The One RS 1-inch 360 Edition from Insta360 is the company’s most competent camera to date. It costs $800 and is the company’s most powerful consumer 360 camera to date.
The reason for the confusing nomenclature is because this camera’s core is identical to that of Insta360’s ONE RS, the company’s second iteration of its modular action camera, which debuted in April of this year.
However, the 1-inch 360 edition includes a modified dual 1-inch CMOS sensor and a larger battery attachment. A mounting bracket holds everything together to form a far more powerful 6K 360 cameras.
In early 2020, with the announcement of the One R, Insta360 made a significant wager on the modular camera concept.
It was the first action camera to allow a variety of lens modifications for various filming techniques.
A 1-inch mod that could record 5.3K footage, a conventional 4K mod that resembled classic action cameras like the GoPro Hero 8, and a dual-lens 360 camera mod that could record 5.7K spherical video, similar to Insta360’s standalone 360 camera at the time, the One X, were also available. For action-camera enthusiasts who might be interested in 360-degree filming but do not want to invest in a specialized 360 camera, the modular design seemed ideal.
Two years later, in March 2020, Insta360 unveiled the One RS, which enhanced the One R’s Wi-Fi transfer rates and microphone quality while also boosting the core’s computing capability. At the time, it seemed like a fairly small change, but now that the One RS 1-inch 360 Edition has been released, it makes much more sense.
The One RS’s 1-inch 360 camera uses the exact same core as the One RS, which is identical.
Additionally, owners of the RS and R can spend $650 on the battery, mounting bracket, and two 1-inch 360-degree sensors alone.
A plastic mounting bracket, a battery brick with a USB-C charging connection, a 14″ tripod mount, and a USB-C plug to connect to the core, a core with a USB-C port, a micro-SD card slot, and a 1.3-inch touchscreen, and two 1-inch CMOS sensors and lenses make up the One RS 1-inch 360 Edition. This produces the 6K 360 camera when it is stacked and fitted into its housing.
These two 1-inch CMOS sensors can take 21-megapixel 360-degree images and record 6K 360-degree video at 30 frames per second.
According to Insta360, the bigger sensors offer more dynamic range and better low light performance than its previous consumer 360-degree cameras.
The larger sensor weighs 239g and has two larger, projecting glass spheres, which could make it more vulnerable to cracks and scratches.
Insta360 advises against using the camera on selfie sticks longer than four feet when engaging in strenuous sports like riding as a result.
Sadly, the system’s IPX3 water resistance rating means that it should not be submerged in water or used for fast-moving water sports like surfing.
After using the One RS 1-Inch 360 Edition for a few days, I will soon provide a comprehensive review with a tone of camera samples.
Although its greater size gives me considerably more worry when in use, this system so far feels like a breath of fresh air in a 360-camera market that has become somewhat static.
