Insta360 Go 3 review: Small camera, big possibilities

The Action Pod is a genius upgrade to the previous generation

Insta360 has become a fast favorite among content creators, starting with early 360 cameras and quickly moving onto the Go cameras before recently adding a smartphone gimbal to the mix. Now Insta360 is returning to its tiniest camera line to release the brand new Go 3. Not only does it bring significant upgrades to the camera module, but a completely redesigned charging pod adds a whole new dimension to the way it can be used.

The Insta360 Go 3 is a great miniature action camera that can fit just about anywhere and lends itself to plenty of creative shots. While it doesn’t offer 4K resolution and isn’t quite as powerful as some competitors, the new Action Pod is an incredible tool for controlling the camera, and it’s incredibly fun to shoot with flexibility affords plenty of creative shots that aren’t easy or possible with any other camera.

The Go 3 is available directly from Insta360’s website, or from most major online retailers. It starts at $380 for a 32GB model while the 64GB and 128GB models are available for $400 and $430, respectively.

The Insta360 Go 3 is effectively made up of two parts: a small pill-shaped camera module and a larger charging pod with a screen.

To put it simply, the camera module is defined by its very tiny minimalist design. The only notable details on the matte white body are a camera lens and LED status indicator on the front, a couple microphone holes, and a POGO pin interface around back. Otherwise, there are two small gaps for use in a custom mount. And while you can’t see it, the whole back is magnetic.

Like previous Insta360 Go cameras, most things can be done through just one button hidden in the lower half of the module. The button can be mapped so single and double clicks of the button activate different recording modes, or the same mode with two different configurations. Additionally, the Go 3 introduces a new and often requested feature: Voice control. Once it’s enabled on the main menu, simply say “start recording” or “stop recording.”

The other half of the dynamic duo is the brand new Action Pod, which provides the charging interface, an internal battery capable of more than tripling runtime, and a USB-C port for copying footage to a computer. Three buttons are positioned on the top and right edge, mimicking the shutter button and controls of a miniature camera.

Where the Action Pod really shines over its predecessor is a rear touchscreen that serves as a viewfinder and interface for camera settings. However, my favorite feature is that it remains wirelessly connected after the camera is detached, turning it into a wireless viewfinder and eliminating the need to use a phone. It’s also designed with a 180° hinge for vlogging.

The Action Pod is also highly magnetic and works with the same clip mount as the camera module. If you’re really in a pinch, the flip screen can also act as a makeshift kickstand.

Three mounting accessories are included in the box, two of which were bundled with the Go 2. These include a magnetic pendant that can be worn under the shirt while the camera sits on top, and a hat clip with a custom-fit cradle. They both hold the camera pretty well, and it would take a fairly hard hit to knock it off.

The third accessory is a remix of the Go 2’s Pivot Stand, a plate with a sticky pad on the back and a ball head mount for the camera. Insta360 replaced this with a two-part version that connects the ball head to the sticky pad by a ¼-20 screw. This accessory doesn’t achieve the same low profile or flexibility as the older Go 2 mount — as evidenced by a litany of Go 2 tips and tricks that rely on it — but the newer version is more stable, and the ball head can be paired with any number of mounting solutions using a standard ¼-20 screw.

Two new accessories are also launching separately: a selfie stick for vlogging, and a “monkey tail” for hanging a camera in odd places. As usual, there are also adapters available for the typical GoPro-style action mounts. There were also ND filters available for the Go 2, but I don’t yet know if the same model will fit the Go 3, or if a new version will be available.

Since the new Action Pod operates as a remote viewfinder, running the app on your smartphone isn’t really necessary anymore. Nevertheless, it’s still an excellent companion app, and handy to use on larger phone displays where it’s easier to see details and change settings. The only drawback to using your phone is that it requires dropping a regular Wi-Fi connection for the camera’s Wi-Fi signal.

Insta360’s app isn’t just a remote viewer, it also provides a video editor with an Auto Edit mode for intelligently generating videos from multiple clips, or Story mode for building videos manually with custom text, effects, and free background music. It won’t compete with the likes of Lumafusion or other video editors, but it’s plenty for quick social posts.

The app also provides tutorials and various tips and tricks videos, plus an Instagram-like social network where people can post their creations. While posting here may not appeal to everyone, it’s worth browsing to get inspiration for your own videos.

If you prefer editing on a laptop, there is also Insta360 Studio, a desktop app that began its life as a tool for working with 360 camera footage. While the Go 3’s fisheye camera is already pre-normalized in some modes, the Studio app can be used to correct anything captured in FreeFrame (formerly ‘Pro’ mode) or Photo mode. It’s a simple app with few features, but it only takes a few minutes to learn. And I must say, cheers to Insta360 for making this app installable on macOS via Homebrew.

The Insta360 Go 3 is first and foremost an action camera, and it predictably behaves like one, for better and worse. For example, the built-in fisheye lens results in some heavy distortion (before corrections), though many people already associate this with the “action camera look.” It also has a small-ish camera sensor, comparable to most smartphones, so it tends to struggle with fine details and low light environments. Video also tends to come out looking oversharpened.

Of course, if you’re out shooting high-speed action during the daytime, none of that is going to matter. What you’ll care about is how tiny and lightweight the camera is, because it can be worn or attached to just about anything using the right accessory, making it easy to use while skiing, running, or climbing. It’s also capable of fitting into some tight spaces for creative shots, like setting it in the bottom of a drinking glass or the back of a microwave (just don’t nuke it) while preparing food.

The Action Pod also makes vlogging and creative shots much easier with the flip screen and wireless viewfinder functionality.

The 2.7K resolution (1536 x 2720) of the regular video mode, or 2.5K (1440x2560) for FreeFrame (formerly “Pro”), should be plenty of pixels for most people. I was a bit thrown at first because the Go 3 doesn’t nudge users toward the FreeFrame mode, which is where you’ll find its best features, like the 360 Horizon Lock that keeps video as level as possible as it changes orientations.

Granted, that feature and a few others do require post-processing in the mobile app or Insta360 Studio. Frankly, if you’re not exactly sure how you want to shoot something, just use FreeFrame mode and figure out how it looks best later.

Audio quality is pretty good, and while I could never compare it to the quality of a decent external mic, it’s fine for most vloggers. By default, it’s set to reduce wind noise, which I didn’t find particularly effective while simply jogging. It can also be configured with forward-facing or stereo pickup patterns to suit your environment.

As an action camera, stabilization is critical, and Insta360 has done a lot with its FlowState Stabilization technology to make action footage look almost drone-like. There are multiple levels of in-camera stabilization, but much like the 360 Horizon Lock, the best results come from rendering it through Insta360’s apps. Regardless of how good the stabilization is, heavy motion is still likely to produce some visual jitters if the camera bounces too much while recording.

One thing to be wary of is heat. The Go 3 can warm up quite a bit, which is normal for a small device with a fair amount of horsepower and no means of cooling. It takes perhaps 15-20 minutes before it’s hot to the touch, which is slower than the 4-5 minutes it took the DJI Action 2 to become extremely hot. While it never shut off due to high temperatures, I would strongly advise against leaving it recording for too long in a position without decent airflow.

For reference, the Go 3 can produce up to 80Mbps in FreeFrame mode, so every 10 seconds of video can produce up to 80MB.

I should also mention photos. While you may not think of using an action camera for still images, it is an option on the Go 3. Much like the FreeFrame mode, there's also a PureView mode for shooting stills that allows a bit of extra control over the final output, and the images actually look pretty good — as long as you're not comparing them to a top-tier flagship phone.

Insta360 has made some significant progress with battery life in the new model. The Go 3 camera module is rated to record 45 minutes of 1080p@30fps video, while the Go 2 only hits 30 minutes. There are similar gains when both cameras are seated with their respective cases, with the Go 3 boasting 173 minutes with the Action Pod, compared to 150 minutes with the Go 2 and case.

My own tests even narrowly exceeded expectations with 49 minutes on the same capture settings and only dropped to 45 minutes while recording 2.7K@30fps.

In the broadest terms, in which we’re simply calling the Go 3 an action camera, there are dozens of competitors ranging from low cost white-label OEMs up to the likes of GoPro and DJI. However, narrowing the field to just ultra-compact action cameras — those that are smaller than the classic GoPro body — only the DJI Action 2 (not even the Action 3) meets the criteria.

Even so, the DJI Action 2 nearly doubles the weight and width of the Go 3. The extra size isn’t unreasonable, as the Action 2 contains a larger camera sensor, battery, and a rear screen. It also offers up to 4K@120fps footage (for only a few minutes) — though the camera is known to overheat easily. Otherwise, both boast an ultrawide field of view, one-button recording, great stabilization, and horizon leveling modes. The base Action 2 retailed for $299, a bit less than the Insta360 Go 3; but it’s now two years old and goes on sale frequently, and it’s unclear if it will be available for much longer.

The Insta360 Go 3 is unlike other action cameras and a world apart from smartphones and DSLRs. It’s truly fun to use in a way that’s hard to describe, and it changes the way you think about shooting video. This isn’t a camera for everybody, but it’s great for anybody that feels limited by their regular gear.

While it certainly can’t replace a full-size DSLR or mirrorless camera, or even capable smartphone cameras, it opens the door to shooting things nobody would even try to get with either of those. It’s a complimentary camera that can be worn or positioned in places almost no other camera can go.

Of course, it’s not a perfect camera. The lack of 4K resolution may be an issue for some users, and like most action cameras, the oversharpening is a little aggressive. Likewise, there’s definitely room to improve on low-light performance and dynamic range. Put simply, the image coming out of the Insta360 Go 3 won’t be the prettiest, but that’s not what this camera is for. For action camera uses — that is, getting shots other cameras can't — the Insta360 Go 3 is great.

The Insta360 Go 3 is a great miniature action camera that can fit just about anywhere and lends itself to plenty of creative shots. While it doesn’t offer 4K resolution and isn’t quite as powerful as some competitors, the new Action Pod is an incredible tool for controlling the camera, and it’s incredibly fun to shoot with flexibility affords plenty of creative shots that aren’t easy or possible with any other camera.

Cody has been a contributor to Android Police for nearly ten years. While best known for writing hundreds of APK Teardowns and breaking news on many of Google’s new products and services, he also covers deeper technical topics about the inner workings of Android, app development, and security. Cody is a software engineer and consultant with two decades of experience developing mobile and enterprise applications. He has written code for quite a few projects within the Android community, in addition to working with many companies, including Microsoft and Intel. In addition to writing, Cody is a regular podcaster and has made appearances on CNN, All About Android, and Tech News Today. Cody is also an active photographer and videographer, occasional gamer, and an all-around decent human.