I have been an enormous fan of the Insta360 Go 2 since its launch in 2021, it is a tiny, quirky little digital camera, and there is actually nothing else fairly prefer it available on the market. For conditions that require one thing smaller and lighter than even a GoPro, the Go 2 has been my default resolution.
The issue with the Go 2 is that fairly a number of workarounds are required to get the perfect from it. It has very weak battery life when used standalone, so it comes with an AirPods-style charging case to make it extra usable. There’s additionally no display screen, so it’s a must to pair it with the Insta360 smartphone app to border your photographs and evaluate your footage.
Now, the Insta360 Go 3 has arrived, and it is seeking to remedy these points. It has a brand new Motion Pod that provides a tilting touchscreen, in addition to a considerably bigger battery pack in each the Pod and the digital camera itself. There’s additionally a lift in video decision and a few intelligent new design tweaks that ought to make it faster and simpler to arrange. I have been testing it out over the previous couple of weeks to see if it is definitely worth the improve.
Insta360
Insta360 Go 3
Really helpful
The Insta360 Go 3 is an enormous enchancment on what was already my favorite mini-action digital camera. The brand new mannequin is way simpler to make use of, has higher battery life and improved picture high quality. It is a disgrace that it prices a lot greater than its predecessor, however for a lot of, the advantages will outweigh the fee.
- The Motion Pod makes it a lot simpler to make use of
- Improved picture high quality
- Higher battery life
- New latching magnetic mounting system
- Bigger storage capacities out there
- Not appropriate with Go 2 mounts
- Bigger and heavier than its predecessor
- Considerably costlier
Design and included mounts
- Go 3: 25.6×54.4×23.2 mm, 35.5g
- Motion Pod: 63.5×47.6×29.5mm, 96.3g
- Magnet Pendant, Simple Clip, Pivot Stand, Sticky Mount
The obvious design distinction, when in comparison with the Go 2, is the brand new Motion Pod, which replaces the Go 2’s clamshell-style charging case. This unit primarily acts as a charging case, interface and distant for the Go 3.
The Motion Pod is about the identical measurement as a GoPro, however the Pod and Go 3 collectively nonetheless are available in at round 20 grams lighter than the Hero 11 Black. There are three buttons on the Pod, a report button, an influence button and a mode choose button. There’s additionally a USB-C port for charging and knowledge switch, in addition to some latching holes for the brand new magnetic mounting system.
On the rear, there is a 2.2-inch flip-up touchscreen, which can be utilized to vary settings, watch your clips and body your photographs. The Motion Pod connects to the Go 3 wirelessly, even when it is mounted within the housing, and which means you get occasional lag and pixelation of the video preview. Nevertheless, it additionally signifies that the Pod can be utilized as a distant wi-fi monitor for the Go 3, and that is a worthy trade-off in my opinion.
This implies you can mount the Go 3 in your helmet, chest, or wherever else you fancy, and use the Motion Pod to wirelessly change settings and guarantee your framing is on level. You might already do that with the Go 2 and the Insta360 smartphone app, however it is a far more hassle-free and handy means of doing issues – primarily as a result of the 2 items are at all times paired, and also you need not wait to your telephone to search out the connection.
The digital camera unit itself seems nearly an identical to its predecessor, at a look, but it surely’s bulked up a bit this time round. That is primarily because of the bigger 310 mAh battery that is inside, changing the 210 mAh pack within the Go 2, however there’s additionally an extra microphone, a beeper that allows you to know while you’ve began and stopped recording and a extra outstanding standing LED.
It is marginally larger in each dimension, and it is also about 10 grams heavier. For most individuals, that is no large deal in any respect, and you may barely discover it in follow. Nevertheless, one in all my favorite issues to do with the Go collection cameras is to connect them to tiny drones, the type that might haven’t any probability of lifting a GoPro, and there these 10 grams make an enormous distinction. It additionally signifies that the Go 3 is not appropriate with any of the present Go 2 mounts, and when you’ve got quite a lot of them, as I do, that is a bit of irritating.
On the plus aspect, some wonderful mounts are supplied within the field, and so they cowl the most typical mounting conditions properly. There’s the magnetic pendant mount, which was pioneered by the Go 2 and later copied by the DJI Motion 2. You put on this accent underneath your shirt like a necklace, and it means that you can connect the Go 3 to your chest as if by magic. This time round, it has a brand new silicone cowl that retains the wire tidy. You possibly can wrap the wire across the pendant like a yo-yo, and the comfortable silicone sleeve retains it in place, it is a actually considerate contact.
There’s additionally a mount that Insta360 calls the Simple Clip, that is one other accent that got here with the Go 2, though it has been redesigned to accommodate the bigger Go 3. This mount is designed to clip to the brim of a cap, and the Go 3 magnetically attaches to it for hassle-free POV photographs.
Lastly, there is a two-parter, within the type of a ball-headed 1/4 20 tripod adapter and a reusable self-adhesive sticky base plate. The adapter attaches to both the Go 3 itself or the bottom of the Motion Pod with Insta360’s new latching magnetic quick-release mounting system. This feels greater than a bit of impressed by DJI’s mounting resolution for the Osmo Motion 3, however that is fantastic by me as a result of it really works rather well. The items snap along with a satisfying click on, and two small levers lock them into place for further safety. It is the identical system on the within of the Motion Pod, too, and also you press a small button to unlatch the Go 3 from the housing.
Software program and options
- Insta360 app for Android and iOS
- Insta360 Studio for Home windows and MacOS
- Pre-recording, Loop recording, Scheduled recording
On the subject of software program, we’re in for only a few surprises, the Go 3 is appropriate with the identical cellular and desktop purposes as the remainder of Insta360’s cameras, and the Move gimbal, too. As at all times, it is a good factor, I am very keen on Insta360’s software program, it is simple to make use of, easy to navigate and tends to attach shortly and reliably. I did have a number of extra pairing hiccups with this mannequin than I’ve with earlier cameras, however I used to be testing with pre-release beta apps, and I am fairly sure this mannequin can be as much as the same old normal by the point prospects get their arms on it.
Simply as we noticed with the Go 2, one of many standout options of the Go 3 is its FreeFrame video mode (beforehand known as Professional Video). This lets you shoot first and make the choices later, much like what you are able to do with the almost-square sensor on the GoPro Hero 11 Black. On this mode, you shoot your video as regular, then within the app, you may select whether or not to render the video in horizontal, vertical or sq. format, in addition to change the FOV and stabilisation modes. It is my favorite method to shoot by far.
In fact, all the Go 2’s different taking pictures modes are current right here too, together with timelapse modes, hyperlapse modes and gradual movement recording – as much as 120fps at 1080p, similar to the Go 2. There are a number of further modes added this time, too.
The Go 3 helps pre-recording, which lets you seize both 10, 15 or 30 seconds of video earlier than you hit report. As you may anticipate, this eats up battery life, and when you choose it a warning will pop up suggesting that you simply solely allow this characteristic with the Go 3 docked within the Motion Pod.
Additionally new is a loop recording mode, which lets you set a period of between 1 and 10 minutes, after which the digital camera will report for this period of time earlier than overwriting the clip with a brand new one. Primarily, the concept is that should you’re recording whereas ready for one thing to occur, you do not need a load of ineffective footage filling up your digital camera’s storage. So, each time that factor does occur, you are left with solely the clip of the motion when you cease the recording. Most individuals aren’t going to wish this characteristic, but it surely’s a pleasant addition for individuals who do.
You may as well now schedule report instances, for instance, if you wish to shoot a timelapse of the dawn, however do not fancy getting up that early, you may set it and neglect it with this new characteristic. Once more, it’s kind of of a distinct segment one, and never each consumer will profit from this addition, however sure folks can be actually happy with this.
Video efficiency
- As much as 2.7K 30fps / 1440p 50fps
- 360-degree Horizon Lock and FlowState stabilization
- New image profiles (filters) and picture sharpening management
The largest benefit the Go 3 gives over its predecessor, at the least relating to picture high quality, is the truth that it could shoot video at 2.7K, relatively than simply 1440p. Nevertheless, there are some caveats. The two.7K choice will not be out there in FreeFrame mode, and as I discussed, that is my favorite method to shoot, so I used to be fairly disillusioned to be taught this. As an alternative, you will have to decide on your FOV, side ratio and stabilization mode earlier than hitting report, and so they’ll be baked into the ultimate recording. It is also restricted to 30fps, whereas the Go 3 and Go 2 can shoot at as much as 50fps in 1440p decision.
Regardless of that, the picture from the Insta360 Go 3 does look higher than the Go 2, regardless of whether or not you are recording in 1440p or 2.7K. So far as I am conscious the cameras use the identical sensor, so it is possible some software program magic that is been used to enhance the picture, however the ensuing movies look a bit much less grainy and appear to have a wider dynamic vary. It is nonetheless nowhere close to the standard of GoPro, or the Insta360 One RS, however that is to be anticipated from one thing this small.
You’ve gotten extra management over how the picture seems with the Go 3, too. You’ll find choices for controlling the sharpening power within the Motion Pod’s menu system (I could not appear to search out it within the telephone app) and that is a really welcome addition. There are additionally much more image profile choices to select from on this mannequin. The Go 2 had solely Normal, Vivid and LOG profiles, whereas this mannequin provides a complete vary of further seems which might be themed round totally different actions like biking and watersports. I primarily caught to the Normal and Flat profiles, as I desire to regulate my colors in Premiere Professional, but it surely’s good to have some further choices for much less software-savvy consumers.
As is often the case with Insta360 merchandise, the stabilisation may be very spectacular, and that is particularly essential on a tiny digital camera like this. The Go 3 can lock the horizon regardless of how a lot you spin it, or it could merely take the sting off with FlowState. There at the moment are three ranges you can choose within the digital camera, permitting you to decide on the correct amount of stabilisation for the exercise that you simply’re recording. In good lighting, it is nearly excellent, it is solely when the sunshine will get low that you simply begin to see judders from footsteps within the footage.
Verdict
As I discussed earlier, I am an enormous fan of the Go 2, so it is not an enormous shock that I like the Go 3 as properly. It takes the identical formulation, however makes it means simpler to make use of, due to the brand new Motion Pod and its touchscreen show. The brand new magnetic mounting system is superior, the battery life is best, the decision is larger and the picture is extra configurable and cleaner than its predecessor – there’s quite a bit to like.
It is not all excellent, although. The largest disadvantage is the worth, which has been climbing with every generational launch. The unique Insta360 Go launched at $199, the Go 2 launched at $299 and now the Go 3 begins at $379, climbing all the way in which to $429 if you’d like the 128GB mannequin. This can be a very area of interest digital camera to begin with, and I believe this larger value level will solely serve to restrict its enchantment additional. That stated, the worth is comprehensible, I can inform how a lot R&D went into this design, and the addition of options like a wi-fi touchscreen show clearly come at a value, too.
It is also price noting that the Go 3 is a contact much less transportable than its predecessor. The previous AirPods-style charging case had a form that was very straightforward to slide into your pocket, and that meant that the Go 2 was very straightforward to take with you. The Go 3, in its Motion Pod, will nonetheless slot in most pockets, but it surely’s now a chunky block and the lens is uncovered, which signifies that I might be very hesitant to hold it on this means.
Nonetheless, for many of this digital camera’s viewers, I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives. It is undoubtedly the perfect mini-action digital camera round, and now that it is not fairly so difficult to make use of, possibly extra folks will begin to see the inventive potential {that a} tiny and featherlight digital camera unlocks.
