Insta360 GO 3S

Thumb-sized magnetic action camera, worn hands-free for POV shots. Summarised automatically from public product information.

Creators cited with it: 7; From 15 reports.
Released: 2024; First cited here by Peter McKinnon, June 2023. Last reported 5 months ago.
Reviewers: Praised for value and autofocus; Pushback on image quality. From 4 reviews. What they said

$379.99

Checked Sep 16, 2026. Verify at the retailer.

Some links here are affiliate links. If you buy through one, Creator Gear earns a commission, at no extra cost to you.

“The Insta360 GO 3S is a camera that I like to use because of the super small size that it has.”
Otto JulianMay 2026Watch the video at 6:59
“This is how I recreated this intense scene from the movie Challengers. With nothing but this tiny Insta360 GO 3S.”
Dan MaceJuly 2024Watch the video

5 more creators cited with it, listed below.

What reviewers say

Based on 4 reviews (2 press, 2 video), newest February 2025

What press and YouTube reviews of the Insta360 GO 3S judged, by what buyers compare. Open any line for the quotes behind it.

Where it shines

Value
Autofocus
Build & handling

Where reviewers push back

Image quality
Stabilisation
Video
Battery life

Image qualityMostly negative: Leans negative.Pleasant colors but lags rivals, especially in low light.4 reviews›
Praise (2)
- “colors are pleasant and auto exposure works pretty well”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “these shots were taken on a very cloudy day and yet they seem to be good enough for social media or sharing memories without looking like crap”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 4:42
Complaints (6)
- “Overall image quality doesn't compare, either.”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “I think that overall quality still lags behind the best action cams like the Osmo Action 4 and Hero 12 Black, especially when lighting is anything other than optimum.”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “in lower light, the camera struggled”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “this camera has a small sensor and it was not expecting too much in low light conditions”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 4:12
- “the go 3s has the worst image quality here and has a little bit more grainy image”
  VideoRobHK · February 2025Watch at 7:03
- “the image quality is not as good as the action 4 or the action 5 or the Ace Pro or the Ace Pro 2 uh or the GoPro Hero 13”
  VideoRobHK · February 2025Watch at 8:28
VideoSplit: Reviewers are split.Sharp 4K video, but narrower FOV and no mic input.4 reviews›
Praise (3)
- “Videos are sharper than before”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “4K Dolby Vision video output is great”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “the videos were not falling apart part at least not as much as I thought they would”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 4:27
Complaints (4)
- “the narrower field of view than the predecessor isn't ideal”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “my only complaint is that 4K can only record using 24 or 30 frames per second there is no 60 frames per second for those of us who like that slow motion effect”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 3:16
- “there is no way to connect an external microphone”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 11:53
- “it falls a little bit short when it comes to motorcycle rides because it doesn't have a wide field of view as the uh Ace Pro 2”
  VideoRobHK · February 2025Watch at 2:15
AutofocusMostly positive: Leans positive.Good face tracking, but weaker when filming in vertical mode.2 reviews›
Praise (1)
- “You also get tracking autofocus, with visual confirmation when faces have been detected on the Action Pod's screen proving useful when vlogging.”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
Complaints (1)
- “it only seems to be effective if you're using the go3s in horizontal mode in vertical it's only going to make it point to the left or the right so it becomes a bit more challenging if you want to tilt the camera up or down”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 5:57
StabilisationMostly negative: Leans negative.Decent stabilization, but less smooth and struggles in low light.3 reviews›
Praise (2)
- “Image stabilization is reasonable”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “flow state is the electronic stabilization that insta 360 has inside their cameras it has always been really good and with a go 3s this is exactly what you're going to get”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 9:08
Complaints (3)
- “there are smoother systems out there”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “Stabilization could be better, especially in low light”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “the EIS really struggled with leaves”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
Battery lifeSplit: Reviewers are split.Decent battery life, but shorter than predecessor, mixed reports overall.3 reviews›
Praise (3)
- “38 minutes is respectable for such a tiny camera”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “Battery life, incidentally, wasn't an issue for me in initial testing”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “I was able to get 38 minutes using maximum settings”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 11:05
Complaints (3)
- “And battery life is less than the Go 3 camera in like-for-like tests recording 1080p video.”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “the battery life on the insta 360 go3s is lower than what we had on the go3”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 10:49
- “your last 38 minutes recording will have to be done without the screen and that's not something that I was happy about when it happened to me”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 11:35
Build & handlingMostly positive: Leans positive.Sturdy, waterproof design; some gripes about weight and comfort.4 reviews›
Praise (8)
- “Both elements are made from rigid plastic. I'd be happy to put them in harm's way – they've taken the occasional knocks from fast-moving balls and clumsy drops, and come out unscathed.”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “Tiny build and easy magnetic mounting get unique hands-free POVs”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “surprisingly robust in my field testing”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “the pendant you wear around the neck is surprisingly comfortable”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “Amazing remote control capability”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “it's very easy to place it just about anywhere and the fact that it is very discrete when you're recording videos in a public space is a big plus”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 2:27
- “there is no need to go into the menus and change any settings it's quick it's easy and that's always a good thing to have good job insa 360”
  VideoOtto Julian · June 2024Watch at 5:16
- “the go 3 S here alone is waterproof down to 5 m so you can take this out snorkeling without having to buy a separate dive case which is always fantastic”
  VideoRobHK · February 2025Watch at 0:45
Complaints (4)
- “the pod is too heavy for placing sideways onto metal surfaces.”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “The easy clip feels a bit cumbersome”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “Slightly weightier than its predecessor”
  PressDigital Camera World, Adam Juniper · June 2024Read the review
- “the action pod itself here is not waterproof so just keep that in mind when you go into the water”
  VideoRobHK · February 2025Watch at 0:57
ValueRated highly: Reviewers rate it highly.Great value for unique action shots and creator content.2 reviews›
Praise (2)
- “it's a price worth paying to obtain what are otherwise impossible shots.”
  PressTechRadar, Tim · June 2024Read the review
- “I think it's 100% worth it if we're looking for that small tiny action camera that makes it easier to capture activities like hikes POV shots behind the scenes stuff Creator shots family trips and so on”
  VideoRobHK · February 2025Watch at 8:17