Taking the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 Out for a Gloomy Saturday in San Francisco
I have been curious about action cameras for a while now, mostly from a street photography and urban exploration angle. I finally pulled the trigger on the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 and decided the best way to break it in was to take it out on a gray San Francisco Saturday. No blue skies, no golden hour light. Just overcast skies, moody streets, and whatever the Embarcadero, South of Market, and Chinatown had to offer.
The Setup
I picked up the camera along with the hand grip, and that turned out to be one of the better decisions I made. The grip gives you something solid to hold onto and keeps the camera from feeling like you are just waving a little box around at the end of your wrist. I also attached a Peak Design wrist strap for extra security, which gave me peace of mind while navigating the crowded sidewalks and ducking around corners.
I shot everything in RAW so I could take the files into Lightroom afterward. More on that in a bit.
What Is the Insta360 Ace Pro 2?
Before I get into the afternoon, here is a quick look at what this camera actually is.
Despite what the name might suggest, this is not a 360-degree camera. It is a traditional wide-angle action camera, and a seriously capable one. Here are the key specs:
Sensor: 1/1.3-inch CMOS, 50 megapixels
Lens: Leica SUMMARIT, f/2.6 aperture, 157-degree field of view, co-engineered with Leica
Video: Up to 8K at 30fps; 4K at 120fps for slow motion; 4K60fps Active HDR
Low Light: PureVideo mode with dual-chip AI noise reduction
Stabilization: FlowState stabilization with Horizon Lock
Waterproofing: 39 feet (12 meters) out of the box
Battery Life: Up to 3 hours
Screen: 2.5-inch flip touchscreen on the back, 0.7-inch front display
Dual Chip System: A dedicated Pro Imaging Chip handles image processing and noise reduction; a separate 5nm AI Chip handles overall camera performance
RAW Photo Support: Yes
Other Features: Voice control, gesture control, Pre-Recording (saves up to 120 seconds before you hit record), 4K Clarity Zoom
The starting price for the Standard Bundle is $399.99. You can find all the bundles and accessories at the Insta360 store.
Out on the Streets
San Francisco had gotten some rain in the days before, and the Embarcadero still had puddles scattered across the pavement. One of the first shots I went for was a reflection of the Ferry Building sitting in a puddle near the waterfront. The overcast sky kept the light flat and even, which actually helped the reflection read clearly without a lot of glare competing with it. Getting low with the Ace Pro 2 was easy, no contorting myself to see a viewfinder. I just held it close to the ground and used the flip screen to frame it up.
Further along, a man sitting on a bench suddenly had a small explosion of pigeons launching off the pavement right in front of him. I got lucky with the timing. The wide field of view pulled in the whole scene, birds going in every direction, and the guy mid-dodge. That is the kind of moment that is hard to plan for and easy to miss with a camera you are not comfortable with yet.
Heading over to Pier 7, the wooden benches along the pier gave me a natural framing device for the Transamerica Pyramid in the background. The gloomy sky actually worked well here. It kept the background soft and let the geometry of the benches lead your eye straight to the tower. The 157-degree lens pulled in more of the scene than I expected, which meant I had to be deliberate about where I was standing so the perspective did not get too distorted.
Over in South of Market, I spent some time at 525 Market and worked the circular fountain out front. The wide angle let me get close and still capture the full circle of the fountain in the frame, with the building rising up behind it. Then I moved down to 420 Market to shoot the wavy facade. That building has a really unusual surface, and the Leica lens handled the curves and architectural lines well. I held the camera low and let the geometry of the building fill the frame.
Shooting RAW and Editing in Lightroom
The RAW files gave me a lot to work with. The overcast day meant the dynamic range was not being pushed too hard, but I still appreciated having the latitude to pull shadows and adjust the tone without things falling apart. The colors from the Leica lens are genuinely good. There is a warmth and a rendering quality to the files that you do not usually expect from an action camera.
Lightroom handled the files without any issues. I did the usual adjustments: exposure, whites, blacks, some targeted color work. The 50-megapixel files have real detail in them, which makes cropping less stressful if you need to reframe something in post.
First Impressions
This is not a replacement for any of my Fujis. But it was never supposed to be. What it is is a genuinely capable camera that you can take anywhere and not worry about. The build feels solid. The grip accessory made it comfortable to use for a couple of hours. The Peak Design wrist strap meant I never had to think about dropping it.
The dual-chip processing is not marketing fluff. The low-light performance is noticeably better than what I expected from an action camera, even on a dull gray afternoon. And shooting in RAW is a big deal for anyone who takes editing seriously.
I am already thinking about where to take it next.
Learn more about the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 at insta360.com or pick one up through the Insta360 store.
