360 Camera Accessories

Insta360 One R Boosted Battery cage has 3-in-1 tripod mount and water resistance (Ulanzi One R Plus Metal Cage)

Ulanzi Insta360 One R Plus Metal Cage
Ulanzi Insta360 One R Plus Metal Cage

The Insta360 One R Boosted Battery can record for 2 hours (360 mod) or more but you lose water resistance.  This new cage for the One R with Boosted Battery not only restores that water resistance, but it also has a unique 3-in-1 tripod mount and other advantages.

First, here’s a video about it from Yuqing Guo, a 360 photographer who is one of the designers of the cage:

Issues with the Boosted Battery

Insta360 One R Boosted Battery Endurance Test
Insta360 One R Boosted Battery Endurance Test

Insta360 One R (reviewed here) is a modular 360 camera that can convert to other cameras, using modules such as a 4K action cam or 1-inch camera.  One of its accessories is the Boosted Battery Base, which more than doubles the recording time, and in addition, makes it easier to switch modules.

However, the Boosted Battery has some disadvantages.  First, when using the Boosted Battery, the One R cannot use its standard frame, which means that it becomes less sturdy, and is no longer waterproof because the connection between the Boosted Battery and the core of the Insta360 One R is not tight enough.  The Boosted Battery also has a built-in GoPro fork mount, but because the GoPro mount swivels, the selfie stick can become visible to the 360 module when the camera is tilted out of line with the selfie stick.

The Ulanzi cage was created to address these issues.

Boosted Battery Cage Features

1. Water Resistance: The cage holds the modules of the Insta360 One R tightly, which enables the One R and Boosted Battery to be water resistant when used with the cage.

2. 3-in-1 Tripod Mount: The Ulanzi cage has a unique 3-in-1 tripod mount.  First, it has a built-in standard 1/4-20 tripod hole.  Second, it has a built-in GoPro mount.  Third, the GoPro mount can be pushed in to become a non-swiveling GoPro mount.  This means that if you use both the 360 mod and 4K mod, you won’t have to carry two different monopods.  You can just use a monopod with GoPro mount and when you use the 360 mod, you can push the cage mount to convert it to a non-swiveling GoPro mount.

3. Two cold shoe mounts:  The Ulanzi cage has two cold shoe mounts for accessories, such as an LED light or microphone.

4. Protect your One R: The Ulanzi cage is metal and can protect your One R from some bumps although it offers no additional protection for the lens or touch screen.  Nonetheless, it ensures that your modules will not split apart even with a hard impact.

5. Compatible with 360 Mod lens cap.  You can continue to use the 360 mod lens cap when using the cage.

6.  Reduces overheating (not yet tested): The Ulanzi cage can act as a heat sink to draw heat away from the core, lens and the Boosted Battery.   Yuqing is testing this and I’ll update this post with the recording time with and without the cage.

Disadvantages

1. Switching mods:  To switch mods, you’ll need to remove the One R from the cage, just like the standard One R bracket.  Similarly, if you’re using the 1-inch mod, then you must unscrew the front element to insert or remove the One R from the cage.

2.  Not compatible with standard battery.  This cage is designed only for the Boosted Battery.  It is not compatible with the red standard-capacity battery.  Yuqing has tried using a spacer with the standard battery and he said that it is not safe enough.

3. Adds weight.  The cage weighs about 93 grams.  It is not heavy but does add a little weight to the One R, which could be a factor if you use the One R on a drone.

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Mic Ty

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  • I like how there is just a hole in the top to get to the buttons. Using the stock cage you have to push through another later of plastic and its hard to just turn the camera on and off.

    If they ever release this 3d mod, i will be getting a bunch of insta360 stuff, but they just cannot seem to get that mod done.

  • Id like to see somebody go one better and integrate the usb mic adaptor into the cage so its not jutting out the side to be smashed. Not many people would understandably need it though…

  • I tried this case on my bike yesterday for the first time: one of the benefits of the cold shoe mounts square end should be to ensure the device always stay aligned with the mount to make it invisible. Too bad: they are too short to maintain the camera steady when fixed on Insta360 motorcycle kit metal extender. Also, and it’s much worse: they are so brittle that my camera ended in the tarmac after one hour of ride. Lucky me, the frame did its job to protect the camera but was useless after the shock. To conclude: good idea but totally crap quality !

    • Thanks Xavier! Sorry that your camera fell! :O Just to clarify, how did the camera fall off? Did the shaking untwist the connection and loosen it?

  • The built-in GoPro mount just broke: crap quality… I could not post pictures here or I would have shared.