Insta360 Go 3 Camera Review: Go-Anywhere Tiny Cam Leave a comment

The Go 3 sports activities the identical 1/2.3-inch sensor and 11-mm f/2.2 lens with a 134-degree subject of view. (For reference the GoPro Hero 11 Black’s widest subject of view is 122 levels.) Regardless of utilizing the identical sensor, the Go 3 provides fairly just a few new taking pictures modes, together with stills and time-lapse, in addition to higher-resolution video, which might now be shot at as much as 2.7K at 30 frames per second.

Along with the usual 2.7K video, which is primarily what I ended up taking pictures, there’s a Freeframe video mode, much like what the Go 2 used. On this mode, you’ll be able to shoot the complete subject of view, however at a barely decrease 1440p decision, after which crop whenever you’re enhancing. This lets you barely reframe the scene after the actual fact. The reframing functionality is just not as intensive as you’d get on a 360-degree digicam, however you’ll be able to heart or observe stuff you won’t have seen whenever you have been taking pictures. Freeframe mode additionally means you’ll be able to shoot one video and crop to 9:16, 16:9, 1:1, or no matter video dictates it is advisable comply with. However keep in mind, a kitten dies each time you pollute the world with vertical video.

I significantly favored the time-lapse mode, which has two very good options. First, it may be saved as both a video (for fast importing to the online) or as a sequence of pictures (together with RAW recordsdata) for additional processing. Second, there’s additionally a timer possibility to show the digicam on at a predetermined time, which is helpful if you wish to shoot star trails however don’t wish to keep up all evening to do it.

There’s now two microphones on the Go 3 digicam and a brand new wind-suppression setting that really works fairly nicely. Collectively these imply a lot, significantly better sound than what the Go 2 was able to recording.

In one other step up from the Go 2, there are actually no limits on clip size. The battery life is the one limiting issue, however it’s fairly good—45 minutes for simply the digicam, extra when it’s within the Pod. The infamous overheating problems with the Go 2 have been solved. Largely. I’ve seen some reviews across the web that the Go 3 overheats, however in months of testing I by no means encountered any warmth points, together with throughout very lengthy (30-minute) movie instances. That is a stark distinction to the Go 2, which appeared to overheat in the event you stared at it for too lengthy.

Different new options embrace a slew of coloration profiles, with choices custom-made for biking, city landscapes, evening, snow, and so forth. I largely shot in flat as a result of I want to do my very own coloration grading when enhancing, however it’s good to have loads of choices whenever you’re taking pictures one thing that you just don’t plan to edit extensively.

Talking of enhancing, Insta360’s cell app (iOS, Android) stays the identical, which is an effective factor. It’s nonetheless the best, most trouble-free app of all of the motion digicam makers on the market.

Bother Forward

All of which is to say that the Go 3 is a really succesful digicam. However there are a few issues I did not like. It solely has built-in reminiscence; there isn’t any SD card slot. I examined the 64-gigabyte mannequin, which proved loads of area, however transferring footage to my laptop computer was notably slower than transferring by way of a speedy microSD card.