Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition: Full Review

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition is an innovative action camera that offers advanced features in a modular design. This model captures stunning 4K video at up to 60fps and 20MP photos, providing excellent image quality. A highlight is FlowState stabilization technology which delivers gimbal-like stabilization to smooth out footage. The ONE RS is also waterproof to 16 feet without a case, making it ideal for water sports and underwater use.

Modular accessories allow you to easily swap components like lenses, screens, batteries and more. The core camera unit is powered by an Ambarella H22 S1 chip, providing excellent processing capabilities. Intuitive touch controls, voice commands and an accompanying app offer a great user experience. With its versatility, performance and creative features, the ONE RS 4K Edition is a top choice for action camera enthusiasts and professionals.

Design

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition features a modular design that sets it apart from other action cameras. The core camera unit can be paired with different lens modules, allowing you to swap lenses to suit different shooting situations.

The core contains the battery, screen, buttons and ports. You can then attach a lens module, such as the 4K Wide Angle Mod that comes with this edition. The wide angle lens offers a 155° field of view, delivering an immersive perspective perfect for POV action shots.

The modular concept means you can purchase other lens mods like a dual lens 360 mod or 5.3K 1-inch mod. Just snap on a new lens unit to transform the capabilities of your camera.

The interchangeable design makes the ONE RS adaptable and versatile. You're not limited to a single fixed lens, so you can tailor the camera to your needs. Whether you want a 360 camera, wide angle POV cam or a 1-inch sensor for maximum image quality, the ONE RS delivers.

For those looking for even greater versatility, consider the Insta360 ONE RS Twin Edition. This edition includes both the 4K Wide Angle Mod and the dual lens 360 Mod in one package, offering users the best of both worlds. The Twin Edition provides seamless switching between traditional wide-angle shots and immersive 360° footage, making it perfect for any adventure.

Image Quality

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition offers exceptional image quality for an action camera at this price point. It can capture video in 4K resolution at up to 60 frames per second, producing incredibly smooth and detailed footage.

4K resolution provides over 8 million pixels per frame, 4 times more detail than 1080p full HD video. This allows you to capture intricate textures, subtle colors, and fine details that lower resolutions would miss. Whether you're filming outdoor adventures, fast action shots, or cinematic travel videos, the 4K video gives your footage a professional, high-end look.

In addition, the ability to record 4K at 60fps provides smoother motion and more fluid videos compared to 30fps. 60fps offers sufficient frames per second to properly capture high speed movement without excessive blurring. It's great for shooting sports, action scenes, or any video with fast motion that you want to playback smoothly. The faster frame rate makes panning shots and footage from drones or gimbals look more natural and cinematic.

Overall, the combination of 4K resolution with 60fps frame rate gives this action camera exceptional image quality for crisp, detailed, professional-looking videos. The high resolution sensor and advanced processor provides the power to capture your adventures with stunning 4K clarity and smoothness.

Stabilization

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition has built-in FlowState stabilization to deliver smooth, stable video even during fast-paced activities. FlowState works by cropping into the full sensor area to counteract camera shake. This results in gimbal-like stabilization without the need for a physical gimbal. In testing, FlowState was able to effectively minimize vibrations and bumps during everything from walking and running to driving and mountain biking. The stabilization helps ensure your footage stays steady and easy to watch. You can turn FlowState off if you prefer the full wide-angle view without cropping. But for most situations, the stabilization is worth using. Overall, FlowState makes capturing shake-free, stabilized 4K video effortless with the ONE RS.

Audio

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition has excellent audio capabilities thanks to its dual microphones. The microphones are designed to capture high-quality stereo audio from all directions. This allows you to record immersive, directional audio that complements your video footage.

The dual microphones use noise-canceling technology to reduce wind noise and other ambient sounds. This results in clear audio recordings even in challenging conditions like high winds or noisy environments. The microphones have an impressive dynamic range, able to pick up subtle noises as well as louder sounds without distortion.

For even more control over your audio, the ONE RS has a 3.5mm external mic jack. This allows you to connect professional external microphones if desired. With an external mic, you can achieve targeted directional recording or use specialty microphones like lavalier mics.

Overall, the Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition delivers pro-level audio to match its superb video capabilities. The dual microphones and external mic support provide flexibility for recording great sound in any shooting situation.

Waterproofing

One of the standout features of the Insta360 ONE RS 4K is its waterproofing capabilities. Without any additional housing, the camera is waterproof up to 16 feet, allowing you to take it swimming, surfing, or snorkeling without worrying about damage.

The waterproof design means you can capture underwater videos and photos with confidence. Whether you want to film sea life up close or document your aquatic adventures, the ONE RS 4K enables full underwater use right out of the box.

No case or added accessories are required to make the camera water-resistant. The IPX8 waterproof rating indicates it can withstand immersion beyond 1 meter for extended periods of time.

While 16 feet may not be deep enough for advanced diving pursuits, it covers the needs of most casual users who want to use an action cam in and around water. You can even safely rinse off the camera after saltwater or chlorine exposure.

Overall, the built-in waterproofing up to 16 feet gives the Insta360 ONE RS 4K versatility for shooting in wet environments without compromising image quality or camera functionality. It's one less thing to worry about when adventure calls.

Apps and Software

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition comes with the Insta360 app for iOS and Android, as well as desktop software for Mac and Windows. These provide a seamless way to control the camera, view and edit footage, and share to social media.

The Insta360 app allows you to connect to the camera via Bluetooth or WiFi to change settings, start and stop recording, and preview shots and videos. The app makes it easy to review, edit and share 360-degree content. You can trim clips, adjust perspective, apply filters, add stickers and text, and more. The app also enables auto-editing of highlights from longer videos into a shareable clip.

For more advanced editing, the Insta360 desktop software includes AI-powered features like Sky Replacement, Starlapse, TimeShift, Clone Trail and more. You can stitch 360 footage, add keyframes for perspective changes, color grade, and export the final video. The software provides a seamless workflow from shooting to editing to sharing 360 content.

Overall, the Insta360 ecosystem of mobile and desktop software provides powerful tools for getting the most out of the ONE RS 4K Edition camera. The seamless connectivity and editing capabilities help create stunning 360 videos.

Battery Life

The Insta360 ONE RS has a removable 1430 mAh lithium-ion battery that provides decent battery life. On a full charge, you can expect to record around 68 minutes of 4K video at 60 fps before needing to recharge. This is pretty good for an action camera of this size and resolution.

The battery life is aided by the ability to quickly swap batteries on the go. The ONE RS comes with an extra battery in the box, so you can always have a spare charged up and ready to go. This helps when you want to record longer activities without being tethered to an external power source.

Overall, the battery life is solid enough for most users' needs. Just be sure to have extra batteries charged and ready for longer recording sessions. The ONE RS battery life compares well to competitors like the GoPro HERO11 Black.

Accessories

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition has a wide range of compatible accessories available to enhance its capabilities. Some of the most popular accessories include:

• Selfie Stick - Insta360 makes a dedicated selfie stick for the ONE RS that allows you to easily capture yourself in photos and videos. It has an adjustable length and can be used handheld or mounted on a tripod or other surface.

• Invisible Selfie Stick - This clever accessory allows you to take "floating" handheld shots where the selfie stick is hidden from view. It uses a thin mounting rod that can be erased during stitching. Great for capturing unique third-person perspectives.

• Venture Case - The Venture Case provides enhanced drop protection and waterproofing up to 5 meters. It also has easy access to ports and buttons. Useful for outdoor activities and water sports.

• Dive Case - For extreme waterproofing up to 60 meters underwater, the Dive Case protects the ONE RS during scuba diving and other deep water activities. It has dedicated dive filters and controls.

• Lens Mods - Insta360 offers several lens mods like fisheye, wide angle, and 360 modules. These easily attach to the ONE RS base to transform its capabilities.

• Mic Adapter - Improves audio by allowing you to connect external mics like lavalier mics for better sound quality in your videos.

• Cold Shoe Mount - Lets you mount lights, mics, monitors and other accessories using a cold shoe connector. Expands your mounting options.

• Mini Tripod - Compact and portable mini tripod ideal for tabletop or ground use. Can also be used as a grip.

The wide range of mods and accessories for the ONE RS really expand what you can do with the camera. It’s a versatile system great for both casual users and professionals.

Pros and Cons

The Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition has a lot of great features, but also some drawbacks to consider.

Pros

• Excellent 4K video quality at up to 60fps
• Advanced image stabilization with FlowState
• Modular design allows lens upgrades
• Waterproof to 16 feet without a case
• Good selection of accessories and mounts
• User-friendly editing app and software

Cons

• Expensive price point
• Mediocre audio quality
• Battery life could be better
• No zoom capabilities with included lens
• App lacks some advanced editing features
• Modular design means more pieces to keep track of

Overall, the Insta360 ONE RS 4K Edition produces fantastic video footage with smooth stabilization. The modular design offers flexibility for upgrades and accessories. However, the high price tag and lack of zoom may make it hard to justify for some users. It excels at 4K action filming, but has some limitations to be aware of.