I’m not a skateboarder, I don’t do deep sea diving either, and I certainly can’t leap from wall to wall like a yamazaki. But when I’m offered an action cam the size of my thumb, it’s hard not to try it out to see what it’s capable of. That’s exactly what I did this weekend with the new Insta360 Go 3.
As the name suggests, the Insta360 pocket camera is in its third version. It incorporates notable improvements, such as the ability to record in 1440p (instead of 1080p) and to film for more than two hours. And instead of the previous tripod mode offered last year, the device now comes with the Action Pod, an ingenious retractable display module that doubles as a battery.
Naturally, the Insta360 Go 3 deserves the attention of not only thrill seekers, but also gamers like me.
Attaching the camera to the module is as easy as attaching a puzzle piece
The Insta360 Go 3 is approximately 5.5cm long and has a single button in the center to turn on the camera (press and hold) and start or stop a recording (with a single tap). If you’re using the Go 3 alone, you won’t be able to see the precise framing of your shots because there’s no physical viewfinder. But because the Insta360 uses an ultra-wide lens, you can expect most subjects that are in your field of view to be captured in the final edit.
This means capturing life’s moments is as easy as setting up the camera, either with the clip mount, swivel mount, magnetic pendant (imagine you’re wearing a pendant and you can clip the camera on top of it) your shirt), or my favorite, the new Action Pod, and press a button to start recording.
The camera has an LED indicator that lets you and those around you know when it’s recording. June Wan/ZDNET
With the Action Pod, you not only have a flip-up screen to view what’s being filmed, you can increase video resolution and extend the battery life of the Go 3. The camera mount on the module is as simple as a puzzle piece, and this ease is one of the reasons I have continued to use this accessory.
I only have two complaints about the Insta360 Go 3
In an arcade room used as a testing ground, I had taken two supports and had a shooting mode in mind: the magnetic pendant for recordings in POV style (point of view, point of view) to have the hands-free and swivel stand for games with accessories (tomb Raider And MotoGP) on one side, and Insta360’s FreeFrame mode, which sets the camera’s field of view to maximum so you can easily crop 16:9 and 9:16 videos in post-production. Overall, I’m very pleased with the footage I was able to record, especially considering how little effort it takes to frame the shots.
The Insta360 Go 3 comes with lens protection against scratches. June Wan/ZDNET
I only have two complaints about the Insta360 Go 3 and they both relate to the video editing and exporting phase. First, you need to pair your phone’s Insta360 app to the camera in order to upload the videos via local Wi-Fi. Given the size of these ultra-wide free-framing videos, each one can take three to five minutes to download. The worst part is that the Go 3 has to stay on while you transfer the video files, and it tends to heat up… to the point of losing the connection.
There have been several times when I’ve had to turn off the device after three or four exports to let it cool down, then start the process over again, hoping it doesn’t disconnect halfway through. But keep in mind that this is a very small camera, and its internal cooling and heat dissipation system can only be partially effective.
A little patience is needed
In the end, a little patience is all it takes to have an effortless and simple vlogging experience with the Insta360 Go 3. Pricing for the camera starts at $430 for 32GB of internal storage, but I would recommend going with the 64GB or 128GB variants, as I often found myself saving more than I should due to how easy it is to do so. And you probably will too.
Source: “ZDNet.com”