to

1155-564: Was released on September 20, 2010. It features HD recording capabilities in the same dimensions as the second generation MinoHD (1280/720 at 30 fps), The only major change in the MinoHD third generation was Image Stabilization. Also released on September 20, 2010 was a 4 GB, MinoHD with one hour of recording capability. The one-hour version retailed for $ 179 and the two-hour version retailed for $ 229. Free Minos were made available to all audience members at YouTube Live due to Flip Video's sponsorship of

1190-447: Was similar to the original model with a price of $ 10.99, while the other, priced at $ 18.99, contained a color LCD screen that displayed the most recent picture taken. Both were based on an entirely new chipset manufactured by SMaL Camera Technologies. Hacking of this camera has been more of a group effort than the first. John Maushammer removed and read the flash memory chip, wrote a disassembler , and commented significant portions of

1225-417: Was the camera's serial number, and the response was the 4-byte result of a simple hash function – the serial number converted from ASCII to binary-coded decimal , negated bitwise, and multiplied by 4. The weakness was that the hash function was stored in the firmware, so it could be completely understood and replicated. The PV2 used a better challenge and response mechanism. It was better not because it used

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