Insta360 GO 3 - Review
It’s here! The new, tiny camera from the Insta360 GO family!
And this time… It’s even better than you thought! It certainly is much better than I thought it would be…
If you want to know everything about the new GO3 - keep reading (or watch the video!) because I have taken this little guy to hell and back.
You can buy this camera here:
Insta360 Official Store (worldwide)
Amazon (this link will take you to your country’s store)
Insta360 GO 3 ND filters
The coolest updates of Insta360 GO3
I personally love how Insta360 listens to content creators and FPV pilots when it goes to camera updates and features. This is what made me switch completely from GoPro - to Insta360, and so far… after almost 3 years - I am not planning on going back. And this works for both - my general content and FPV content. The GO series has revolutionised the tiny action cameras and my personal FPV racing world as the first version of it was as big as 2 gummy bears and weighted 20g…
Now… Insta360 go2 weight got a bit higher - to 27g and the GO3 is getting us to 35,5g. This is making a difference, but it’s still the most powerful camera in its category, so let’s say those 35grams don’t bother me that much.
The camera comes in 3 memory capacity variants:
32GB (379,99$)
64GB (399,99$)
128GB (429,99$)
and price-wise… it makes the most sense to grab the 128.
Where were we? Ah yes… But the most significant difference is the action pod!
The Insta360 GO1 had a small case that wasn’t really useful for anything but charging and storing the camera. GO2 got the special case that could serve as a little tripod and quick settings access. GO3 has an action pod with a flip screen which I wasn’t THAT EXCITED ABOUT, but… I kid you not… this is my favourite part of the new setup.
The Action pod allows you to change the camera settings, watch the content and see what the camera sees - both remotely and in-dock. What is also great is that you can leave the camera further away and not only control it remotely from the pod, but also change all the settings if you realize something is a bit off. This is great because it allows you to save your phone battery and skip on the “connection” problems that I sometimes had with the cams and my phone. It simply works - and I loooove stuff that simply works.
What is more - both camera and the pod are somewhat waterproof. The pod has an IPX4 water-resistant design for the Pod (meaning you can use it in rain or… surfing… although it’s not able to survive under water) And the GO3 has an IPX8 waterproofing meaning you can take it down with you up to 16ft (5m)
GO3 has an enchanced video capabilities up to 2.7K. YES, 2.7K on a 35g camera.
Another pain point of the GO series that has been enchanced is no clip length limitations. Which is something that got me excited more than it should
and a larger 310mAh battery, meaning up to 45 minutes without the Pod (which is like 50% more than go2) shot of my longest clip if it's more than 40 min.
With an additional mic, GO 3's dual microphones offer clearer and crisper audio than its predecessor. And I have to be clear here… This audio is pretty good. And you can even understand some of what we say when the camera is underwater. (You can watch the entire thing on my YouTube video)
New recording modes are also available, including Pre-recording, Loop Recording and Timed Capture. With Timed Capture, simply schedule GO 3 to power on and start recording at a specific time. No more waking up early to shoot a sunrise timelapse! (Which I may have used already)
And obviously, the editing capabilities post-production have always been my favs, but this time I also want to show you the new AI-powered video editing. Got some trending audio, main idea of what clips to use but no idea what to do with them? Let the app take it from there. While you enjoy doing something else, or looking for new trending sounds.
What are you getting in the box?
Upon opening, you will see the standard GO series packaging and the tiny camera sitting on top of the goodies. The included accessories consist of:
Action Pod
Magnetic necklace
A tiny stand with a quick-release system
I have also gotten a quick-release mount and ND filters for the camera
To hell and back
This camera has been through… A LOT. From fpv flights, rollercoaster rides, tough hikes, extremely cold water and drastic sun.
And for FPV - it's amazing! Especially if you care about the weight. It's a perfect addition for racing pilots, 3” quads, and so much more! And with the current " no max clip length” you don't have to worry anymore about the race delays (which used to be a thing). This camera has survived some crashes too and still has no scratches. It also survived magnetic sand so... It's great.
And since I got this camera before going to disneyland… that meant - it will go with me on all of the cooler rides.
I have tested it on rollercoasters, smooth rides, walking around, making fun of things and enjoying the fun. I have worked with it in both good and worse light conditions, and yes… it won’t be perfect in dark and fast rollercoasters - but for what it is… It’s beyond amazing.
I have also taken it to Switzerland hike where the camera had to survive the awful sun, height, extremely cold water and a lot of movement… As well as a ride down (shot of the ride)
And to be perfectly clear - I use multiple cameras on my vlogs and general content creation, but the GO3 has absolutely found its place in my general setup, especially for POV or action shots. There’s no smaller, smoother and better quality camera out there and with this one - I can sneak into places and record things that would be impossible otherwise. You won’t take a camera on a rollercoaster and you are sometimes forbidden of taking action cams or selfie sticks with you. With the magnet pedant or whatever you will create for yourself - this is no longer an issue. And the quality of created content is beyond anything I could have done with other setups. And now - with the action pod - I can also make changes and check how the footage looked like right away with no issues. I can also check the shots while recording, which is an absolute gamechanger.
Specs
And of course - we should also go through the specs.
As usual, the Insta360 GO3 is tiny, it is a bit thicker than the GO2, meaning that whatever you had printed for GO2 - won’t fit, unfortunately.
Aperture F2.2 35mm
Equivalent Focal Length 11.24mm
Photo Resolution 2560x1440 (16:9) 2560x2560 (1:1) 1440x2560 (9:16) 2936x1088 (2.7:1)
Video Resolution Video 2.7K: 2720x1536@24/25/30fps 1440P: 2560x1440@24/25/30/50fps 1080P: 1920x1080@24/25/30/50fps
FreeFrame Video 1440P: 2560x1440@24/25/30/50fps 1080P: 1920x1080@24/25/30/50fps
Timelapse 1440P: 2560x1440@30fps
TimeShift 1440P: 2560x1440@30fps
Slow Motion 1080P: 1920x1080@120fps
Pre-Recording 2.7K：2720x1536@24/25/30fps 1440P: 2560x1440@24/25/30/50fps 1080P: 1920x1080@24/25/30/50fps
Loop Recording 2.7K：2720x1536@24/25/30fps 1440P: 2560x1440@24/25/30/50fps 1080P: 1920x1080@24/25/30/50fps
Photo Format INSP (can be exported via App or Studio) DNG (can be exported via App or Studio)
Video Format MP4
Photo Modes Photo, HDR Photo, Interval, Starlapse Video Modes Video, FreeFrame Video, Timelapse, TimeShift, Slow Motion, Pre-Recording, Loop Recording Color Profiles Standard, Vivid, Flat
Weight
GO 3: 35.5g (1.25oz)
Action Pod: 96.3g (3.40oz)
Dimensions (W x H x D)
GO 3: 25.6x54.4x23.2 mm (1.0x2.1x0.9in)
Action Pod: Screen Folded: 63.5x47.6x29.5mm (2.5x1.9x1.2in) Screen Unfolded: 63.5x86.6x29.9mm (2.5x3.4x1.2in)
Video Coding | H.264
Max Video Bitrate | 80Mbps
Gyroscope | 6-axis gyroscope
Exposure Value | ±4EV
ISO Range | 100-3200
Shutter Speed | Photo: 1/8000 - 120s Video: 1/8000 - to the limit of frames per second
Audio Modes | Wind Reduction, Stereo, Direction Focus
Audio Format | 48Khz, 24bits, AAC
Storage | 32GB, 64GB, 128GB
Battery Capacity
GO 3: 310mAh
Action Pod: 1270mAh
Run Time
GO 3: 45 mins
GO 3 + Action Pod: 170 mins
*Measured in lab conditions at 1080P@30fps | | Use Environment | GO 3: -4°F to 104°F (-20℃ to 40℃) Action Pod: -4°F to 104°F (-20℃ to 40℃) |
Thoughts?
I have been a huge fan of the GO series since the GO1 and I am always excited to see the new family members which are always putting something new into my content creation life. Insta360 really does a great job in setting up the new “standards” and doing much better than others. GO3 is not only a “small update” - it’s huge and it changes the game for content creators and FPV pilots all around the world with each new release.
I will do a separate FPV review and video with it, but unfortunately, I haven’t had much time to do so this month. So be sure you are subscribed - so you won’t miss out on that. If you want to compare this camera with its predecessors - check out my review videos of the GO1 & GO2. (also available below)
Where can you get it? I am leaving you links to insta360 and Amazon. Those are affiliate links, so if you buy something after clicking them - I will get a little commission, so thank you very much for doing that.
What are your thoughts about the GO3? Or what could Insta360 do to make it even better? Leave me a comment down below and let’s have a conversation.
I’ll see you in the next one! Bye!
Want to watch the reviews of GO 1 and GO 2?
Insta360 GO 1
Insta360 GO 2
