My Experience with the Insta360 GO Ultra

Why I Bought It

I’ve always been a photography enthusiast, and I love playing with gadgets like these. I already own a Sony camera and various accessories like flashes. In the past, I used a DJI Action 4 and a neck-mount to use it as a dashcam while riding my bike to and from school.

However, I quickly noticed a problem: this little device looked like a police body camera, and people would get nervous around it. At the same time, Insta360 released the GO 3 series, which I thought was a great alternative. I was intrigued and started doing some research. I had a few specific requirements: roughly 90 minutes of recording time (at 4K 30fps), support for an SD card, and a USB 3.0 data port. I knew these were pretty demanding specifications. After a quick look at the GO 3, I was disappointed to find it didn’t support SD cards and had a USB 2.0 port. That was a deal-breaker for me.

So, I gave up on it and sold my Action 4 All-in-One combo and many of its accessories, just before the Action 5 Pro was about to be released.

During this time, I also got a Pocket 3, which is a very well-known camera with a 1-inch sensor. It’s great to use and is no longer just a “sunny day camera.” If you want a similar camera but don’t need it for outdoor sports, I highly recommend it.

A little later, summer vacation began, and I was still looking for a camera with this form factor. This was around the time the Osmo 360 was about to come out, and I heard about the DJI Osmo Nano. I personally didn’t like the look of it at all—it had this awkward, two-bar design.

It looked quite clunky, especially with the DJI logo on it.

A while later, I heard about the GO Ultra, and I really liked its design. I felt like I had to get it. I watched the launch event and, even though it didn’t perfectly meet all my needs, it was good enough. I decided to check it out the next day.

Purchase

Since I liked it so much, I decided to go see it in person. I went to an authorized Insta360 store in Qingdao.

I grabbed some food first. The photos are gone now, but it was at a great beef fire-roasted flatbread place I highly recommend. You exit the Lenovo building, turn right, turn right again, and it’s across the street.

After eating, I went to check out the real camera. The display model was black and felt solid in my hand. I took some test shots and was happy with the feel and performance. I asked if they had any in stock, and the clerk said they only had one standard white version. I wanted the black “Popular Kit,” so I left. After discussing it with my parents, I decided I still really wanted it, so I went back to the store. I asked more detailed questions, and after we finished talking, my parents asked if they had the kit I wanted. The clerk said they just happened to have one left. I was thrilled and bought it on the spot, activating and updating the software right there. I have to say, the service was great. After they unboxed the main unit, they let me unbox everything else myself, which gave me a lot of personal space.

Then, I went home, tried it out, and was pleased with it. I decided to keep it.

My Personal Impressions

I’ve only had the camera for four days as I write this, but I’ll continue to test it over the next few days and will post the full review soon.

The first time I used it was on a ride to buy popsicles, which was about 11 minutes by scooter in 33°C (91°F) weather. I chose to record the entire trip. When I got back, the device was a bit hot, and the battery was at 78%.

When worn, it really doesn’t look aggressive. If you don’t look closely, you can’t even tell you’re wearing a camera.

A note on the design: the back has what looks like faux leather, which feels a bit cheap, but the texture is surprisingly comfortable. Before I bought it, I thought it was just plastic.

A few days later, I have some complaints. When I bought it, no one told me the tripod’s remote control slot is actually for storing the SD card, while the promotional videos showed it as a remote control. I have to criticize this point.

Summary

If you want a camera to record your child’s life and are okay with it being 8-bit and getting very hot when shooting in 4K 60fps, you can get this one. However, I personally suggest waiting for the next DJI camera.