Review: Insta360 One RS Action and 360 Camera

Insta360 has released its first hardware update for its modular action camera, the Insta360 One RS. The One RS builds on what the One R (8/10, WIRED Recommends) promised: namely, to combine the action and 360-degree video camera into a single, go-anywhere, do-anything package.

The One R remains one of my favorite action cameras, especially for those who want the option of shooting 360 video by swapping a lens. This is something the GoPro just can’t match, even with the Max mod, which offers a wider (but still not 360-degree) field of view. All that said, I rarely shot with the One R. To get the image stabilization it offered, you had to process video using the Insta360 app. The image quality also didn’t match what I can get from the GoPro Hero 10 (9/10, WIRED Recommends).

The new One RS solves both of these problems and makes this a camera worth considering if you’re interested in stretching the shooting capabilities of your action camera.

I have to start with a confession: I hardly ever shoot 360-degree video. It's not a tool I find useful for the stories I want to tell. That said, I have a soft spot for the Insta360 One R and the way it turned the action cam into a 360-degree cam. 

Like its predecessor, the Insta360 One RS is made up of three parts: the battery pack, the lens and sensor (which Insta360 calls a mod), and the processor (which Insta360 calls the core). All three parts have been significantly upgraded in this release.

That makes the upgrade path a little unclear. The modular design means that some of the new features are in the lens module, and some are in the processor module. To get the full upgrade, you have to buy a whole new camera. While that’s disappointing, there’s enough that’s new and very much improved that I think a full upgrade is well worth it.

Let's start with what hasn’t changed. The 360 lens and the Leica-designed 1-inch lens are the same. The 360 lens still shoots 6K footage, and the 1-inch still uses the same 1-inch sensor, which is startlingly good for something this small.

The One RS does have a new version of the 4K lens. I think of the 4K lens as the “GoPro lens” because, well, it produces images and footage pretty similar to what you'll get from a GoPro. Insta360's new version is now called the 4K Boost, and it has a larger 1/2-inch sensor. This allows for 48-megapixel still images and clearer, sharper video.

The new 4K lens stacks up well next to the GoPro Hero 10. It'll shoot 4K at 60 frames per second in 16:9, and 6K in 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The GoPro Hero 10 does manage 120 fps in 4K mode, which will provide better slow-motion videos. But otherwise, I found the 4K Boost lens to be on par with almost everything the GoPro can do. GoPro's image stabilization is slightly better when you push both to the absolute limit, but, well, most of us aren't going to be shooting on a roller coaster at sunset after eight cups of coffee, so that's mostly a wash. 

The 4K Boost lens can be purchased as an upgrade ($300) and attached to your Insta360 One R, and you could stop there. You'd get the higher-resolution sensor, and everything else would remain the same.

However, as I noted above, the biggest problem with the One R was that some of the action camera must-have features—like image stabilization—were tightly coupled with Insta360's mobile editing application. Because I prefer to edit video on a larger screen, using software of my choice, I always disliked this aspect of the system. Clearly I am not alone, because the core module of the new One RS has been upgraded with built-in support for Insta360's FlowState stabilization system and horizon lock. There's no need to run your footage through the Insta360 mobile app just to get stabilized video. 

If you're upgrading from the One R, that means you could buy just the core bundle ($270) and stick with your existing 360 or 1-inch lenses. However, if you grab the whole system, you'll also get a larger battery and a much improved case in addition to the new modules. 

On the One R, you needed the case to waterproof the camera and to attach it to any mounts you might have, but it was fiddly and awkward to get on and off. The new case is much easier to use. You slide the body into place through the side, which means that if you have the 1-inch Leica lens module you no longer have to take off the lens cover to get it in and out of the case. For me, that alone makes the full camera system worth the upgrade.

There's also now an accessory to attach an external microphone, which is not backward compatible. The One RS has an additional mic port. I tested this with a Rode wireless mic and, as you would expect, audio quality was noticeably better than what you get from the camera. The simpler case also makes changing batteries less of a hassle.

I know I said I didn't like using the app. But what I really didn't like is passing my video through the app just to get the image stabilization. Now that that happens in the camera, the app feels less cumbersome and lets you focus on editing your 360 footage. That's where it really shines.

I still really like the Auto Frame feature, which parses through your clips and uses artificial-intelligence-powered image recognition and tracking to frame shots for you. It's the fastest way I know of to turn 360 footage into something you can actually share with friends. Even when it doesn't get exactly what you want, it gives you a good starting point to go back and refine it by hand to get the shot you wanted.

So all that said, should you get this or the GoPro? It's a bit of a false comparison. To me, these are very different cameras with very different goals. If you just want an action camera, get the GoPro Hero 10. It's smaller, lighter, and shoots slightly better video. 

On the other hand, if you want a GoPro and a 360 camera in one package, the Insta360 is the system to get. Yes it's bulkier and somewhat heavier, and the image stabilization isn't quite as good, but it gives you options. It comes in a variety of configurations. The 4K edition has the new 4K Boost lens with the new core and new battery, and will set you back $300. If you want the 360 lens as well, and if you're new to the system, you want the Twin edition at $550. The 1-inch edition comes with the 360 lens and the Leica-designed 1-inch lens, and also costs $550.

Personally, since I export video at 4K anyway (sometimes 1080p), the video quality trade-off is negligible. If you want 360 video, get this camera. It's the best of both worlds. Assuming you want both worlds, of course.