360 Camera Basics

Insta360 One R comparison (video quality and stabilization)

Insta360 One R vs Insta360 One X, GoPro MAX, Qoocam 8K
Insta360 One R vs Insta360 One X, GoPro MAX, Qoocam 8K

Does the Insta360 One R (reviewed here) have the best video quality and stabilization? How does it compare to the Insta360 One X, GoPro MAX and Kandao Qoocam 8K? I compared the One R with the 360 mod, 4K mod, and 1 inch mod against these 360 cameras and two popular action cams: the GoPro Hero 8 and DJI Osmo Action, and some of the results were not what I expected. Here is my comparison:

Insta360 One R is a modular 360 camera that can be converted into an action cam, drone 360 camera, or a 1-inch sensor camera. My comparison tested the One R’s 360 module, 4K Wide module, and the 1-inch mod.  

I compared the 360 mod against the Insta360 One X, GoPro MAX, and Kandao Qoocam 8K.  As for the 4K Wide mod and 1-inch mod, I compared them against the GoPro Hero 8 and DJI Osmo Action.

For each comparison, I compared video quality as well as stabilization.

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Mic Ty

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  • Unexpected indeed… I had hoped the 360 mod would have better detail with H.265 and 100 Mb/s, as advertised. Still, for the price I think it’s acceptable, and maybe there will be some software improvements. Let’s hope so. Thanks for doing all this work and double checking your results for us!

    • Thanks Matt. Insta360 is saying it’s possible my lens is misfocused. I will do a retest after they exchange my camera.

    • Hi Mic,

      I really enjoy watching your reviews. They are very informative.

      But Im genuinely torn between the One R and the Qoocam 8K.
      I prefer the 8k but the software for the One R seems so much better. If only the one r had an 8k 360 mod then I’m sold.

  • Thanks for the interesting review and surprising findings. Probably the biggest surprise is the lack of radical difference between the One R and the other cameras. In the PR clip, there was a big fuss about the One R using H265 for greater IQ and yet, there is no marked difference in the results you posted. The GoPro Max is still standing proud and the Osmo Action still remains a good choice for an action cam with a wide display.

    The IQ comparison is of course an important one but you could also compare the cameras in terms of how easy they are to use in regards shape, controls, access to buttons, ease of holding and… display size ! For example, the modular design of the One R is a clever idea but it also limits the size of the display – especially compared to the one on the Osmo Action.

    In regards, the one-inch module, I will echo some of the comments on YT in that people interested in it really want to see how it performs in low light. And the camera to compare it to would actually be the Sony RX0 that also has a Leica lens (even though not as wide) and one-inch sensor (if you can have access to one).

    • Thanks Francois. Yes I will definitely discuss usability in my full review.

      Re one-inch module, I have been testing it in low light with good results. I will post samples. Re RX0, it uses a Zeiss lens. I unfortunately don’t have access to one and it is quite expensive for occasional testing. If I find a cheap one, I might try it. I do have a Panasonic FZ1000 which has a 25-400mm f/2.8-4 lens. But I haven’t seen how the FZ1000 compares to the RX0, so I don’t know how useful that comparison would be.

      Best regards,
      Mic

  • Hi Mic

    Any idea when the software features of the Insta360 ONE R will be incorporated into the software of the Insta360 ONE X and an update to the firmware

        • the android os does connect via wifi, but the oneR app does not recognize the connection, and provides no camera control (network error 9998 is what i remember scrolling by)

      • Thanks Mic. I tried it and it works on my iPad. However, noticed the 9 HD shot that I took showed ISO that varied as reported in the file details. Would have preferred the ISO to remain the same with exposure changes only.

        A software feature to enable bracketed shorts to be setup and taken without having to manually take each one as I currently do with my ONE X would be a welcome addition to the functionality.

  • I have to say, having watched the video here twice now, pretty disappointing results from the One R. I was super excited when the Qoocam 8k was announced, followed by disappointment once footage started surfacing, and now the same for the One R. I may have to go back and repurchase the GoProMax, I really enjoyed it when I took it to Europe this past thanksgiving, the only thing I was missing was that awesome tracking capability that the One X has. Really thought the One R would win here with h265 and updated processor. Do they just need to improve their lenses?