See the presentation here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5jDOGhdLZg
Camera/build quality of the package:
Satisfactory, sturdy construction.
Although it is very small in size (about the size of a thumb) and lightweight, it seems that its construction is not cheap and the charging case/remote control of the camera itself has 2 feet on the back so that it can immediately take static video, while closing like a clamshell to protect the camera when you put it in your pocket.
At the bottom of the charging base, you will also find a slot for a screw selfie stick or tripod and a USB-C port for charging and file transfer to a PC.
In its box, apart from the camera and the base, you will find other items that cover the needs of an average user, such as a special case to attach the camera to a hat, a second case with a silicone base that sticks to almost any surface, a magnetic pendant to attach the camera close to your neck (and not only) and a lens protector*, which is already attached to the camera when you take it out of the box.
Overall, all the accessories and the camera itself have strong magnets, so it is a death risk for credit/debit cards, memory cards, hard drives, and anything vulnerable to electromagnetic fields.
Also, for the above reason, its use is prohibited for people with pacemakers.
Technical/handling:
2 options regarding capacity: 32GB/64GB and, due to size and waterproofing, no support for Micro SD cards either in the camera or in the charging base.
The battery is built-in, so if it breaks, you hope that the warranty is still valid.
Easy to handle, although the user interface took me back several years.
The case/remote control has a tiny LCD that, apart from basic information, does not offer anything else, e.g. preview, and 2 buttons, where one allows you to switch between functions sequentially and the other activates the respective function (normal video, photo, pro video, timeshift, timelapse, hdr video, slow-mo, settings), while if you remove the camera from the base/remote control, you can record video (normal or pro, whichever you have already selected from the case/remote control) by simply pressing the bottom part of the front side of the camera, while the base is closed in your pocket.
In general, due to its very small size, it has issues with overheating, especially when it is inside the case/remote control.
Video quality/stabilization/sound:
The purchase of a camera should be based on the quality of the videos and the stabilization capabilities it offers.
This particular camera can shoot up to 1440p at 50fps and the video sensor is so good that the details are quite clear even with intense zoom.
However, in order to access various settings, such as Flowstate (the counterpart of GoPro's Hypersmooth) which is for image stabilization, you will need to install the Insta360 app on your smartphone or the Insta360 Studio program on your PC.
Otherwise, the video is almost useless.
Its microphone captures every ambient sound, but at least its sound performance is satisfactory.
Battery:
The camera itself has a built-in battery that gives you approximately 20-30 minutes of autonomy (depending on usage), while the case/remote control has a second battery that gives it an additional 2 hours of operation, reaching a total of up to 150 minutes of continuous operation (but I don't think the available storage space is sufficient for videos of such long duration).
Night shots/low-light shots:
Unfortunately, things get difficult here. In night shots (video/timelapse) with the same settings as the GoPro Hero 10 (which is an action cam and therefore not ideal for night shots), I capture incredible night timelapses and average night videos, but with this camera, I simply capture... a black thing and with a little imagination, I can make out some lights on the horizon. Low-light shots are of lower quality compared to the GoPro.
Conclusion:
You get what you pay for.
It is a better choice than the other cheaper Chinese "action cameras" available on the market, but in terms of stabilization and video quality, it does not easily match the newer GoPro models.
Economical, quite sturdy despite its small size, and waterproof (IF YOU HAVE ATTACHED THE LENS PROTECTOR), suitable for:
-Someone who is thinking of making their first YouTube videos but doesn't want or can't spend 500€ on a GoPro and doesn't want to start with used equipment,
-An occasional user who wants to put aside their smartphone and shoot videos that come close to GoPro quality and doesn't mind adding stabilization through software later,
-Someone who wants to discreetly take a few photos or a short video.
*Insta360 is a Chinese company with offices in the US, Japan, and Europe.
I have already ordered the Insta360 ONE R (not the RS) with a 1-inch lens, which, from what I've seen, has much better performance in night shots compared to GoPro, and I will write my impressions in the corresponding product review on Skroutz.