Mini, mighty, and magnetic
Insta360 has a knack for innovation (we’re looking at you X4), so it’s no surprise that the GO 3S isn’t built like your typical action cameras. The Insta360 GO 3S is made of two components: the teeny tiny camera itself and the Action Pod.
The Action Pod is the unit that the GO 3S magnetically clicks into to then become a more action-style camera. The Action Pod also acts as a charging case and includes a touchscreen for easy control. By using both the GO 3S alone and on the Action Pod, you essentially take advantage of having both a super small and regular-sized action camera.
Interesting angles
Insta360 is marketing the GO 3S as a vlogging camera, and it certainly does well with point of view (POV) shots. With just a few extra accessories, you can clip it to your cap during your next run or attach it to your shirt when strolling through town. It is also magnetic, so you could mount it on your oven hood and film yourself cooking or on a power rack during a gym session.
Although the GO 3S does work best as a vlogging or POV camera, something so small and light has lots of other great applications. Some of our favorites include magnetically attaching it to a kitchen knife for some cool chopping shots, or popping it inside lids for unboxing videos using the magnetic lanyard. Just type “Insta360 GO 3S tricks” into Youtube and you’ll see the only limit is imagination.
Waterproof rating
The Insta360 GO 3S camera boasts an IPX8 waterproof rating, so it can be submerged up to 33 feet (10 m) underwater, making it suitable for watersports, snorkeling, and pool activities. This is a significant improvement from its predecessor, the GO 3, which was only rated to 16 feet (5 m).
For the GO 3S to be waterproof, remember to install the provided lens guards. Again, being so small, it could take some awesome coral shots. Just duct tape it to a small rock and place it on a shallow reef and film the fishies going by.
The Action Pod is not waterproof and if you want to use it underwater it needs to be in the compatible housing. The dive case is rated to 196 feet (60 m) and is a must for divers who want to use the GO 3S on their next trip.
We have used ours a few times underwater, but to be honest it was more as a backup camera or to capture an alternate angle. The GO 3S does struggle in lower-light conditions, such as underwater, and we found our other underwater action cameras performed better.
Video and imaging performance
The GO 3S is currently the world’s smallest 4K camera, which is a step up from its 2.7K predecessor, the Insta360 GO3. Insta360 increased the standard video quality, as well as other modes like timelapse, timeshift, and slo-mo, which all increased from 1080p-1440p to 2.7-4K, quadrupling the resolution.
Other improvements with the GO 3S include improved digital stabilization with a new Max setting that simulates the effect of a powered gimbal. However, while the camera handles outdoor and well-lit scenes reasonably well, it does struggle in low-light environments, such as indoors or late evenings.
Accessories and mounting options
Insta360 offers various mounting accessories for the GO 3S, predominantly focused on bikes and watersports. For the GO 3S we used the magnetic pendant for wearing the camera around our neck, the easy clip for attaching it to hats, and the dive case.
If you are looking for a really specific mount, we suggest considering ways to personalize it, for example by supergluing tiny magnets to the camera for attachment. Or, just check out the endless options Insta360 has. I have seen scuba divers use the heavy duty clamp—originally meant for bicycles—to attach a camera to the neck of the tank, and freedivers use the motorbike back-brace mount.
Price/Quality Ratio
I do think that the Insta360 GO3 S is on the higher end of the price spectrum. For $50 less, the DJI Osmo Action 5 has very similar filming capabilities (if not better), is waterproof to 66 feet (20 m) without a dive case, and offers internal storage of 50GB.
The GO3 does come with storage built-in already, but there’s no option to insert an SD card for extra. There are actually two GO3 S models available—$399 for the 64GB or $429 for 128GB. I do think it’s worth forking out the extra $30 for double the storage if you do choose this camera.
Do we recommend Insta360 GO 3S?
If you are thinking about buying this camera, consider long and hard whether you will use it to its full potential. If you only want an action camera, then the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, DJI Osmo Action 5, or even GoPro HERO13 are all better choices.
Pretty similar in price, each of these has better video and image quality, better image stabilization, and they’re all built stronger. However, if you’re looking to capture unique, creative, and quirky angles to enhance your vlogging game, the small GO 3S is a perfect fit.
Specs & Features
| Dimensions | 1 x 2.1 x 1 inches (5.6 x 54.4 x 24.8 mm) |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | Rear: 2.2-inch (touch) |
| Waterproof Rating | No case: 33 feet (10 m); with case: 196 feet (60 m) |
| Lens | FOV: 112°; aperture: f/2.8 |
| Photo Resolution | 12 MP |
| Video Resolution | 4K (16:9) @ 24/25/30fps ; 2.7K @100fps (Slo-Mo) |
| Storage | Internal: 64GB or 128GB models |
| Charging | USB-C cable |
