Insta360’s Go 3S is a decent compact video camera, but the company’s new Retro Bundle version makes it an altogether stranger beast. It’s the latest in a series of unusual choices by the Chinese brand, which have included a magnetic screen and a very, very small storage device.
This release harks back to a time when the Polaroid was an actual product and not just a way to develop photos. It uses the same (older) camera from Insta360, so anyone familiar with its performance shouldn’t see much difference. It’s all about the chassis. Okay, and a few extras.
Go 3S back in time
The Go 3S still sees its 12MP image sensor front and centre. It’ll still snap images and grab 4K video if you need it (you do), but the new housing makes it feel like a relic from another time. Still, it supports the detachable camera unit’s 310mAh internal battery with a little extra. The casing includes a 393mAh battery, offering shooters up to 76 minutes of recording per dual-battery charge.
The retro-ish case adds an optical viewfinder, which can be peered into from the top of the unit. Alternatively, users can also use the front section to include themselves in their shots and videos. The action camera housing, which ships with the standard R9,500-and-up Go 3S, is missing from this bundle.
Instead, users get the viewfinder case, a pendant for wearing the camera elsewhere, a battery, and a few other bits. Existing owners can skip the bundle — which is currently only available overseas — and just nab the retro housing. It’s currently priced at around R850 (CA$67) on Insta360’s online store.
