Insta360 debuts One R modular action and 360-degree camera

Insta360 today announced the One R, a modular system that it calls an adaptive action cam. The One R has the ability to capture wide-angle 4K video, wide-angle 4K on a 1-inch sensor, or 5.3K 360-degree footage depending on the mod. It’s an interesting take on the action camera that sees the company erase the line between what action and what 360-degree cameras can do.

The battery serves as the base for this system. Insta360 chose a bright red color to protect the power cell. It delivers about one hour of battery life. A double-capacity battery with an integrated tripod mount is also available.

Owners need to snap the processor module, which includes a touch screen on one side and control buttons on top, to one of three camera modules onto the battery in order to complete the system.

The base kit comes with two of the lenses, the wide-angle 4K and the 360 (far left and far right, above). What can these module lenses do?

First, the 4K wide-angle mod. This can snag 4K video at 60fps and supports up to 8x slow motion. This mod allows you to reverse the processor mod so the touchscreen faces front instead of the rear. Features include Color Plus, HDR video, and Night Shot to ensure the most accurate color possible.

Next, the dual-lens 360 mod. It captures 5.7K video from the opposing lenses. Insta360 says it has the same color-capture functions of the wide-angle, though it also allows for a live preview on the touch screen.

Last, the piece de resistance: the 1-inch wide angle mod that Insta360 engineered together with help from Leica. The 1-inch sensor is entirely unique to this product category and can record 5.3K video or 19mp images in near any lighting conditions. It stands out thanks to its large, prominent lens.

Insta360 says the chassis is waterproof to 16.4 feet, and motion stabilization takes all the jitter out of your footage. It includes a USB port for mic-based audio capture, and a host of accessories can do things like add a shoe for holding a microphone.

The lenses are just half the story, however. Insta360 says the real magic happens with its software. The company’s updated desktop and mobile software Can automatically pick subjects and follow them thanks to AI. Creators can opt to use pre-scripted pans and movements make for sweeping, dramatic scenes.

All this doesn’t come cheaply. The starting price for the Insta360 One R is $479.99 with the first two lenses. The Leica edition, which comes with the single lens, costs $549.99. The individual 4K wide-angle and 360 modest are $299.99 if you want to add them to the Leica bundle.

The Insta360 One R goes on sale later this month.