I'm with you Roo, I've had my A2 for almost 3 years now and it's the most expensive paper weight I have to date. I love how some of the comments have hijacked this into a 360 camera thread. Obviously we have some Insta360 haters on here lol. If the A2 is such a great camera why can't I sell my mint condition A2 for half the price and why does it not turn on when it's cold out and I'm not talking about subzero temps. I've done enough testing with the A2 against GP Session 5 and GO 3 and 3s, it sucks, sorry. I love DJI from day one with their Osmo action which I have and bought along with A2 and A4 and will probably BUY the A5 as well and gave pretty much all of them a good review except the A2. As for the bone heads who come in content creator channels chirpin about how bias they are because they were given the cameras to try out and review, it's getting old. No different then YOU not having any of the cameras test side by side and making idiotic judgements, spare me. Oh yah, if the A2 is sooo great why is a camera that still sells in the stores haven't had a firmware update in over 2 years??? It's a beautifully 'designed' camera but it has serious temp flaws and the quality is not better then the 3s, I got them both, I've done the testing, WE'VE done the testing. DJI has literally given up on the A2 with the operating temp issue, band aid solutions like 'free' plastic case to help with the over heating??? and then tweak the settings to over ride high heat tolerance shut down??? WHAT??? I've thrown more money at DJI then you can imagine in cameras and drones and if someone is going to spill their crap about "oh they got free accessories so they are bias... get bent on your down time' . Sorry Roo, I'm tired of fanboys 🤣🤣
Your comment confused me a bit. Are you directing the anger and fanboy comments towards me? Or are you talking about people who comment on your videos and call you a fanboy?
@@Roos-Reviews lol yah the first one fanboys against you sir Someone made a comment about you getting your camera from the brand and therefore you were bias. I'm just tired of the mentality. 🤣
@@Roos-Reviews you're safe 🤣, I'm far from being a fanboy, I follow tech, trust me, if another brand had a better device I'm on it like flies on sh#£ 😉You know I enjoy your reviews and your humour. I'm on my vacation in DR and saw the comments ;)
The 4k 120fps 'slowmo' clip fuction on the Action 2 is insanly good for underwater shots. Used it while snorkling with a pink lens attachment/filter. Only like 20x 30s shots before it has to charge but still very nice for that.
I just picked up an action 2 for 150 Black Friday deal. I had the previous go 3 (not s) and wasn’t satisfied with the video quality. 150 bucks is a no brainer buy considering this camera use to be over 500 years ago
I think it's important to note that the dual screen module also adds three more excellent mics to the Action 2 - and they can be configured in multiple ways - and, as one who considers these small cameras to be mics that happen to do video (well, kind of), then for me that gives the Action 2 (with that module) a significant advantage. And it can accept USB mics too, which I don't think is possible with the Go 3S (of any kind). (Having now watched nearer to the end, you did mention that). The Go 3S is probably the more robust but as I have mentioned before, I once dropped my Action 1 and my Go 2 off the top of a car park onto concrete below, by accident, and the undamaged Action 1 provided an excellent video account of what happened, still recording while I could be seen looking for it after running down the stairs. The Go 2 was dead, but it may have been run over by a car. But in a testament to the "Go" series I did replace it in due course. I missed it too much! Overall the Action 2 was kind of ahead of its time - but the Go 3s is a later development. I agree that which is best depends on exactly what features you want.
Excellent points, Peter. Yes, exactly. Ahead of its time is a good way to put it. And sadly, it appears to be lost in time now as interest never really took off in the way that it should have, perhaps due to the unfortunate launch with the overheating problems and initial lack of features. Even I was disappointed in it when it first came out, but I love the camera that it is today.
Another thing to consider is the "peripheral infrastructure" stuff. If you've got an Action 43/4 as your main action camera the Action 2 will use the same mounts, remote control, app etc. Whereas the Go 3/3S use an afferent mount etc to Insta360's other cameras like the Ace Pro. That might be enough to sway ones decision.
Another beautiful well put together video. Is there any kind of workaround to improve the sharpness and image quality of the action 2 Are there any luts that you can recommend?? Cheers.
A little bit of sharpening in post improves it if you think it necessary, but it has never been an issue for me, and I don't notice it when I'm just making ordinary life videos. It is only in these controlled tests that I do, that it becomes obvious that the Go3S is sharper.
I don't notice it being less sharp when I'm just making general day-to-day videos. But when I do controlled tests like these with measured distances from the subject and compare them side by side, that's when it becomes obvious. Personally, for me, it makes no difference for the stuff that I make. And the audience of most vloggers and content creators don't care.
Good review. I want both! I'd be interested to see how both cameras handle vibration (for example mounted to handlebar of a bike) and which one can handle loudest volume (at a concert) with least mic distortion. Also which camera has the best extreme low light ability?
Will never get insta360 product again. Go 2 overheated, corrupted and multiple times sent to them. Still has issues to this day after multiple replacements. Then I was like maybe it’s a go 2 problem. Purchased the x4 and the image quality is extremely terrible. Less than 480p when shooting on 8k. 8k 360 footage?? Haha. 😂 enjoy the 480p image quality. Straight up scammed. 8k is all resolution. It’s like no UA-camr covers how much the resolution when looking at the rectangle part of the frame. Now all UA-camrs that got the camera first are the sell outs. As soon as anything bad is said about their product you won’t get anymore units to review from them.
exactly the case - plus the insta360 software is just a huge joke. Have fun editing your clips with no adjustable key presets and click every. single. action. It is infuriating!
"It’s like no UA-camr covers how much the resolution when looking at the rectangle part of the frame." Except me (for the X3). You have to bear in mind that the stated 8K 360 degree specification refers to the whole 360 degree sphere, and the laws of physics dictate how those pixels will look when cropped down to a non-360 format. At typical action camera image widths, the X3 gives 1080p (as stated clearly by Insta360, it's no secret) and the X4 reframes to 2.7K. Of course if you crop in to a narrow angle you get less resolution - just like with any camera. To get 4K reframed from a 360 camera the original capture has to be 12K, I believe. Such cameras are available for professional use but they are priced well out of consumers' reach and they are not small.
@@Ozpeter I am sorry but 1080p looks a lot better on the iPhone 5 than it does on the insta360 x4 8k 360 view. Like no UA-camr is getting to the actual point of the sensor quality and comparison to other devices. The 1080p from the x4 is worst than a dash cam at 1080p. There is so much noise, cannot make out textures at all.
@@nigelbruty4613 Sure, but as the subject of problems being encountered with another camera has been raised, it's natural to want to help. Those not interested can skip this discussion.
Amazing!! Calm and straight to the point review. Thanks for your work man!
Thanks for that comment!
After several years since launch, Action 2 is pretty damn good camera. I go back to it time to time for B rolls.
Yes I am extremely fond of it. It is in my pocket everywhere I go.
I'm with you Roo, I've had my A2 for almost 3 years now and it's the most expensive paper weight I have to date. I love how some of the comments have hijacked this into a 360 camera thread. Obviously we have some Insta360 haters on here lol. If the A2 is such a great camera why can't I sell my mint condition A2 for half the price and why does it not turn on when it's cold out and I'm not talking about subzero temps. I've done enough testing with the A2 against GP Session 5 and GO 3 and 3s, it sucks, sorry. I love DJI from day one with their Osmo action which I have and bought along with A2 and A4 and will probably BUY the A5 as well and gave pretty much all of them a good review except the A2. As for the bone heads who come in content creator channels chirpin about how bias they are because they were given the cameras to try out and review, it's getting old. No different then YOU not having any of the cameras test side by side and making idiotic judgements, spare me. Oh yah, if the A2 is sooo great why is a camera that still sells in the stores haven't had a firmware update in over 2 years??? It's a beautifully 'designed' camera but it has serious temp flaws and the quality is not better then the 3s, I got them both, I've done the testing, WE'VE done the testing. DJI has literally given up on the A2 with the operating temp issue, band aid solutions like 'free' plastic case to help with the over heating??? and then tweak the settings to over ride high heat tolerance shut down??? WHAT??? I've thrown more money at DJI then you can imagine in cameras and drones and if someone is going to spill their crap about "oh they got free accessories so they are bias... get bent on your down time' . Sorry Roo, I'm tired of fanboys 🤣🤣
Your comment confused me a bit. Are you directing the anger and fanboy comments towards me? Or are you talking about people who comment on your videos and call you a fanboy?
@@Roos-Reviews lol yah the first one fanboys against you sir Someone made a comment about you getting your camera from the brand and therefore you were bias. I'm just tired of the mentality. 🤣
@@Roos-Reviews you're safe 🤣, I'm far from being a fanboy, I follow tech, trust me, if another brand had a better device I'm on it like flies on sh#£ 😉You know I enjoy your reviews and your humour. I'm on my vacation in DR and saw the comments ;)
Have 2 Action 2's. The form factor suits my usage perfectly.
Great little camera.
The 4k 120fps 'slowmo' clip fuction on the Action 2 is insanly good for underwater shots. Used it while snorkling with a pink lens attachment/filter. Only like 20x 30s shots before it has to charge but still very nice for that.
Wow, under water slow motion. Now that is an interesting thing to try.
Thank you for sharing I am going for the Osmo 2 due to price, audio I would use dji mic2 & heat I will do cover
I just picked up an action 2 for 150 Black Friday deal. I had the previous go 3 (not s) and wasn’t satisfied with the video quality. 150 bucks is a no brainer buy considering this camera use to be over 500 years ago
You seems to forget to mention the big price gap.
I think it's important to note that the dual screen module also adds three more excellent mics to the Action 2 - and they can be configured in multiple ways - and, as one who considers these small cameras to be mics that happen to do video (well, kind of), then for me that gives the Action 2 (with that module) a significant advantage. And it can accept USB mics too, which I don't think is possible with the Go 3S (of any kind). (Having now watched nearer to the end, you did mention that). The Go 3S is probably the more robust but as I have mentioned before, I once dropped my Action 1 and my Go 2 off the top of a car park onto concrete below, by accident, and the undamaged Action 1 provided an excellent video account of what happened, still recording while I could be seen looking for it after running down the stairs. The Go 2 was dead, but it may have been run over by a car. But in a testament to the "Go" series I did replace it in due course. I missed it too much!
Overall the Action 2 was kind of ahead of its time - but the Go 3s is a later development. I agree that which is best depends on exactly what features you want.
Excellent points, Peter. Yes, exactly. Ahead of its time is a good way to put it. And sadly, it appears to be lost in time now as interest never really took off in the way that it should have, perhaps due to the unfortunate launch with the overheating problems and initial lack of features. Even I was disappointed in it when it first came out, but I love the camera that it is today.
Another thing to consider is the "peripheral infrastructure" stuff. If you've got an Action 43/4 as your main action camera the Action 2 will use the same mounts, remote control, app etc. Whereas the Go 3/3S use an afferent mount etc to Insta360's other cameras like the Ace Pro. That might be enough to sway ones decision.
Good point.
good video, Ive added a neomidium magnet to my insta go 3S neck stra;p to make sure it is nearly impossible to fall or get knocked off !
Oh nice, is it stronger than the magnets inside the pendant?
Another beautiful well put together video.
Is there any kind of workaround to improve the sharpness and image quality of the action 2
Are there any luts that you can recommend??
Cheers.
A little bit of sharpening in post improves it if you think it necessary, but it has never been an issue for me, and I don't notice it when I'm just making ordinary life videos. It is only in these controlled tests that I do, that it becomes obvious that the Go3S is sharper.
3:56, where u get the security cord!
nice!
I believe the Go3S is waterproof to 10m (without the pod) but the Action 2 (camera module only) is only 5m - correct me if I'm wrong...
DJI claims the Action 2 is waterproof down to 10 metres.
I’d try another Action2 , the footage I get from my old Action2 I had is way sharper than your example.
The action 2 footage in this video was recorded on two different action 2s.
@@Roos-Reviews Hmm. Maybe I’ve never zoomed in as much or had it next to something else - saves money not having to g to buy a mist filter :-)
I don't notice it being less sharp when I'm just making general day-to-day videos. But when I do controlled tests like these with measured distances from the subject and compare them side by side, that's when it becomes obvious. Personally, for me, it makes no difference for the stuff that I make. And the audience of most vloggers and content creators don't care.
Good review. I want both! I'd be interested to see how both cameras handle vibration (for example mounted to handlebar of a bike) and which one can handle loudest volume (at a concert) with least mic distortion. Also which camera has the best extreme low light ability?
Great idea. I wish I'd done that test.
Will never get insta360 product again. Go 2 overheated, corrupted and multiple times sent to them. Still has issues to this day after multiple replacements.
Then I was like maybe it’s a go 2 problem. Purchased the x4 and the image quality is extremely terrible. Less than 480p when shooting on 8k. 8k 360 footage?? Haha. 😂 enjoy the 480p image quality. Straight up scammed. 8k is all resolution. It’s like no UA-camr covers how much the resolution when looking at the rectangle part of the frame. Now all UA-camrs that got the camera first are the sell outs. As soon as anything bad is said about their product you won’t get anymore units to review from them.
exactly the case - plus the insta360 software is just a huge joke. Have fun editing your clips with no adjustable key presets and click every. single. action. It is infuriating!
"It’s like no UA-camr covers how much the resolution when looking at the rectangle part of the frame." Except me (for the X3). You have to bear in mind that the stated 8K 360 degree specification refers to the whole 360 degree sphere, and the laws of physics dictate how those pixels will look when cropped down to a non-360 format. At typical action camera image widths, the X3 gives 1080p (as stated clearly by Insta360, it's no secret) and the X4 reframes to 2.7K. Of course if you crop in to a narrow angle you get less resolution - just like with any camera. To get 4K reframed from a 360 camera the original capture has to be 12K, I believe. Such cameras are available for professional use but they are priced well out of consumers' reach and they are not small.
@@OzpeterThis review is not about 360 cameras.
@@Ozpeter I am sorry but 1080p looks a lot better on the iPhone 5 than it does on the insta360 x4 8k 360 view. Like no UA-camr is getting to the actual point of the sensor quality and comparison to other devices. The 1080p from the x4 is worst than a dash cam at 1080p. There is so much noise, cannot make out textures at all.
@@nigelbruty4613 Sure, but as the subject of problems being encountered with another camera has been raised, it's natural to want to help. Those not interested can skip this discussion.
how to contact you?