Tested Insta360 Go 2

Chest the 2 of us

The world’s smallest hands-free action cam is kind of a big deal – because it can magnetically float on the front of your shirt while you get gnarly

Rtba / 180by2.co.za

One key to a killer action cam is portability. If you’re barrelling down the side of a mountain faster than you can think, you don’t want the camera recording your ‘extreme’ sporting exploits to be a distraction. Ideally, you don’t want to feel like you’re carrying one at all.

You also want it to record sharp, detailed footage stable enough to watch back later without feeling like you’re going to lose your lunch. So Insta360 has created a teeny tiny cam that can cling to your chest, boosted by FlowState stabilisation.

In fact, the Go 2 is so small you could probably swallow it. Obviously don’t do that, it’ll taste disgusting; but being puny in stature and with stacks of bundled accessories to exploit your adventures, this cute pod could be a perfect partner for capturing the events of the rest of 2021 without hauling a larger camera around – and by that we even mean a GoPro. Indie pendant’s day The Go 2 is primarily designed to be attached to a magnetic pendant under your top, allowing you to walk, run, ride, surf or whatever while everything gets captured. No messing with harnesses or awkward body mounts; simply pluck it off and pop it back in its charging case when you’re done.

Pressed to kill With a front face that’s almost entirely a clickable button (1), the Go 2 is definitely pared back, but it’s far too easy to press this by mistake and halt recording when you don’t want to. Imagine if you’d just nailed a big kitesurfing jump only to discover a stray finger had torched your recording.

Lapse and legends With a 1/2.3in sensor (2) capable of 1440p resolution at 50fps and 120fps slo-mo at 1080p, the Go 2 can record in HDR and includes super-smooth timelapse options. It also offers the ability to adjust the field of view plus tweak the white balance, colour profile and other picture settings.

All within my handset Options are accessible via the charging case, but its two-button controls make that a slow process. It’s easier to fire up the app, pair your phone and adjust everything that way… though an iPhone must have an A11 chip or later, while an Android needs at least a Kirin 980, Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810. Pivot up or turn it loose The charging case is similarly clever. It protects the Go 2, allows you to tweak settings, and works as a mini tripod. Also bundled is a magnetic rotating clip-mount that we found great for bike rides, and a magnetic pivot stand that fixes it to flat surfaces and doubles as a handle for underwater shooting.

1

GOOD MEH EVIL

Excellent image stabilisation

Tiny lightweight build

Very low stills resolution Easy to hit button by mistake

Loads of accessories included

Bit too reliant on the app

2

Tech specs

Sensor 1/2.3in Video 1440p @ 50fps, 1080p @ 120fps HDR Stills 2560x1440 ISO range 100-3200 Connectivity Bluetooth 5, USB-C Storage 32GB Battery life Up to 30 mins video (150 mins with case) Dimensions 53x24x21mm, 26.5g (63.5g with case)

Stabiliseonthe prize

The micro-sized Go 2 forfeits mindblowing 4K footage to concentrate on keeping things on an even keel

■ Love resolution

While some might feel disappointed at the lack of 4K video, the Go 2’s tiny sensor would doubtless struggle to produce truly detailed clips at such high resolution; 1440p is plenty with the superb FlowState stabilisation. ■ People get steady

You’ll see instantly what a massive difference that stabilisation makes to your videos, especially with TimeShift Hyperlapse recordings. You can also capture HDR content without FlowState; that’s limited to 25fps.

At the dive-in No worries with going underwater: the Go 2 is fully waterproof to a depth of 4m without the need for a sealed external housing. ■ Ticket to wide

The wide-angle lens captures a huge arc in front so it’s unlikely to miss anything important, while the exposure metering fares quite well even in tricky conditions. Insta360 has achieved a nice overall balance here. ■ Running to stand stills

While the footage certainly isn’t class-leading, and we spotted shimmering in the skies of some of our test clips, the results are pretty impressive for a camera of this size. It’s a shame the stills are limited to 2560x1440, though.

No matter what it costs at launch, the Go 2 is a good deal. You get a teeny waterproof action cam with some of the slickest image stabilisation around, a pocket-sized charging case and a mountain of mounts. That’s not to say it’s perfect, though: the low-res stills and too-sensitive button mean some might still find a GoPro a better bet.