Insta360 Ace Pro 2 Review: Compact Camera, Big Uses

The world is digital and online. Everything in life seems captured, documented, or streamed. It’s a social world, with near limitless ways to get connected. Helping to enable folks in getting their personalized message out is easy-to-use, good quality, attainable technology. Technology like the ever-evolving handheld digital camera industry. 

Carving out a decent stake in this sector is Insta360. As the name suggests, the brand is the producer of the double-lensed camera capable of capturing a full 360 degrees of footage, all while stitching out the selfie stick it’s attached too. But Insta360 makes more than just that trick camera. One of the brand’s other products is the Ace Pro, an action camera of sorts, now in its second iteration, the Ace Pro 2. 

A Different Kind of Pro

The Ace Pro 2 is a slightly rectangular cube with a lens and small display screen on the front and full 2.5-inch color touchscreen on the back. One side has a removable door that has a micro-SD card slot and USB-C port. On the other side is a larger door that houses the battery. 

The Ace Pro 2 is clearly designed to compete against another ultra-popular, similarly sized action camera. The fact that Insta360 uses the word Pro in the product’s name can’t be a coincidence, and I appreciate this cheeky little wink and nod. 

The Ace Pro 2 weighs 6.3 oz and is powered by an 1800 mAh battery. When depleted of energy, it can recharge in 75 minutes by plugging in the camera through the USB-C port. Another option is using the rapid charger that replenish a battery in 47 minutes. In my testing, a battery would be good for about 30-45 minutes of straight recording. 

There is no built-in storage, but the Micro-SD slot can take up to 1 terra bite card. Insta360 states it will operate without issue in temperatures between 4ºF to 113ºF (-20ºC to 45ºC). It’s also waterproof, up to 12 m, or 60 m with the dive case accessory. 

It’s Got the Specs

As a modern, second-generation camera, the Ace Pro 2 has the necessary specifications. It can shoot in 1080p, 2.7K, 4K, 5.7K, or 8K. There is a choice of aspect ratios as well: 16:9, 4:3, or 2:35:1. The Ace Pro 2 also has a 2X zoom mode, which digitally crops the photo during capture for a closer perspective. It can only be selected in 4K video format or lower. 

The 8K video mode has built-in HDR, and regardless of the image quality selected, the Ace Pro 2 has a six-axis gyroscope to stabilize shots. It also can be controlled through gestures or voice control.

Although I did not test the photo capturing capabilities of the camera, it can shoot still images in 50MP, 37MP, 12.5MP, or 9MP. Like the video capture mode, it’s possible to use auto exposure or manually control it through a variety of settings. 

A Month of Testing

Being as you’re reading this article on AutoGuide, it should be no surprise that the extent of my testing pertained to capturing automotive content. You can watch the full video review above as well as read on about my findings.

My testing covered four basic shots I utilize in all my video reviews. The first is exterior stand-up, where I speak to the camera stationary. In regular 8K or 4K mode, the image is clear, and I’m able to stand up close to the camera, which allows me to capture a wider amount of content without having to step way back. 

The other shot that involves me talking to the camera is what we call in-car. This is when I discuss the vehicle(s) I’m reviewing from behind the wheel, most likely while driving. The Ace Pro 2 does a great job capturing my commentary without any glitches in the video. In 1X zoom, a lot of the car is captured, adding visuals to what I’m discussing. In 2X zoom, it’s possible to get a closer angle of me talking without having to move the camera. 

The only issue with in-car has to do with contrast. On shots where it’s bright and sunny outside but darker inside the vehicle, the Ace Pro 2 has trouble adjusting to both lighting spectrums. This leads to any landscape outside of the vehicle’s windows being washed out. 

Action Shots

The real forte of the Ace Pro 2 are action shots. For my use, that primarily means car drive-by shots, car-to-car shots, and mounted shots. With drive-by shots, it means exactly what it sounds like: filming a car with a stationary camera as it drives by. On single zoom and 4K, I was able to get longer, further shots of vehicles approaching or departing from the camera. The 2X zoom function still delivers crisp shots in good lighting conditions, with a closer, deeper perspective angle. 

The zoom feature also comes in handy when doing car-to-car shots. This type of shot involves mounting the camera on one vehicle while chasing or following a secondary vehicle. With the 2X zoom, it makes these types of shots easier as it does not require the two drivers to have to drive close to each other while filming. The inner stabilization and six-axis gyroscope keep the shot smooth and steady as well, making it look much more professional. 

Mounted shots once again benefit from the various shooting modes and zoom options. It allows for a greater variety of angles to be chosen when mounting the camera on a vehicle, from detailed badge shots to longer side shots. 

Finally, being an Insta360 product, the Ace Pro 2 still incorporates different lens angles, much like the X4 360 camera. Although not as extreme in wide/fish-eye angles, the Ace Pro 2 still does include Linear, Dewarp, Mega, Ultra, and Action. For my purposes, I primarily use the flattest setting, Linear, to capture footage. Even in that mode, though, I still find the sides of the image are stretched to a degree, at least more than I personally like. 

Audio Is As Important

An image would mean nothing if the quality of the audio does not match. The Ace Pro 2 records in 16-bit audio using 3 attached microphones. I’m quite surprised how well the built-in microphones can capture clear audio when performing drive-bys or when the camera is mounted to a vehicle near the exhaust. 

Of course, the Ace Pro 2 can be outfitted with a variety of microphone accessories, which can be equipped in one of three ways. The first is through Bluetooth, which consists of a very limited list of products, none that I possess or was able to test. The next is using a hard-wired USB-C transmitter connected to a wireless microphone. This is my preferred choice as it delivers clear, crisp audio in all driving situations. There’s never a pop, crack, or squeak when recording, even at speed. 

The final connection is through the Insta360 accessory adapter that clips onto the USB-C port and contains a 3.5 mm aux jack. This allows for a wired microphone or wireless microphone with a 3.5 mm transmitter to be installed. The audio quality when stationary is just as good as the hard-wired set-up, but when driving at speed, it can lead to pops and cracks creeping into the recording. 

Ace Pro 2: The Verdict

The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 succeeds where it’s supposed to. It is an excellent camera for recording action shots and can still be used in other capacities as well. It’s not perfect, as it can’t handle heavy light contrast, the 8K function doesn’t have 2X zoom, and even in Linear the shot is still a bit stretched at the sides. 

But for me, in my multi-camera set-up, it is a welcome addition that will be utilized in every review. 

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