More known for its innovative 360-degree cameras and “shoot now, frame later” editing process, the Ace Pro is Insta360’s first dedicated GoPro-style action camera. With the largest sensor yet and an AI chip on-device, the Ace Pro performs much better than you’d expect in low light. During the daytime, the footage is outstanding. But the 8K mode is largely a gimmick, and the minimum focus distance will give you pause if you’re looking to pick this up for vlogging.
Insta360 Ace Pro
The Insta360 Ace Pro offers a headline 8K24 recording, though you’re more likely to use the myriad other 4K modes—including a new PureVideo 4K30 that’s ideal for low light situations. The bigger-than-average sensor leads to a longer-than-average minimum focus distance however, which might not suit vloggers. But for everyone else, the superb image quality combined with AI-enhanced software and shot templates puts this at least equal with the best action cameras on the market today.
Design and Accessories: Flip-Up Screen Is the Standout Feature
Upon first booting up the camera, you’ll need to register it with the Insta360 app and install a firmware update. That’s not an optional step; you must register the device, so make sure you’ve done this prior to heading off on your internet-less action-packed vacation.
The Ace Pro doesn’t appear to break any design conventions when it comes to the highly compact action camera shape. But it does have some neat features that make it even more suited to other tasks.
On one side is the compartment for the removable battery, while on the other is a power button, a microSD card, and a USB-C port. All are covered securely with a tight-fitting waterproof cover. Out of the box, it’s waterproof to 10m, and adive case is availableto dive down further.
The Ace Pro also features two screens. The first is the main screen around the rear, a color touchscreen measuring 2.42 inches. This flips up along the top edge, so you can preview your recording from either behind or in front of the camera (or more imaginative angles, like from your waist).
In addition to that is a smaller 0.89-inch screen on the front, which gives a quick indication of the current mode, battery, and remaining recording time. It’s surprisingly useful if you find yourself swapping modes often, and it ensures you won’t accidentally record your vlog in slow motion, for instance.
Since the base of the Insta360 Ace Pro contains only a proprietary magnetic quick-latch system and not a tripod screw hole, it’s not directly mountable and must be used with the custom adapter.
The magnetic latch can only be fitted one way around (indicated by a small symbol mimicking which side the lens is on), and I found it can be deceptively loose, so make sure it’s fully pushed in. On my first few attempts, it felt like it was attached and flush to the body of the Ace Pro, but it wasn’t secure at all. Push it in firmly until you’ve heard a click on both sides, or accidents will happen.
The magnetic latch then provides a standard mount point for use with any action camera accessories or with a tripod adapter. In the box is a small “magic” mount that can stick to any flat surface, but you probably already have a mountain of bits with a standard mount point that can be used, too.
My test unit was sent alongside amultifunction selfie stick and mini tripodcobranded with Pgytech. This clever accessory is a 3-in-1 Z-shaped extendable selfie stick with small tripod legs that pull out from the base. Including your outstretched arm, this’ll get the camera about a meter away, so it’s an ideal vlogging accessory (though not long enough for extended use, as your arms will get tired).
If vlogging is your primary use case, I’d recommend picking up the officialinvisible extendable selfie stick; the software will automatically remove the stick from your shots.
Equipped with an adjustable ball head, the mini tripod and selfie stick combo also means you can securely set the Ace Pro down and film a static location at various angles.
Imaging System: Superb, but Forget 8K
Inside the Ace Pro, you’ll find a 1/1.3 inch sensor; that’s the largest yet in a consumer-level Insta360 camera, tied only with theDJI Osmo Action 4and larger than theGoPro Hero 12. Insta360’s best prior offering was the 1-inch sensor in the modularOne R with a 1-inch Leica mod.
The Ace Pro continues that partnership with Leica, and features a 16mm (full-frame equivalent) f/2.6 wide-angle Summarit fixed lens. Unfortunately, the lens guard isn’t removable, which might be a deal breaker for some thrillseekers. Insta360 offers a one-year free replacement if you do manage to scratch it.
The larger sensor is what enables a headline-grabbing 8K24 resolution, though its usefulness is debatable. Apart from the complete lack of 8K display devices, the quality of 8K video isn’t particularly better than 4K—and by sticking to 4K, you’re able to shoot up to 120FPS. Here’s a short segment stabilized 8K24 video shot on a lovely winter’s afternoon on the moors:
Unfortunately, the maximum resolution YouTube will output is 4K—which illustrates the point of what exactly are you going to do with 8K footage? I then switched to 4K60:
Even on the raw files, I’d have to be honest and say I don’t see a whole lot of difference with 8K, and given the 24FPS limitation there, you’re more than likely going to drop down to 4K to get 60FPS or higher. Curiously, while the base Ace model provides some intermediate video resolutions like 5.7K, the Ace Pro doesn’t—it jumps from 4K to 8K, with nothing in between.
More than headline resolution, though, it’s the sensor size that really makes a difference to image quality, allowing more light to be captured at any time. On the Ace Pro, this is combined with a new dedicated 5nm AI chip for image enhancement.
If you prefer to color grade your own footage, it’s worth noting that the Ace Pro doesn’t output in LOG format / 10-bit color. But, out of the box and in good light, color reproduction is great, details are crisp, and the built-in stabilization results in super smooth video. I wasn’t disappointed on any front. The lack of LOG recording might be a dealbreaker for you, however.
Low Light Performance: Best on the Market, but It’s Still a Small Sensor
The larger sensor inside the Ace Pro means it has more impressive low-light performance than competitors with smaller sensors. But to be clear, this is still a comparatively small sensor, and you shouldn’t expect performance on par with a DSLR.
To test it out, I attempted to film my Christmas lights using all the various modes. The only light source was a few fairy light strings.
I found that 4K30 PureVideo mode produced the best quality—that’s the mode Insta360 recommends for low-light environments, and it’s clear why.
The 8K24 video mode resulted in unbearably bad video, with a rolling shutter, banding, and a constant delay on the preview screen that made talking the camera incredibly difficult. 4K60 was much the same.
For comparison’s sake, here’s the same video freezeframe taken from an iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s more tightly cropped, but the quality is just as good.
Lastly, I shot a little underwater in 4K30 PureVideo:
And the same area in 8K24:
There’s less difference here, as there were still reasonable light levels, but I prefer the 4K30 PureVideo footage.
Vlogging on the Ace Pro: Difficult but Good
With such good video quality, the Ace Pro should be ideal for vlogging—but that large sensor is also a hindrance here, and that’s because it means a longer minimum focus distance is required.
Officially, on the Ace Pro, the minimum focus is 40cm or 1.3 feet. In testing, it seems a bit longer. In the sample above, the camera is at arm’s length, and my face is clearly not in focus.
The base Ace model is listed as 60cm, or around 2 feet. That means very close-cropped shots that are typical for vloggers will be difficult on either model, but the Ace Pro is better than the Ace. For that reason alone, if you’re considering the device for vlogging, it’s best to opt for the Ace Pro model.
If you’re set on the Ace Pro as a vlogging camera (because, in every other respect, the footage is superb), you might also consider purchasing athird-party diopter lens(plus a3D printed lens holder), which will decrease the minimum focus distance.
Another consideration is audio; in that respect, the Ace Pro is perhaps the best-sounding action camera for vocals that I’ve tested yet. It’s perfectly usable in a quiet environment to the point that I wouldn’t even bother with a separate LAV mic. That said, if you are in a noisy environment and need something more focused, you can purchase the optional3.5mm external mic input adapterfor $20.
Software: AI, Everywhere
Insta360 has been hard at work making sure your newest action camera has a healthy dose of AI enhancements—because everything is better with AI.
The first is AI editing and highlights, in which the software can automatically identify and tag features, people, animals, and extract highlights from a longer clip, saving you space on your camera. This has been a feature of the Insta360 app for a while now, and I can’t say I’ve had much success with it, but I don’t typically shoot the kind of travel vlog shots that I suspect this is trained on.
On the Ace Pro, this AI Assistant functionality is now built into the device itself, so you don’t need to load it into software for analysis first. Once enabled, it’ll automatically flag parts of your video. You can manually mark points of interest, too. Then, once you hit stop, you can review the moments it identified, add more if needed, and chop the long video into smaller, more manageable clips—while discarding the unused parts.
The second big new feature is an AI Warp, which lets you apply dazzling AI transformations to short video clips, all processed in Insta360’s cloud servers. Here’s the cyberpunk effect applied to a simple video of me walking down the corridor:
A variety of styles are available to suit whatever video you’ve shot. There’s a limit of three clips per day, and each clip that you send for processing must be 15 seconds or less. In addition, only the middle section of your video is transformed, and it suffers from the usual AI video symptom of inconsistencies between frames. Simply select the clip, choose some music, and optionally slow down the AI warped part by 0.5x or 0.25x.
It’s ideal to jazz up an exciting clip to post on your Instagram or other social feeds. However, it’s nothing comparable to what you can achieve locally withStable Video Diffusionand a decent graphics card. Still, it’s pretty amazing for a free service to make your clips stand out a little with minimal effort. That’s in addition to all the usual quick video templates within the app, though not all are compatible with Ace Pro footage. The great thing about these templates is that the app tells you exactly how to achieve a particular shot and then deals with the editing for you—you just need to select which clips to use.
In addition to the smartphone app, Insta360 provides desktop software. It’s a lot less featured—there are no templates or AI warping—but you’ll need to use it to output the best-quality video. The smartphone app is limited to 1080p.
The Ace Pro has one final trick up its sleeve: the ability to use it as a webcam. I’m sure a handful of users worldwide will find that useful.
Should You Buy the Insta360 Ace Pro?
I’m a huge fan of Insta360’s cameras, but more for their innovative“shoot now, frame later” One Xmodels and discreet, lightweight Go lifelogging line. Both offer something genuinely unique to compete with the smartphone that’s already in your pocket.
As an action camera, the combination of Insta360’s FlowState Stabilization and large sensor in the Ace Pro makes for crisp, smooth 4K60 video. I’d recommend ignoring the 8K video mode, even if it is the headline feature. It speaks to the quality of the imaging system, but you’ll have more creative freedom in the standard 4K modes and, sometimes, even better quality. Given the unpredictable results from 8K, it’s best ignored.
Insta360 Go 3: Tiny but Versatile All-in-One Vlogging, Lifelogging, and Action Camera
This tiny action cam offers one-touch recording, while the discreet design allows for great POV shots, along with easy-to-use AI editing features.
For low-light situations, the PureVideo mode is stunningly good. It’ll be a huge benefit if you struggle to shoot your action videos at night.
As a general-use or vlogging camera, though, the Ace Pro makes less sense. The minimum focus distance can be problematic for close shots, and you probably already have a better camera in your pocket if you have a latest-generation smartphone. It’s not a bad choice for a small pocket camera, but it’s hard to justify the price.
A non-removable lens guard and lack of LOG support makes the Ace Pro even less attractive to professional producers and those who indulge in extreme sports with an enhanced possibility of lens damage.
But for most people, the Ace Pro is one of the best-quality action cameras combined with superb AI-packed software that makes producing compelling short-form videos simple.
