I love fun photos taken on an equally fun camera. And as a novice photographer, I've always been curious about Insta360's cameras.
Earlier this year, Insta360 introduced a special edition of its thumb-sized Go 3S camera that blends modern 4K tech with nostalgic style. Dubbed the Insta360 Go 3S Retro Bundle, this new bundle arrives two years after the original Go 3S. In our review, we gave the Go 3S a tidy 4.5 stars and found it packed with outstanding features — namely 4K video recording, superb battery life, and cool new functions accessible via its smartphone app.
The main difference between the Go 3S and the Go 3S Retro lies in the included accessories. The most obvious is the Retro viewfinder, which pairs with the standalone camera to create a handheld shooting experience.
As a fan of vintage-inspired cameras, the Go 3S Retro immediately caught my eye. Now, I'm no camera expert — I consider myself a total newbie in most cases — but I was beyond keen to get my hands on this tiny cam, for several reasons. Aside from primarily wanting to take some fun panoramic shots, I also wanted to capture some important POVs — a.k.a. what my dogs see — and take the cam for a spin when creating content. And it didn't disappoint.
Over the course of a month, I took my Go 3S Retro on every dog walk, each mosey around the shops, the occasional bike ride or drive, and everything in between. During each occasion, I noticed two major factors that made me gravitate towards using the Retro Go 3S even more — its portability and, of course, its perspective.
Perfect to pack and go
Now, the biggest, most significant factor for me when taking photos for work or play is accessibility. I want to use the camera easily, and I want it to work now. I typically resort to using my phone in almost every instance, as I can easily rely on it to take a decent photo without much fuss.
While the Insta360 Go 3S captures visually appealing 9MP photos in 16:9, they aren't necessarily superior to standard smartphone shots. That's because the tiny cam was made for shooting 4K videos.
That said, what I really appreciated during my test period with the Go 3S Retro was its portability. When paired with the viewfinder lanyard, it was easy enough to carry crossbody while walking my pups in our local park, and when filming content at an event, I could whip it out of my bag and clip it to my shirt with the magnetic strap for a direct POV shot. At just 39g, it felt light as a feather compared to my iPhone.
Better yet, I found myself editing my images and videos less. This was perhaps due to the respectable resolution, or simply because the Go 3S Retro captured the perfect shot. I didn't have to fuss over framing, angles, or distance — the Go 3S Retro handled it all.
It captured more angles and depth than I could with my phone, making it easier to edit (again, only if needed), and I found myself taking fewer photos and videos because of it. The Insta360 app also features quick transfers and previews, along with solid editing tools that eliminate the guesswork of cleaning up my shots. Overall, I definitely leaned more towards the Go 3S Retro when capturing content, and I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon.
Changing my perspective
Sometimes a new perspective is all you need — and the Go 3S Retro has an ultrawide view of everything. Despite being small in stature, as I've mentioned, it can capture a lot — especially things that are overlooked or missed completely.
I really enjoyed reviewing my footage after the fact, and admiring what I didn't necessarily intend to capture. From peaceful moments with family and friends to gorgeous views of Sydney, there were so many memories I got to capture — and I really loved it.
Better still, there were several modes I enjoyed using and a few that are still on my to-do list (namely a starlapse). My most-used settings so far are SlowMo and Timelapse, which have been particularly fun when unboxing review units and watching my dog's hair cinematically blow in the wind.
Overall, using the tiny cam also allowed me to be fully present in some regards too. I could easily connect it to a magnetic surface and sit back, all without using my phone (or hands in some cases) to capture the moment.
So, after spending a month with the Insta360 Go 3S Retro, it became crystal clear to me that this thumb-sized camera offers a refreshing shift in how we capture memories. By prioritising portability and unique, hands-free perspectives over the fuss of traditional smartphone photography, the camera allows you to stay present while effortlessly recording life's moments.
With features like convenient magnetic mounting, high-quality 4K video, and intuitive app-based editing, the Go 3S Retro simplifies content creation, proving that a smaller camera can indeed capture a much bigger picture.
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