Part of what makes the Insta360 One R an adaptive camera, beside the modular design, are the updates — and the company is making good on that promise with a list of new updates it has launched. The modular action camera now uses artificial intelligence to create HDR-like photos, uses a higher bit rate for more detail, offers a new webcam mode, and can stream live videos in 360.
PureShot is a new stills mode for the modular camera that uses A.I. to increase the dynamic range of photos while reducing noise in low light. Insta360 says the mode offers a result similar to using auto exposure bracketing to combine shots in post, but is done in-camera with one tap.
Outside the new shooting mode, quality has also been boosted with a higher bitrate, which the company says creates sharper shots. The default color profile was also boosted for more vivid colors, while LOG is available for more flexibility in post. Audio quality also improves with the new firmware with enhanced wind reduction, while the app includes a new AquaVision mode that color-corrects underwater photographs using A.I.
The modular action camera can also now double as an HD webcam. Using the 4K wide-angle mod, the software detects faces and automatically crops in to accommodate the number of people in the frame. The 360 mod can also be used as a split-screen webcam — for example, placing the camera in the middle of a conference table and showing two sides of the camera in a split-screen view.
The camera can now send 360 content to YouTube, Facebook, or via use of an RTMP URL for live immersive video. Users can livestream in Reframe Live to control the perspective or 360 Live for the audience to choose their view.
Editing the non-360 videos is also now easier for videographers who don’t want to use Insta360’s own software, thanks to the default file type now switching to MP4. The Basic mode applies in-camera stabilization, while the Pro mode allows for better image stabilization with higher frame rates and resolutions but needs the Insta360 software, similar to how the camera previously operated. The company also says that a Final Cut Pro X plugin is under development.
“When you buy an Insta360, you’re not just buying innovative hardware,” Insta360 Founder JK Liu said in a press release. “Constant updates are part of the package with any Insta360. And in this latest large update, we’re bringing cutting-edge A.I. innovations to our creators to make their cameras — and their content — even better over time.”
The updates are a welcome addition that could help nudge the novel modular format a bit further, correcting annoyances like the need for specific software while also improving on video quality.
