First test Insta360 One R
Meet the ingeniously modular Gopro that isn’t a Gopro… or even a DJI
Watch out, Gopro and DJI – the world of action cameras is moving mighty fast, and you’re no longer the only companies making big moves or modular models.
The Insta360 One R is a perfect example: a tiny camera with clever software, great image stabilisation and, depending on how much you’re willing to spend, up to three modules that drastically change the way it shoots videos and still photos.
The modular three-section design is key to the One R’s appeal. The camera consists of a core (featuring a touch display, card slot and USB-C port for charging), a camera module (with three mods to choose from) and a battery base, all of which push and snap easily together.
There’s a lot to be said for this sort of user-friendliness and versatility in an action camera, and the One R promises to deliver on both fronts. It’d take us a month or two to really explore everything this camera can do – especially with the firmware and app being frequently updated, and even more features and shooting modes to be potentially added in the near future – but for now, how does this flexitarian approach work out in practice? We braved the winds of winter down on the south coast to find out just that.
1 Rad dwarf
No matter which mod you’ve got fitted, the One R is small, lightweight and pocket-friendly. It comes with a cage and mount adaptor allowing you to fit it to the same harnesses and mounts as a Gopro – a smart choice given the sheer number of them out there.
2 Rad of iron
The small, boxy, sturdy design means you don’t have to treat this thing with kid gloves. Two camera modules have built-in scratch-proof lens covers, while the other comes with a tough rubber slip cover. The camera is waterproof to 5m.
3 Pimp my rad
The feature list is epic. A lot of the shooting modes revolve around AI, where the mobile app takes the editing reins and hands them over to a robot. As long as you shoot within certain parameters, you can achieve cool-looking clips using very little effort.
4 Rad awakening
Other smart features include limited voice control, 5G Wi-fi (which is best used to link the camera up to the phone running the app), a microsd slot able to accommodate cards up to 256GB, and a USB-C port for charging and file transfer.
5 Raddy for anything
Choose from a dual-lens 360° camera, a 4K wide-angle, and a wide-angle with a 1in sensor made in partnership with Leica. This offers ace quality… but costs £520. You can shoot in a wide range of resolutions and frame rates depending on the module.