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Buying a new action camera this year is going to be a tricky decision, judging by the latest leaks. Not only have we just seen the launch of two new GoPro cameras, a DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is also en route – and a new leak has suggested that Insta360 could even overshadow them both.
Thanks to PhotoRumors, we now have our first image of what appears to be the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, a successor to the already very powerful Insta360 Ace Pro. Considering we described the latter as an “absolute monster” and one of the best action cameras so far, it could be worth the wait.
The leak doesn’t reveal a huge amount about the new Ace Pro 2’s specs. Like before, it’ll seemingly shoot 8K video (possibly at a higher 30fps frame-rate than the previous 24fps maximum), but this time will get a “dual AI chip” rather than the current model’s single one.
The Ace Pro 2 will also apparently continue Insta360 and Leica’s partnership with a Super Summarit-A lens, although there are no markings on the casing in the leaked image – so we can’t tell if this still has an f/2.6 aperture, or is a brighter lens for better low-light performance.
We’ll have to wait for the official launch for more details, but we can expect the Ace Pro 2 to again be weighty (both physically and in price). The original model was 17% heavier than the Hero 12 Black and cost $449.99 / £429 / AU$729 at launch.
We should find out how the new GoPro Hero 13 Black and base Hero models compare to Insta360’s incoming rival during GoPro’s launch today at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm BST / 11pm AEST.
Refined power?
Our Insta360 Ace Pro review was pretty complementary about the action cam – so much so that it currently sits third in our list of the best action cameras.
While that unique 8K resolution is more of a party trick than truly useful for most people, we still rate the Ace Pro as the best premium action camera around. It has tons of magnetic mounting options, and its handy 2.4-inch flip screen is great for vlogging and reviewing footage.
It isn’t perfect, though, with no option to shoot in log format (for color grading afterward), while the ‘AI’ chip was mainly used for noise reduction, rather than clever computational tricks.
Still, if Insta360 manages to fine-tune the original version, it could again be a tempting option if you don’t mind its size and price – and might put a downer on GoPro and DJI’s imminent launch parties.
