Action cameras were, at one point, synonymous with the GoPro brand, but off late, Insta360 has been a bit of a thorn in the GoPro’s side, not just with their X series of 360-degree cameras but also legitimate competition in the traditional action camera segment via the 8K video-toting, Leica sporting, low-light beating Ace Pro. The Ace Pro 2 builds on the original in all the right ways, but is it enough to displace the GoPro Hero 13 Black from the top of the pile?
Styled almost identically to the Ace Pro, the successor remains the chonkiest of the current gen action cameras, feeling instantly robust and durable in the hand, albeit heavy at nearly 180 grams. That’s partly due to the unique flip-up 2.5-inch rear LED display, which is more versatile, brighter and easier to use than tiny front displays on the competition, although you do have to physically flip it back and forth every time you switch shooting perspectives. Save for the power/mode switch and shutter buttons, everything else is controlled via the responsive touchscreen or the Insta360 mobile app. There are gesture and voice controls as well. The camera attaches itself to a bunch of mounts magnetically, allowing for quick attach-detach actions (similar to DJI and GoPro), and can dive to a depth of 39ft without additional protection (an optional dive accessory takes you all the way down to 197ft).
While the Ace Pro 2 retains the same image sensor size from the Ace Pro, you can now record 8K footage in 25 and 30fps as well, plus there are improvements in dynamic range and HDR recording helped by the new new 5nm AI Chip that sits alongside the image processing Pro Imaging Chip. Insta360 makes a big deal about the 8K/30fps action cam footage that you can get straight out of the Ace Pro 2, even if it’s a feature very few folks will end up using due to massive file sizes and reduced recording times due to overheating – granted, you will see it only after 30-45 minutes of shooting, but it will mean you’ll use 8K videos as an exception rather than all time. One quickly realized instead that the Ace Pro 2 is supremely capable of delivering smooth, hyper-stabilized and detailed 4K footage, which it captures at up to 60fps for regular video and 120fps for slow-motion capture. It’s particularly impressive in low-light conditions, at least by action camera standards, and even offers log recording for pros looking for post-production color grading. Pros will also appreciate the timecode for multi camera synching and a pre-recording mode, which records up to 120 seconds before the shutter is pressed, crucial for when you’ve set up the shot but don’t know exactly when the action will occur.
Now, if you want the Ace Pro 2 to do double duty as a dashcam en route to all your adventure destinations, it packs in loop recording in a dedicated dashcam mode that only overwrites the oldest file when a storage limit is hit. And, while you can pop the memory card out and edit the videos directly on the computer, the Insta360 smartphone app is a huge part of their portfolio, allowing you to quickly connect to the camera, alter settings, browse media and edit directly on the phone to share on social media. There’s even an AI-powered editor to quickly pull together the highlights to assemble short videos from content captured. As with the latest GoPro, GPS is back after the omission in the Ace Pro.
Battery life on the Ace Pro 2 is slightly boosted as well, with the larger 1800mAh battery lasting for nearly 2.5 hours of 4K/30fps video on a full charge, and a little over an hour of HDR 4K/60fps. In a pinch, you can charge your phone or wireless mic/earbuds via the Ace Pro 2’s reverse charging feature and even use it as a webcam when plugged into a computer. In all, the Ace Pro 2 is a great purchase that one can easily recommend, assuming you aren’t heavily invested in DJI or GoPro accessories and are looking for an action camera that goes the extra distance.
Price: Rs. 45,990