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Insta360, a leading 360° camera brand, has finally made its debut
The Insta360 is a relatively young camera manufacturer from Shenzhen, which started in 2015, and as the name suggests, their flagship products have up until now been largely spherical (360°) cameras. His masterpiece, the Insta360 X3, 360° camera, is now an indispensable part of my outdoor photography in spring, summer, autumn and winter due to its excellent image quality and ease of use.
Insta360 Ace Pro (& Ace) was the full-scale action camera released by them at the end of last year . It is equipped with a lens and a large-sized sensor jointly developed with Leica, and recording functions at up to 8K, as well as a flip-up touchscreen that is effective for selfie shooting, making it clear and unique, excellent features that make it clear and unique, and impressive that the company is seriously trying to replace GoPro, the leader of this category.
When I think about it, I started using the so-called "action camera" from the GoPro HERO4 I've used the GoPro HERO9 I currently have However, perhaps my expectations are too high each time, and to be honest, I don't remember that I was fully satisfied up until now, and I ended up not using it before I knew it.
That's why I can't help but hear that it's a serious action camera released by their secret favorite manufacturers.
This time I was fortunate to have the Insta360 Ace Pro offered under the conditions that it was OK to freely review the Insta360 Ace Pro, so I immediately tried using it for about three weeks outdoors such as mountain climbing and skiing. So I would like to report on what I felt about its outdoor use and what I found to be able to use in the mountains.
table of contents
What is the Insta360 Ace Pro?
Insta360 Ace Pro is a full-fledged action camera but also has a flip touch screen
High-quality, high-performance wide-angle action camera developed jointly with Leica
The Insta360 Ace Pro is a wide-angle action camera that combines lens with Leica and features a 1/1.3-inch sensor with high resolution and excellent color reproduction for both day and night. The robust body is compact, cold-resistant and waterproof, and features a flip-up touchscreen, allowing for unparalleled comfort when taking selfies such as Vlogs compared to other action cameras. It also features a wide range of other shooting modes, audio and gesture control, stable image stabilization, an easy-to-use interface and AI for advanced and smooth editing functions, and fast charging. It is a high-spec action camera that is packed with a high-level overall level in all aspects, including top-class image quality, as well as operability and editing comfort (although the slightly lower-end shooting modes are also released).
Recommended points
- "Flip-up touchscreen" to prevent missed shots when shooting from a variety of angles
- Excellent image quality thanks to Leica lenses, 1/1.3 inch sensor and excellent image processing engine
- It is robust and has a cold resistance up to -20°C, and a tough specification of 10m waterproofing.
- Image stabilization that allows you to capture stable, natural images even in intense activities, maintain 360 degrees horizontal
- A convenient "FreeFrame" mode that allows you to determine the angle of view, FOV (field of view), etc. when editing after shooting
- Excellent low-light performance that allows for bright shooting even in dimly lit situations
- Easy-to-use software that allows you to edit on your smartphone (edit on your PC too)
- Still image shooting with resolutions of up to 48 million pixels and RAW format support
- Fast-rechargeable battery that can be fully recharged in 22 minutes and fully rechargeable in 46 minutes
Points that interest me
- It has a slightly heavier feel than other action cameras (the body itself is heavier, but it's especially true since it's normally used in conjunction with the mount).
- 8K/24fps video has limited image quality settings and shooting modes, and the playback environment is not yet available, so it is not very useful for cropping later.
- With my smartphone (Pixel 6 Pro), it was difficult to edit comfortably using the app until I downloaded the video file, so I think that the performance of my smartphone is required to be somewhat necessary for my smartphone to be used quickly.
Main Specifications and ratings
| item | Insta360 Ace Pro |
|---|---|
| External dimensions | 71.9mm x 52.15mm x 38.5mm |
| weight | 179.8g |
| Sensor size | 1/1.3 inch |
| Aperture | F2.6 |
| 35MM Converted Focal Distance | 16mm |
| Main video resolutions |
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| Maximum video bitrate | 170Mbps |
| Main photo pixel count |
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| Video mode |
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| Photo Mode |
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| Charging time |
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| Operating temperature | -20℃ 〜 40℃ |
| Waterproofing | 10m (no diving case) |
| Other main features |
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| Outdoor Gearzine Rating | |
| toughness | ★★★★☆ |
| weight | ★★★☆☆ |
| Video Quality | ★★★★★ |
| Usability | ★★★★☆ |
| Editing comfort | ★★★★★ |
| Abundance of accessories | ★★★★☆ |
| Cost Performance | ★★★☆☆ |
Detailed impressions - Focusing on the points that have hit you when you actually use them on mountain climbing or skiing -
Appearance, good construction, toughness
The Insta360 Ace Pro has a design and structure with a lens and a small display on the front, a large screen on the back, a button and a battery on the side, and a lid that locks in various terminals, essentially the same as the GoPro.
The design really gives a solid impression and a good impression. The body and buttons are made of sturdy materials, and while they look very similar to the GoPro, the feel when held in your hand gives off a more luxurious feel. It has excellent heat release properties, and it has been found that heat is efficiently released even when it gets hot due to charging or other factors.
The side hatches on the sides are tightly sealed and tightly to prevent water from entering, but they do not make them difficult to open. Also, unlike the GoPro, it is placed one on the left and right sides, one on the left and right side, with one on the battery box and the other on the micro-SD card slot and fast charging function. It's a bit plain that it's easier to use, but I like it (photo below).
Battery box on the left side
USB terminal and micro SD card slot on the right side
The long-awaited flip-up touchscreen
the Insta360 Ace Pro so different from other action cameras in terms of hardware structure is the flip-up touchscreen on the back.
The touch screen on the back can of course be operated even when flipped up.
the DJI and GoPro is small and not easy to read, and it is only visible "on the front," so I have no recollection of how I feel that this worked well when I was filming.
this Ace Pro , the 2.4-inch flip-up touchscreen with a hinge at the top opens and closes 180° allows you to see the video not only on the front, but also on top, and even from a distance (compared to the previous two models) allowing you to take videos without any stress.
This is a long-awaited feature for me, who mainly use it on the mountains and skis, and it is no exaggeration to say that this alone is a reason to choose this model.
This is because there have been many cases where people have to mount a mountain climbing, stream climbing, skiing, etc., and start filming a one-shot without knowing how it is reflected. As a result, there have been countless times when I can't cry, such as the camera was facing down a little, and the sky was not visible, or even though I wanted to put skis on the ground but couldn't get in, which is so disappointing that I couldn't cry (one of the main reasons I moved from an action camera to a 360° camera).
With this flip-type screen, you can shoot not only during selfies, but also at a low angle, or when mount a chest or shoulder strap, by jumping up the back screen, and checking the image.
Of course, there have been ways to capture images while connecting to a smartphone, but it is not realistic to take photos while looking at a smartphone, and it is a bit annoying to operate them every time in the extreme cold, making it far from practical. This is a revolutionary progress for me, as I had a lot of climbing on selfie sticks and breast mounts.
If you're greedy, the ideal is a vari-angle screen that's easy to use even in vertical view, but it's just too greedy to want that much. Let's look forward to the future.
Even when attached to the chest or shoulder strap, you can shoot while watching the video by opening a small gap.
Incidentally, the front screen displays important information about current shooting settings in a black and white screen.
When the camera is powered on, you will see a large light bar that glows blue or red depending on the mode you selected, the recording options you selected for that mode, the battery life, free memory card space, and recording status.
The drawback is that it's a bit heavy and bulky
Its solid construction and convenient flip-type screen on the back are inevitable that it is heavier and bulkier than competing cameras such as the GoPro. The weight difference for the Ace Pro is 179.8g, while the GoPro Hero 12 Black is 154g, and the DJO Osmo Action 4 is 145g, but the Ace Pro is almost required to have the magnetic base required to attach it to the mount, so if you include those, the weight difference is surprisingly less than stupid. Although it is often hardly noticeable, it is no longer possible to ignore the weight of the selfie stick when stretching it out for a long time or when worn on a helmet. Also, (though this one wasn't that bothered me), the size of the screen inevitably gets bigger, as shown in the photo below.
Size comparison. *The photo shows the GoPro HERO 9, but the latest version of "HERO 12 Black" is the same size
Mounting, image quality, ease of creating images
Many mounting mount options
When it comes to action cameras, it is common to use cameras to attach them to various locations, including selfie sticks and bodies, rather than taking photos by hand. The important thing in this case is the mounting devices that attach the camera to them.
In this regard, the Ace Pro offers a wide range of mounting options, and the body itself has a smart mechanism that eliminates the hassle of replacing the mount.
Basically, the camera base has a magnetic plate, and a corresponding mount is attached to it. Easy to put on and take off, allowing you to quickly snap the camera to various mounts.
Therefore, if you have the budget, you can attach these mounts to each of the necessary parts, such as a selfie stick, shoulder strap clip, chest strap, helmet, and other parts, and set them up without opening or closing the screws.
In my case, when I climb, I often use a chest strap or shoulder strap clip (when the chest strap is hot).
Of course, we also filmed Vlogs with a selfie stick. This is the impression I often use when taking photos while running on trail runs.
When climbing a river, it is usually used as a helmet or a chest strap or a selfie stick when skiing, so having a selfie stick or mount that matches it, and a vertical and horizontal mount to secure the camera vertically would have been enough for now.
However, there are a wide variety of mounts available for other activities such as mountain biking and water sports, so there is little need to worry about not having one that suits your style (although it is expensive).
Excellent video quality
When it comes to action cameras, there is no dispute that the most important thing is video quality. I have not been particularly enthusiastic about high-quality images so I may not have the eye to give a high level of rigorous evaluation, but thanks to Leica lenses, 1/1.3-inch sensor and excellent image processing engine, I was able to satisfy the Insta360 Ace Pro to be impeccably satisfied.
Seeing is worth seeing. You can shoot high-resolution videos with high color reproduction at the following high resolution, even without performing any special post-processing, even if you keep most of the settings on the camera.
Impact of 4K 120fps video on skiing
The camera also allows video recording at up to 8K/24fps or up to 4K/12fps. The high resolution of 8K is currently the Ace Pro 's diverse shooting settings, and the playback environment has not yet been kept up to the gameplay, but the smooth and clear image at 4K/120fps was quite attractive.
In the video below, we compare the 120fps video with a video shot at 60fps to see how smooth it is.
*Please note that although the video itself is created at 120fps, please note that if the refresh rate of your display is below 120Hz, it will not be possible to check the smoothness of the video (first half) at normal speed.
120fps is often used to clearly express slow motion in sports, and you can see this in the slow motion in the second half of the video. Also, not only in slow motion, but even when shooting normally at normal speeds (first half of the video), the 120fps certainly looks clearer and smoother, despite the fact that it is moving faster. It seems to be very useful when shooting fast images.
"Active HDR" image quality that allows for vivid and balanced images even for fast-moving videos
"Active HDR" image quality is applied by default for 4K/30fps or less on the Insta360 Ace Pro. "Active HDR" is an ideal option when shooting in high contrast environments, and it stabilizes moving action footage, minimizes ghosts, maintains highlights and shadow details to achieve more vivid images, making daytime shooting even more vivid (from the official website).
So I took a picture at a ski resort that was extremely sunny. It is true that the shading on the snow surface is clear, and the surrounding objects with strong contrast, such as blue sky, trees, shadows, and skis, are also visible in a balanced way. I hope this works even at 4K/60fps, but at the moment it seems to only be under 4K/30fps, which is a shame.
It is effective not only for low-light performance but also for mountain climbing photography.
In addition to the beauty of the daytime images, it is actually the low-light performance that allows the Ace Pro This is the "PureVideo Mode," one of the shooting modes.
Leica lenses and large sensors capture more light, while AI-enhanced high-speed processors on the 5nm chip reduce noise and enhance details even in dark environments. Thanks to this, we were able to preserve excellent images even in low light conditions.
The video below shows a video recorded in "PureVideo Mode" while walking around Ueno Park around 8pm. I'm not very familiar with this, but even though I only took a picture with this setting, the little noise is already amazing.
Not only is its excellent in dark places, but it is also useful for mountain climbing. Especially when shooting around sunrise or sunset, in a tent, or taking pictures of night bonfires or starry sky at night, you'll always have the chance to capture spectacular scenery 24 hours a day, so the Ace Pro should be able to instantly set the optimal settings for any occasion.
Image stabilization for peace of mind
Recently, fewer people are not equipped, but image stabilization functions are becoming more and more important and commonplace in action cameras. As with this example, the image stabilization of this camera also worked really well.
The video below shows a normal, selfie stick walking along a mountain trail, then running halfway through. Despite moving quite hectic, it absorbs vibrations as if you were skating, keeping the images smooth at all times. This is safe even if you take it on a trail run.
Still image shooting that can't be underestimated
The Insta360 Ace Pro can take high-resolution photos up to 48 megapixels, making the most of its large sensor. Moreover, it supports DNG RAW format, and although development is assumed in Lightroom and other areas, it has been found that it can also be used as a wide-angle camera that is sufficiently practical. Below Ace Pro 's RAW format, developed with the color and image distortion adjusted.
Additionally, you can also use the HDR function built into the camera to take JPEG images of HDR photos with improved dynamic range and color accuracy. Of course, this may not be that important for those who already have a smartphone camera with a configuration, but the Ace Pro also has the ability to take stills while filming videos, making it ideal for at least taking shots in action.
A wide range of shooting options and ease of use of "FreeFrame" mode
Outdoor Gearzine has YouTube channels and Instagram, and requires you to communicate on different social media, and you have to do things that aren't busy, such as taking videos vertically or horizontally, but in such cases, the "FreeFrame" mode is useful. Although it is not unique, Ace Pro allows you to record the video in advance at a 4:3 aspect ratio with a wider field of view than the standard aspect ratio of 16:9, and crop it again to a variety of angles of view, such as "9:16" or "1:1, 16:9" when editing later. Not only that, you can also finely set various image creation elements when editing, such as the strength of image stabilization and the field of view (FOV) settings when editing.
Using the "FreeFrame" mode, you can export one video resource with multiple patterns of angles of view and multiple types of field of view, as shown in the photo below. Being able to calmly thinks about creating images later is a very useful feature in outdoor activities where cameras are often operated in harsh environments.
To explain the various fields of vision (FOV) that Ace Pro has, first of all, the "ultra wide angle" mode is an old-fashioned fisheye view with a large distortion at both ends. It's just not too extreme and works at any frame rate. Next, the "Action View" mode allows for the widest angle shooting. The "Dewarp" mode has a narrower field of view than ultra-wide angles and actions, but it provides a natural look with no distortion. Finally, the "45 Degree Horizontal Lock" mode further trims "Dewarp" and maintains horizontal even when the camera is tilted within the ±45 Degree range.
Functionality
Voice and Gesture Control
I've been mostly ignoring voice control since I've always had a little bit of accuracy, but after purchasing a new model for the first time in a while, I found out that it's been a lot better. And even more "gesture control"? Specifically, this function allows you to open your hands to the pars while you are visible and show your palm to the camera, and after a 3-second countdown, you will suddenly start recording. If the "peace" sign is not an Atapa, take a photo in 3 seconds. Surprisingly convenient! I thought so, but it was not yet 100% accuracy, so it seems it was too early to rely on it. However, it is extremely convenient if it succeeds, so I'm thinking of using it when I have time.
Connect to Garmin and Apple Watch to view data
This is new. By linking with Garmin Watch or Apple Watch, the data obtained from it will be displayed on the screen in several styles as an overlay. In the video below, the heart rate is shown in the top left, the elevation and slope in the top right, the route map and route distance in the bottom left, and the date and finally the hourly rate in the bottom right. All this data was tracked on Garmin Fenix 6 It looks like it's quite playable.
It's just one step away from perfection, but it's a great "selfie eraser" function
With the Insta360 Ace Pro, you can use the "selfie eraser" function using AI image processing when editing apps after shooting. I tried to erase the selfie stick attached to the ski pole using the original Insta360 "ski stock mount."
It's my first time using it, so I don't know what it's like, and it seems difficult to use a very intense and complicated background, but in the end it seems that I can erase it to the point I don't notice. However, this feature does not allow you to continue deleting it throughout the playback of long videos, and it appears that it can only be applied to up to 30 seconds. In any case, the days when we thought that only 360° cameras could erase selfie sticks were over soon, and it was touching to think that even action cameras would soon be able to disappear from the footage.
Editing and Exporting
the Insta360 X3 the Ace Pro, which uses the same app to edit and export it (although it was originally a comfortable app), and I was able to use it conveniently without hesitation. the Insta360 is that their cameras offer this simple, sophisticated UI and a very user-friendly (and full-featured free) app that doesn't require you to open the app screen and wait for it all the time.
From basic modifications such as cropping, filtering, and exposure editing to new AI-based video processing and editing support, there are many ways to edit and customize your video. Although not all functions are the same, we also provide software for PCs, making it convenient for detailed editing and management.
If you are unhappy with this software (although it may be just for you), if you display and edit videos on your camera on your smartphone via Wifi, the videos will stutter and become heavy and not work, so if you edit them on your smartphone, you will usually need to download them on your smartphone. If neither the line speed nor the smartphone processing speed is sufficient, editing using a smartphone app will likely be stressful. In my case, I'm currently more likely to download video files to my PC and edit them using the desktop app.
Summary: Action camera that made me want to take it again on the mountain climb
For me, when I got the Insta360 ONE X2 and the Pixel 6 Pro, I thought these two would be enough for photography in the mountains. the GoPro I had been using for a long time , and for the past few years I had been thinking that action cameras would be fine. the Insta360 Ace Pro has once again taught me how practical action cameras are. Although there are still some details such as weight and other details to look forward to, he is an amazing guy who can turn the camera without any unnecessary worries in any place, weather, or time of day.
Not only is it unmatched video quality, but it also has a variety of things to keep you in the outdoors, from basic to tricky shooting modes, and an easy-to-use interface that can be used to store excellent images in harsh environments.
Even if there are some parts that overlap with 360° cameras and smartphone cameras, each has different strengths: the free and light 360°, the easy and versatile smartphone camera, and the tough, high-quality, high-performance Ace Pro , and I feel like I can continue to use these three in the future. In any case, this is probably the best for greedy people like me who want to use it for technical and intense activities such as stream climbing and skiing, and also for leisurely outdoor activities such as mountain climbing, camping, or walking around town.
