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The Insta360 Go Ultra is the latest in Insta360’s line of miniature ultra-small cameras, and on paper it’s by far the most powerful one they’ve made yet. Given its enhanced video capabilities, the aim of the Go Ultra is to provide advanced performance without major sacrifices to the form factor which makes these tiny video cameras such versatile creative tools.

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While the Go Ultra has the same articulating display as the Insta360 Go 3S and Ace Pro 2, as well as other similarities in its design and software, it’s immediately clear that the Go Ultra is a very different beast that straddles the line between fully-featured flagship action camera, and a more flexible ultralight module like the Go 3S. In theory, the Go Ultra delivers the best of both worlds, so that if you’re OK with paying a premium price, you don’t have to decide between the two. I took the Go Ultra (provided by Insta360 for this review) out into the mountains on a couple of photography and hiking trips to see what it’s capable of.

With a relatively large 1/1.28″ sensor, the Go Ultra handles low light rather well, and delivers fairly good image quality overall. It’s not quite to the standard of the Ace Pro 2 or DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, but it’s certainly a major upgrade over the Go 3 and 3S, and is better than the GoPro Hero 13 Black in terms of low light performance. You get 4K 60fps video capture capability, though if you want 120fps slow motion you’ve got to drop down to 2.7K. Image stabilization is quite impressive, and combined with the particularly wide 156 degree field of view, as well as the incredibly small size of the Go Ultra, you have the recipe for a particularly amazing POV camera. 

Battery life is very good, with up to 70 minutes in the camera module, and up to 200 minutes in the action pod. I managed to exhaust this on a long day out hiking in the mountains, which included an extensive timelapse video session. I certainly got 200 minutes of use out of it that day. Audio quality is also good enough for vlogging, though the camera will also be compatible with Insta360’s Mic Go and third party wireless microphones after launch.

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The camera module of the Go Ultra isn’t as small as that found in the Insta360 Go 3 or Go 3S, but it’s exceptionally small nonetheless, given what it can do. That little module is also exceptionally durable, being IPX8 waterproof down to 33 feet underwater, and as I found out thanks to my butterfingers, it can also survive being dropped with minimal damage. Keep in mind that the action pod to which the camera module (also known as the “standalone camera”) attaches is only IPX4 splashproof, so you don’t want to submerge that unless you also have the optional underwater housing for it.

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Additionally, the Go Ultra is designed to be used with a quick-release safety cord to prevent the loss of the camera when used in action sports. It’s also Apple Find-My compatible, so that if it does get lost then its location can be pinpointed on a map. I also very much appreciate having the camera module feature removable storage media, and replaceable lenses. The replaceable lenses are particularly vital in an action camera, and it appears that Insta360 intends to offer additional lenses to offer close-up capability or improved underwater shooting. There are numerous different accessories available for the Go Ultra, one of which is an elastic ring with a record button, which is really convenient if you’ve got the Go Ultra mounted somewhere that’s difficult to access.

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The articulating touchscreen display is vibrant and responsive. I very much appreciate having a display which flips up to provide a selfie view that’s great for vlogging. I actually prefer this in some ways to the fixed front-facing displays favored by competing action camera brands, and it seems fairly sturdy.

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Back when I reviewed the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, I praised that camera for its excellent menu system which made changing camera settings on the fly a breeze. I’m happy to report that the Go Ultra has inherited its in-camera software from the Ace Pro 2, meaning that the Go Ultra possesses what I currently feel to be the best software in an action camera. Other action cameras have their own perfectly acceptable, even excellent menu systems, but at least for now, Insta360 has the edge on the competition in this regard.

As for companion software, you have Insta360’s very competent applications for Android, IOS, Windows, and Mac, though it’s not as important a factor to consider when evaluating an action camera as with a 360 camera such as the Insta360 X5. Regardless, Insta360 has certainly grown adept at pushing out increasingly powerful software to use with their cameras.

One new mode which did catch me off-guard is the “Toddler Titan Mode”, and I’m not making that up. It’s an actual dedicated mode for recording POV and selfie video of a toddler by mounting the Go Ultra on a hat worn by the toddler using the dedicated “Toddler Titan Clip”. I don’t have a toddler, nor do I know anyone with a toddler, but I do look and occasionally act a bit like a toddler myself, and I did make use of the clip to capture some POV shots, for which this camera works exceptionally well.

One other interesting feature is that the Go Ultra is compatible with “Android Quick Share”, where your phone is actually able to access photos from the camera without needing to connect through the Insta360 app.

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It’s a good thing the Go Ultra delivers much of what you’d expect from a mainstream action camera, since it will set you back more than an Insta360 Ace Pro 2, DJI Action 5 Pro, or GoPro Hero 13 Black. In the U.S., the standard Go Ultra bundle will set you back $449, or $499 for the creator bundle. That’s $50 to $100 more than current flagship action cameras, and that extra cost is a bitter pill to swallow. It’s likely that tariffs are to blame for this excessively high cost, but that doesn’t make it any easier to bear for consumers.

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However, to the right person, that extra cost will be worth it to have a camera with such a diminutive camera module with this level of performance. Whether or not the Go Ultra provides a compelling value for money will very much depend on whether or not you value its unique characteristics.

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The Insta360 Go Ultra is a fantastic little device which delivers the capabilities of a full size action camera in a diminutive, detachable module. It really is impressive what Insta360 has crammed into the Go Ultra, and that the housing for the Go Ultra is simultaneously far more ergonomic than other action cameras. This is absolutely one of the best options out there for POV shots if you’re mounting on a helmet, hat, or backpack chest strap. Given that the camera module is magnetic, it’s possible to get really creative with how it’s mounted.

However, the extra capabilities of the Go Ultra come with some serious caveats in the form of a rather steep price tag and a much larger form factor than the Go 3S. Both are factors which may cause some to hesitate despite all the great reasons to recommend the Go Ultra. If you can afford the extra cost, and the improved performance is worth the extra bulk compared to the Go 3S, then in every other way the Go Ultra is awesome and easy to recommend.

The Insta360 Go Ultra is available from Insta360’s online store, starting at $449.