The Insta360 Go Ultra Is Great, But Deviates From Original Vision
Insta360 Go Ultra.
Ben Sin
Six years ago I tested the Insta360 Go, a tiny action camera that I found to be highly versatile and useful. Its petite form factor (about the size of my thumb) allowed me to place the camera in odd locations for some unique perspectives. And because it was so compact (with the included charging case, the total footprint was about the size of an AirPods case) I kept the camera in my daily bag at all times, so it was essentially always with me, like my phone and wallet.
The original Insta360 Go.
Ben Sin
In the years since, the Go series kept evolving, improving in image quality and adding features, but also increased in size with each new version. By the third generation model, I wondered if the Go camera had gotten a bit too big. It was still smaller than almost all action cameras on the market, but the size had increased to a point I didn’t want to keep it in my bag full time anymore.
The first generation Insta360 Go, including its charging case (left); compared to the much bigger Insta360 Go 3, with its charging body (right).
Ben Sin
And now comes the fifth-generation model, named the Go Ultra. As the name implies, this one packs the best specs yet, with a much larger camera image sensor of 1/1.3-inch (compared to 1/2.3-inch in the last generation), and more advanced silicon (5nm, compared to 14nm previous generation). But yes, it also increased in size again.
To reiterate: when I lament the Go Ultra getting bigger, I am comparing it to previous Go cameras (especially the first two), which were petite. Objectively speaking, the Go Ultra is still a small piece of gadget that’s very portable. Just like the previous two models, the Go Ultra consists of two parts: a standalone pod-like camera, and a rectangular housing case that the company calls “Action Pod.”
The Go Ultra in its charging case (left) and by itself (right).
Ben Sin
When the two parts are conjoined (in its default form), the Go Ultra operates exactly like other action cameras. It shoots wide angle video up to 4K resolution at up to 60fps, with excellent stabilization.
The fact that the core camera part can be detached is what makes the Go series special: because of its smaller size, and magnetic back, the camera can attach to metallic surfaces or be placed in tight spots.
The Insta360 Go Ultra attached to a street lamp pole.
Ben Sin
This detachable camera part has virtually doubled in size compared to previous Go cameras, but it still weighs just 53g, so it’s still lightweight. The best part is, even when the camera is detached from the main body (action pod), they’re still connected wirelessly, so I can use the main body’s 2.5-inch screen to preview footage, or control recording.
The screen still works when the camera is detached.
Ben Sin
Footage captured by the camera looks really good, though in that typical action camera vibe with super wide field-of-view and very HDR-processed look. Due to the large sensor, the Go Ultra is able to shoot with a 2X in-sensor crop for a less wide field-of-view for a more conventional camera look.
The standalone camera can shoot 70 minutes on a single charge, with the main body adding 130 minutes of use on top for a total of 200 minutes.
Overall, the Insta360 Go Ultra is indeed better than previous Go cameras in every way. Video footage is superior, battery life lasts longer, etc. But as I mentioned in the opening, I am not sure what to make of the Go series continually increasing in size. The main point of the Go camera is its ultra-portability. The first two Gos were so tiny that I could keep them in my bag at all times and it didn’t bother me because it took up virtually no space. So it was a camera that was always with me.
By the third Go, I couldn’t keep it in my bag full time anymore, it became a special use case camera. I had to consciously remember to bring the camera out to use it. As a result, I used the first two Go cameras much more than the later series, even though the later ones were much better in terms of image quality.
The Go Ultra, in its full form, is roughly the same size as a conventional action camera, so unless you regularly use the camera in detached form, you are better off just buying a conventional action camera like Insta360’s own Ace Pro 2, or DJI’s Action 5 Pro.
But if you do have use for the Go Ultra’s specific detachable form, then you can get a lot of unique shots. If you loved the Insta360 Go 3 and didn’t mind that size much, then the Go Ultra is only a bit bigger than that, with significantly improved videos. So overall, the Go Ultra is an excellent product, I just think it’s lost a bit of its original charm and vision.