Insta360 Go 3S vs GoPro Hero 12 Black

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Overview of the Insta360 Go 3S

Insta360 Go 3S☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 Go 3S
Insta360's latest wearable camera: 4K video in a tiny package
The Go 3S is an amazing pocket action camera offering of 4K video in a very small package. With the ActionPod pairing, it becomes a more traditional action camera with extended battery life and a flip screen.
  • Pros
  • Tiny footprint
  • 4K video
  • Modular design with ActionPod
  • Cons
  • Not waterproof with ActionPod
  • Storage not extendable with SD cards

Overview of the GoPro Hero 12 Black

GoPro Hero 12 Black☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★GoPro Hero 12 Black
GoPro's 2023 camera: 5.3K video, HDR video, great stabilization
The Hero 12 is GoPro's 2023 flagship action camera. It is an incremental improvement over the Hero 11 and introduces HDR video but does not feature GPS like models before and after it. HDR video can really improve results when filming with big lighting changes and will avoid your footage being overexposed.
  • Pros
  • Performance similar to newer model
  • HDR video introduction
  • Cons
  • No integrated GPS

Comparison of the Go 3S vs the Hero 12

Weight and size

The Go 3S is a lot more compact than the Hero 12. The Go 3S is a lot lighter than the Hero 12.
Insta360 Go 3S
25.6mm x 54.4mm x 24.8mm / 1.01in x 2.14in x 0.98in
1.38oz / 39.1g
Features
Dimensions
Weight
GoPro Hero 12 Black
71.8mm x 50.8mm x 33.6mm / 2.83in x 2in x 1.32in
5.43oz / 154g
Why size and weight matter: Weight is important for action cameras because we often mount them on helmets, or hold them at the end of a selfie stick while moving. Therefore a heavier camera can be dvifficult to use or uncomfortable. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.

Battery life

The Hero 12 offers a much larger battery capacity. The Hero 12 has a removable battery whereas the Go 3S's battery is not removable
Insta360 Go 3S
310mAh
Removable
38min at 1080p
Features
Battery capacity
Removable battery
Battery life
GoPro Hero 12 Black
1720mAh
Removable
150min at 1080p
Why battery life matters: Nothing worse than running out of battery just before capturing the best footage of the day! A long battery life is reassuring and convenient when shooting footage outdoors where options to charge are limited. Even the use of a power bank can be tedious or simply impossible like when filming watersports. Having removeable batteries allows battery swapping on the go which further extends your runtime.

Storage

Only the Go 3S features built-in storage. Only the Hero 12 supports SD cards, the Go 3S is therefore limited to it's built-in storage.
Insta360 Go 3S
64GB or 128GB
Storage not extendable
Features
Built-in storage
Storage format
GoPro Hero 12 Black
No built-in storage
microSD
Why storage matters: High quality footage can quickly take up lots of space and insufficient storage can soon be frustrating. Having a large amount of storage and the possiblity to extend it or swap SD cards while on a outing will ensure you will always be able to capture the footage you want. However, smaller, wearable action cameras often rely on built-in storage because of their small size.

Video performance

Only the Hero 12 offers HDR video.
Insta360 Go 3S
4K video at 30fps
HDR video unsupported
Features
Max resolution
HDR video
GoPro Hero 12 Black
5.3K video at 60fps
5.3K 30fps

Camera and sensor technology

The Hero 12 features a much higher resolution. The field of view of the Hero 12 is a little better than the Go 3S's. Both cameras feature 120Mbps bit rate video.
Insta360 Go 3S
12MP
134°
120Mbps
Features
Pixels
Field of view
Video bite rate
GoPro Hero 12 Black
27.6MP
148°
120Mbps

Camera settings

The Hero 12's 100-6400 ISO range is far superior to Go 3S's. The Go 3S's +/-4 exposure compensation is far superior.
Insta360 Go 3S
100-3200
+/-4
Features
ISO range
Exposure Compensation
GoPro Hero 12 Black
100-6400
+/-2

Go 3S vs Hero 12 specifications

NameInsta360 Go 3SGoPro Hero 12 Black
Year of release20242023
Width1.01in / 25.6mm2.83in / 71.8mm
Height2.14in / 54.4mm2in / 50.8mm
Depth0.98in / 24.8mm1.32in / 33.6mm
Weight1.38oz / 39.1g5.43oz / 154g
Waterproof33ft / 10m33ft / 10m
Waterproof with diving case197ft / 60m197ft / 60m
Min operating temperature-4°F / -20°C14°F / -10°C
Max operating temperature104°F / 40°C95°F / 35°C
Battery capacity310mAh1720mAh
Removable batteryNoYes
Battery life38min at 1080p150min at 1080p
Charging time-3h (5W)
Battery extension capacity1270mAh-
Battery extension run time140min at 1080p-
Battery extension charging time65min-
Battery extension weight3.4oz / 96.3g-
Built-in storage64GB
128GB
-
Storage format-microSD
Storage rating required-V30 or UHS-3
Maximun storage supported128GB1Tb
Rear screen sizeWith Action Pod2.27in
Front screen sizeWith Action Pod1.4in
Field of view134°148°
Sensor1/2.3"1/1.9" CMOS
Pixels12MP27.6MP
ApertureF2.8F2.5
Focal length16mm12-39mm
ISO range100-3200100-6400
Video zoom-2x
Color Depth8bit10bit
Video bite rate120Mbps120Mbps
Exposure Compensation+/-4+/-2
360-degree videoNoNo
5.3K video-60fps
4K video30fps60fps
2.7K video30fps120fps
1440p video50fps-
1080p video50fps240fps
Slow motion at 4K-4x
Maximum slow motion6x at 1080p8x at 1080p
HDR video-5.3K 30fps
StabilizationFlowstateHyperSmooth 6.0
Horizon lock-Yes
Video formatH.264 (MP4)H.265 (HEVC)
Live streamingNo1080p30 (HyperSmooth) or 1080p60
Webcam mode-1080p30
Timelapse modeYesYes
Starlapse modeYesYes
Timeshift modeYesYes
Loop recording modeYesYes
Photo burst modeNoYes
RAW format supportedYesYes
Microphones23
Stereo audioYesYes
Noise reductionYesYes
Audio formataacwav
Audio input-Media Mod (H9B/H10B/H11B)
Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter
Wifi802.11a/n/ac802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
BluetoothBLE 5.0BLE 4.2
USBType-C USB2.0USB-C
GPS integratedNoNo
GPS pairingGarmin device
Apple Watch
-
Voice commandsYesYes
Gesture commandsYes-