Reviews by our members

• 5

  14 out of 14 members found this review helpful

  Traveller Chris

  2024-08-06

  The notable, yet more expensive offering from Insta360 shows that the company has significantly improved in the action camera space and is trying to provide the best of both "worlds" (GoPro vs DJI). In fact, it seems to be doing quite well and is now a commendable choice, but also (almost) a one-way street for night videos. Moreover, it pioneers as the first action camera with a dual processor (one regular and one AI). Let's take a closer look:

  Build quality/Dimensions/Weight/Waterproofing:
  Sturdy construction, much more robust than its predecessors, the modular Insta360 One R/RS, and I believe that despite the quirky idea of incorporating a foldable screen, it is as sturdy as its competitors GoPro and DJI. Additionally, its dimensions are quite remarkable, as the camera has a slightly greater thickness (front to back, from the screen to the lens) and height (from the base to the button on top) and the same width compared to the GoPro Hero 12, but it is considerably bulkier than the DJI Osmo Action 3/4. It is also a bit heavier than the GoPro Hero 12 and significantly heavier than the DJI Osmo Action 3/4. Insta360 claims it is waterproof up to 10 meters; personally, I tested it up to 1.5 meters with some fear because they say that some parts have issues with the memory card cover, but I did not encounter any problems.

  Screen quality/Battery life/Battery charging/Overheating resistance:
  It features 2 screens: a simple small LCD screen at the front that exists merely to provide some information and the foldable touchscreen which has slightly mediocre image quality in terms of pixels, good brightness, and excellent responsiveness to commands even with wet fingers. In PureVideo (the setting at 4K@25 for purely night videos), the battery lasts around 1 hour and 20 minutes before dropping to 5% and automatically stopping video recording, while the camera heats up quite a bit but does not shut down. In regular video, also at 4K@25, it can record continuously for 1 hour and 40 minutes, with the camera remaining lukewarm to warm. In FreeFrame (to adjust later to 16:9 or 9:16), it records video for 1 hour and 29 minutes before dropping to 5% and automatically stopping video recording, and the camera is just warm. It has fast charging, and without timing it precisely, the battery seems to go from 5% to 100% in about 30 minutes.

  Regarding overheating, in a comparative test between the DJI Osmo Action 4, GoPro Hero 12, and Insta360 Ace Pro with the following settings: 4K@50fps, Horizon Leveling 45 degrees, the screen permanently active at 100% brightness, external temperature between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius, and with the cameras exposed to the sun, the Ace Pro exceeded 22 minutes of continuous recording, leaving the GoPro Hero 12 and DJI Osmo Action 4 far behind, which barely managed to record videos of 13 minutes and 9 minutes respectively.

  Video quality/Night videos/Video duration/Zoom/Field of view and image distortion:
  Insta360 claims that the camera can record video up to 8K@24fps. I haven't tested it, but those who have tried it and studied the pixels said that there isn't much of a difference compared to 4K, so it is more theoretical than actual 8K.
  It is important to note that if you record video at 25 frames per second, its particularly impressive HDR activates automatically and the results are very impressive.

  In night videos and low-light videos, the Insta360 excels since thanks to the additional AI processor, it offers better stabilization, less noise, a clearer image with more vibrant colors, and almost no flicker compared to the DJI Osmo Action 4 (the GoPro, despite improvements, continues to come in third and struggling in low-light videos), at the cost of reduced autonomy, as both processors of the camera operate to achieve this.
  The big difference with previous Insta 360 (One R/RS) lies in the fact that the AcePro is capable of recording continuous video. One R/RS users know very well that these cameras interrupted recording for a few seconds after 29 minutes of recording and then continued again, resulting in lost footage when the user wanted to record continuous video for several hours (like me in the driving videos I upload to the channel https://www.youtube.com/@TravellerChris).
  While in the One R/RS the (3X if I remember correctly) zoom is digital, it is done manually, more smoothly (with a little practice), and the image pixelates quite a bit, in the Ace Pro the zoom is 2X, done automatically, abruptly, and due to AI technology, the loss of detail is negligible.

  Regarding the horizon range, in the Horizon Leveling setting it is at the levels of the GoPro, but as we move up to Dewarp, Action, and Ultra, it seems that the GoPro offers a larger horizon range (the DJI Osmo Action 4 offers the largest horizon range without the addition of any extra accessory), but the distortion of the image is significantly smaller in the Insta360 AcePro.

  Photos/Other Features:
  The 48MP photos it takes are particularly impressive, clear, and with beautiful colors, while it has HDR photography, Interval, Burst, and video functions like Slow Motion, Loop Recording, Timelapse, and TimeShift. In Starlapse, it simultaneously takes HDR photos and videos, offering much greater creative freedom, while it has much less noise and a brighter image compared to the corresponding function of the GoPro Hero 12.

  Mobile App/Software for PC and Mac:
  The mobile app is fast, reliable, has many video editing options, as well as short tutorials, while it also unlocks the ability to edit videos via AI, but up to 1080p. It is also necessary to activate the camera for the first time. The connection is very good, stable, and allows live view of the content at any time.
  The software for PC and Mac is more basic, but allows color editing, digital de-noise, modifications to the video (speeding up/slowing down and adding motion blur).

  Package Contents:
  The package includes the camera (obviously), a plastic quick-release adapter with a strong magnet and 4 hooks, a one-time-use adhesive mount (meaning it can stick once to a smooth surface, but will remain "permanently" in that spot), a USB-C to USB-C cable, two stickers, and printed manuals.

  Negatives:
  1) The fact that the lens protector is integrated (glued) onto the camera's chassis, so removing it means an automatic loss of warranty.
  2) The MicroSD is located under the USB-C port cover and not next to the battery, as is customary with DJI, which means that in the case of operating the camera via cable power, the MicroSD and, consequently, the entire camera are exposed to moisture and weather conditions. Of course, this may be one of the reasons why the camera takes longer to overheat, as the battery and MicroSD card generate the most heat inside the camera.
  3) The obsession of the Chinese with magnets... Yes, the quick-release plastic adapters are quite strong, but I don't feel completely safe when I have the camera mounted outside the car and I'm driving at 80km/h or 90km/h, while the camera has no protrusion for tethering with a rope. The only real solution is the extremely expensive metal multi-adapter from Insta360 with the locking mechanism, which is hard to find in Greece and very expensive on the Insta360 site.
  4) Its price, which is quite steep compared to the competition. Based on current prices, it is about €70 more expensive than the Standard versions of DJI and GoPro.

  If you want more information (and videos) about the Insta360 AcePro, you can find them on my channel:
  https://www.youtube.com/@TravellerChris

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• 5

  7 out of 7 members found this review helpful

  JohnZachary

  2024-02-09

  I bought it blindly after watching some videos on YT and comparing it to others (action 4, Go Pro) and I really feel like I made the best and smartest purchase! Incredible clarity both in video and in photos, which left me amazed, and of course it excels in low-light shots with purevision. The settings are endless to facilitate every use, and through the application, you will find numerous effects and a powerful editor.

  Translated from Greek · Show original

  • Video
  • Night shots
  • Construction quality
  • Handling
  • Sound quality
  • Value for money

  • Battery
  • Temperature
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• 5

  14 out of 14 members found this review helpful

  Saddam

  2023-12-14

  Verified purchase

  It exceeded every expectation. No comparison with the competition.
  The 1/1.3in sensor produces stunning image quality. The video is incredibly stable even on a bike ride in Mount Hymettus at night. The A.I. makes a difference with denoising. The 48MP photo is epic, although I didn't buy it for that.
  The rotating screen that allows me to control the A.I. Highlights Assistant is pleasant and saves a lot of time.

  The only downside is that you also need an adapter to mount it on a tripod, selfie stick, etc.

  Translated from Greek · Show original

  • Video
  • Night shots
  • Battery
  • Construction quality
  • Handling
  • Sound quality
  • Value for money
  • Temperature

  • 
  • 
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• 5

  fotisschin

  2024-08-15

  Verified purchase

  • Video
  • Night shots
  • Battery
  • Construction quality
  • Handling
  • Sound quality
  • Value for money

  • Temperature

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• 5

  AK_Fitness_Instructors

  2024-02-11

  • Video
  • Night shots
  • Battery
  • Construction quality
  • Handling
  • Sound quality
  • Value for money
  • Temperature

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