Insta360 has been, for some time now, one of the pre-eminent names in action cameras, and it has been among the pioneers in the market with new technology and gear that is more adaptable to its user base. Insta360’s GO series is among those developments, with a camera that is removable from its controls, and the newest model in the series, the Insta360 GO Ultra, has levelled up in every single way.
In the box, you get the Insta360 GO Ultra, a quick-release safety cord, a magnetic clip and a magnetic pendant. The GO Ultra has upgraded its standalone camera in so many ways, including a larger camera than the previous model, weighing 53 grams compared with 39 grams for the GO 3S. The GO Ultra weighs 108 grams with its Action Pod attached, lighter than the GO 3S, which comes in at just under 140 grams combined. The flip screen on the Action Pod is also 2.5 inches, up from 2.2 inches.
The sensor size is one of the biggest leaps, with a much larger 1/1.28-inch sensor compared with the previous model’s 1/2.3-inch sensor, a brand-new 5 nm AI chip for improved processing, and an upgraded frame rate that supports up to 4K at 60 fps and up to 1080p at 240 fps. The GO Ultra can shoot in Insta360’s PureVideo and Active HDR modes and supports removable storage, unlike the GO 3S. The camera also sports a slightly larger field of view at 156 degrees, up from the previous model’s 150.
“The newest model in the series, the Insta360 GO Ultra, has levelled up in every single way.”
The Insta360 GO Ultra’s sensor is also opened up, allowing you to use more of the sensor by shooting in FreeFrame mode (essentially open-gate), which captures 3840-by-2880 video rather than 16:9 3840-by-2160 video. That means you can shoot now and decide later whether you want to export vertically or horizontally, with the frame showing you exactly what things will look like in each orientation at the same time, a fantastic tool for people who create long- and short-form content.
Battery life has also increased significantly, with nearly double the battery life on the standalone camera and more than a 40 percent increase when connected to the Action Pod. The Insta360 GO Ultra is built to let loose, attaching the camera to kids and pets and letting them run wild, so you are sure to have a lot of extended shots that will most definitely put that battery through its paces. The Insta360 GO Ultra also charges from zero to 80 per cent in 18 minutes in its Action Pod, less than half the time of the Insta360 GO 3S.
Photo and video quality on the Insta360 GO Ultra is fantastic, especially considering that all this work is being done on such a small device. It looks fantastic in both well-lit and low-light situations. I tested photos at night with no direct light on my face, and they still came out beautifully. While the flip screen showed a lot of noise while shooting in PureVideo mode at night on the Toronto skyline, the shot was still much cleaner than I expected. It is doing a lot of work to deliver a great image.
“The Insta360 GO Ultra is the one I would take with me to capture everyday life, great POVs and just for fun.”
Audio is always an interesting proposition with cameras like this because they tend to promise a lot, and while some have delivered pretty decent sound, I was shocked by how impressed I was with the Insta360 GO Ultra’s microphone. The noise removal is fantastic. I spoke on a rooftop where there was quite a lot of wind and, with no windscreen added to the camera, my voice was crystal clear and virtually all background noise was gone. It can also connect to external mics like the Insta360 Air, DJI Mic 3 or even AirPods.
The Insta360 GO Ultra is waterproof to 10 metres only when used as a standalone camera. The Action Pod has to stay on shore if you are taking this camera snorkelling, which is a bit of a bummer, as I tend to rely on my screens when I am trying to make sure I am framing something correctly. Using the standalone camera for POV footage is great because it just sees what you see, but the inability to compose a nice shot in this use case is a letdown for me, though I am sure people just trying to capture their vacation will not mind as much.
At $449.99 US, the Insta360 GO Ultra is slightly more expensive than the flagship Ace Pro 2, which comes in at $419.99 US, based on each camera’s standard bundle. Prices for other bundles vary. So why are you being charged more for this camera instead of the one that can shoot 8K? While the sensors are the same, the AI chip in the GO Ultra is newer technology, and Insta360 has packed all of that tech into a smaller package.
The Insta360 GO Ultra’s versatility is also a big selling point. There is no need for special chest straps for those POV shots. You can attach the GO Ultra to your shirt with the magnetic pendant, to your hat, or pretty much anything, with the clip, or you can just stick it to any magnetic surface and shoot. The hands-free options make this camera an undeniable option for a lot of people in a lot of scenarios.
I also found the motion on the GO Ultra to be a little smoother than on the Ace Pro 2, which makes sense when you see that Insta360 has built in modes to capture toddlers and pets running amok and needs to do that without it turning into a jittery nightmare. The Insta360 GO Ultra, in motion, is an incredibly smooth experience. So while, as a creator, I would probably lean on the Ace Pro 2 for its higher resolution, the Insta360 GO Ultra is the one I would take with me to capture everyday life, great POVs and just for fun.
