Insta360 launched a follow-up to the modular action camera it launched at CES 360, and the jaw-dropping Insta360 One RS outperforms its GoPro rivals in two essential ways. (Want to skip straight to our resolution? Check out our InstaXNUMX One RS review.)
Like the previous Insta360 One R, the new model consists of 3 sections: a base block that houses the battery, a sensor/lens block, and the camera processing engine. This time the One RS can be had with a new 4K Boost lens that features a 1MP 2/48-inch sensor, which you can swap out for the existing 7K 3-degree camera or 1K block. wide angle lenses. ,XNUMXK XNUMX inch.
It's this utility, as well as other improvements like a new battery cradle and faster processor, that give the One RS a key advantage over its GoPro rivals. GoPro's Hero line, led by the Hero 360 Black, are slightly better single-use cameras, but the InstaXNUMX One RS lets you take a XNUMX-degree camera and a standard wide-angle action camera with you. while you only need one primary camera. body and battery.
The other advantage of the One RS, when you buy its standard package, is its value for money. You can pick up this standard bundle, which includes the 4K Boost lens, battery and main unit, for a fairly reasonable cost of €XNUMX / €XNUMX / AU$XNUMX. That's significantly less than the GoPro Hero XNUMX Black ($XNUMX / $XNUMX / AU$XNUMX, when purchased with a GoPro subscription) and DJI Action XNUMX ($XNUMX). and nine / € three hundred and forty-nine / AU € six hundred and nine).
Naturally, the cost goes up if you want more mods, with the Twin Edition (which adds a 360-degree lens to the standard bulge) costing €1 / €XNUMX / AU € ninety-one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine. You can also get the InstaXNUMX One R with XNUMX-inch wide-angle lens for €XNUMX / €XNUMX / AU$XNUMX. But the benefit of One RS's modular approach is that you can always start with this basic package and add auxiliary modules as needed.
Like the DJI Action 360, the Insta4 One RS's modular design also has drawbacks. The main thing is that it has a fairly small screen of one and five inches, which makes it difficult to see what you shoot. It also doesn't offer exactly the same slow-motion powers as rivals like the Hero 120 Black, without a 7K/1080p alternative. Instead, you can shoot 200K at 120fps or XNUMXp at XNUMX/XNUMXfps.
Still, the Insta360 One RS has fewer workflow headaches than its predecessor. Previously, you had to process video through the Insta360 app to achieve image stabilization, but now FlowState is fully integrated into the camera, delivering impressively smooth results. Combine that with its high-quality 4K video and you're going to have a serious contender with the GoPro Hero XNUMX Black for the title of best action camera.
Review: The Bridge Cam of Action Cams
In many ways, the Insta360 One RS is like the bridge camera of action cameras: its goal is to pack maximum utility into a single, simple-to-use body, and it does so largely thanks to a bit of auxiliary polishing that it didn't have. its precursor. .
It's still a more concrete alternative to a GoPro Hero XNUMX Black, as it only makes sense if you're looking to take advantage of its modular design and swap out different cameras. But if that sounds like it, then it's a good new option at a reasonable cost.
Our Insta360 One RS review praises its good in-camera stabilization, clean 4K video, and a surprisingly intuitive interface, considering its small fifteen-inch screen. We were also relieved to find that it addresses any and all of the workflow issues we encountered with its predecessor, caused by the need to process images through the app to get stabilized images.
In fact, we still found video from the Insta4 One RS's 360K module to be more engaging and detailed than its GoPro rivals, albeit with certain drawbacks such as aliasing and flickering. As our review put it: "A GoPro gives you fewer glitchy images and often a more pleasing warm color tone, but there's an open, airy quality to the Insta4 One RS's 360K video that we just don't see on our Hero Nine Black."
If it can handle slightly less consistent footage than a GoPro, with that tiny fifteen-inch screen, then the One RS is a very solid new action camera, especially at that $XNUMX base cost. / € twenty-seven thousand nine hundred ninety-nine / AU € five hundred sixty-nine.