The Insta360 GO 2 is the smallest action camera ever. It’s around the same size as your thumb and weighs just 25.6g. Surely a camera this small can’t be much use for content creators? To my surprise this tiny camera punches way above its weight and can be used to create unique shots not possible with other cameras.
In this Insta30 GO 2 review I’ll be taking you through every feature, showing off footage I’ve shot, exploring some of the weaknesses of the camera and discussing who should be buying it.
Insta360 GO 2 Specifications
Specs | Insta360 GO 2 |
---|---|
Image | |
Video | |
Aperture | F2.2 |
Resolution | 1440K @50fps |
Bit Rate | 80MBPS |
Format | mp4, insv |
Modes | Pro, Timeshift, Timelapse, HDR Video |
Coding | H.264 |
Audio | x 1 Microphone |
Livestream | No |
Photo | |
Resolution | 2000 x 2000 |
Modes |
|
Format | JPEG |
Design | |
Waterproof | Yes - 4 metres |
Battery | |
Special Features | |
Where to Buy | Insta360 |
Go 2 vs Go 1
The original Insta360 Go was released in 2019 and was the first to claim the “worlds smallest action camera” accolade. Unfortunately this was pretty much the only positive thing about it. While the idea was good the implementation felt unfinished. The camera suffered from very poor battery life, limited frame rate, required a wires connection & most of the video it shot looked abysmal.
Insta360 has spend the past year and a half working on the flaws but retaining the concept. The result is a much improved device that’s actually useful for content creation. Here’s a summary of the main differences between the Go 1 & Go 2.
The one curiosity is the apparently lower resolution of the Go 2 video. While this is seems like a downgrade the reality is that the Go 2 shoots higher quality video thanks to improved optics, higher bit rate and double the frame rate.
Design
It goes without saying that what makes the Insta360 Go 2 unique is its tiny size. The camera weights just 25.6g and is roughly the size of a mans thumb. It’s this tiny size that allows you to use the Go 2 in unique ways. Insta360 has attempted to fit an action camera lens into this tiny device; in some ways they have succeeded, with some limitations.
The Go 2 is am oblong shaped camera with a single protruding lens which also features a lens protector. The body of the camera is also a button which allows you to start and stop recording. Press once to shoot standard video and twice to start shooting stabilized “Pro” video.
On the rear of the camera you’ll find a magnet which allows it to attach to anything metallic, including the various accessories that come with the camera.
The other major part of this camera set-up is the case, which is much more than just a place to put the camera when not using it. The case also acts as a portable charger, tri-pod & remote control; it’s the key reason why the Go 2 is fare more user friendly than the first generation.
Accessories
You can shoot a lot of awesome video with the Go 2, mostly thanks to the various accessories that you get with the camera. Most of the ones I discuss here come in the box with the camera. All of the accessories work my magnetically locking the camera into place.
The most interesting of the bundled accessories is the medallion which allows you to literally wear your Go 2. Put the medallion under your shirt and attach the Go 2 over it. You’ll then be able to shoot hand free with a first person perfective.
Other accessories include a mini tripod that can stick to any surface, allowing you to place the camera literally anywhere with a flat surface.
Finally there’s a clip on accessory that can attach to a cap, allowing for another first person view.
These accessories are robust and effective in what they do; they aren’t just cheap pieces of plastic.
Video
So what kind of video can you shoot with the Insta360 Go 2? You should first bare in mind the size of this camera and acknowledge its limitations; it’s not going to match up to a GoPro or even your phone when it comes to raw quality. The good news is that 1440p @ 50fps can still look great, with that high frame rate allowing for smooth video even in motion.
The Go 2 has several video modes including Normal Video, Pro Video, Timeshift, Timelapse & HDR Video.
You can take a look at my video review to see plenty of footage shot with the Go 2, including some creative shots that wouldn’t be possible with any other camera. What I really like about the Go 2 is that you can literally put it anywhere, be it attached to you or to a bike, car, street lamp, it’s all possible. The Go 2 is used ormarily to provide a first world perspective, however you can use it in pretty much any way you can imagine.
Stabilization
The Go 2 has two main video options, normal mode and Pro mode. When shooting in Pro mode the camera will apple stabilization which will work to smoot out any moving video. Insta360’s flowstate stabilization software works amazingly well in their 360 cameras and while the effect isn’t so apparent with the GO 2 it’s still does a great job.
The downside of using Pro Video mode is that the recording time is limited to 10 minutes, the battery will also run down more quickly when using this mode. For video where the camera is not in motion, like when shooting a time-lapse, you should use the normal video mode with has a 30 minute time limit.
While I would never use the Go 2 as my main camera, I would certainly keep it as part of my kit. It’s so easy to use and is completely hands free. It’s perfect for first person view shots, timelapses and unique action shots. You can stick the camera to your car or bike and create some awesome shots. Try combining slow motion and stabilized video.
For anyone looking to shoot unique vlogs or travel videos then the Go 2 is a perfect secondary camera for creating some unique B-Roll. Just be aware of the limited quality possible with such a small device. This is a camera designed for social media; lower quality video won’t matter too much when viewed on a small screen.
I would as far to say the Insta360 Go 2 is the perfect camera for shooting TikTok’s or Instagram Reels. The camera can shoot wide angle vertical videos which you can edit quickly and easily on the app.
Photography
Just like most Insta360 cameras, and action cameras in general, the GO 2 is primarily a video device with photography. You can use the Go 2 to shoot some quick snapshots in unique ways, it also features a auto HDR more called Pureshot which will boost the quality of your images.
But at the end of the day you are left with 2000 X 2000 size images which have limited dynamic range and poor detailing. Once again these will be fine for social media, paritcuarly when used in unique locations.
App
What makes the Go 2 a great content creation camera is the Insta360 App. If you’ve used any of Insta360’s other camera then you’ll already know about the video editor, AI features and built in themes that make creating content for social media extremely simple.
When you open up the app and connect to the camera you’ll be able to use your videos without having to transfer them over; a huge time saver. You can then select the clips you want and the app will automatically combine them, adding music, transitions and speed changes. There are dozens of themes to choose from and each creates a unique style for your videos.
The AI will try and find the best parts of each clip, but you also have the option of manually editing if it doesn’t get it quite right. In the manual editor you can trim, split or cut your clips, you can change speed, colour, add transitions, music and finally export as a full video. It’s an impressive video editor considering it’s free.
See Also: Insta360 One R Review
Other Features
Waterproof
The Insta360 Go 2 is waterproof up to 4 metres. You can take it swimming and it will be fine, just don’t dive too deep!
Storage
The camera has 28GB of usable memory, not bad for such a tiny camera. While this is plenty of storage for a couple of days worth of shooting, you’ll probably need to transfer your files to a phone reasonably often.
Battery
One of the weakest aspects of the Go 2 is the battery life. With just 280mAh the camera can shoot for around 20 minutes on a single charge. Thankfully you are able to charge your camera when not shooting thanks to the case, which has another 1050mAh battery power. Overall you’ll get 150 minutes of shooting time.
Summary
The Insta360 Go 2 is certainly unique and I’ve had a lot of fun using it. There is huge potential for creativity with the camera thanks to its tiny size, magnetic connector and a good range of accessories.
Will this replace a GoPro? Probably not. We have become spoiled with 4K or even 5K resolution video and 1440p won’t cut it on larger screens. When it comes to social media the jury is out; the unique shots you can get with the Go 2 could make up for the lack of quality.
The Go 2 is also pretty expensive, $100 more than the Go 1. Then again the improvement on the first version is pretty huge.
So should you buy the Insta360 Go 2? It’s certainly a solid product and it does what it sets out to do, in fact it does it extremely well. Anyone looking to get creative with their videos should definitely consider the Go 2 as part of their arsenal.
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