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After seeing it at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas and touching it at the presentation in Milan, the time has come to see how it behaves on the field Insta360 Nano S, evolution of a video camera spherical for iPhone that we had already had the opportunity to thoroughly try in its first version, appreciating it mainly for its ease of use (and compatibility) with iPhone.
Differences between Insta360 Nano and Insta360 Nano S
Specifications Insta360 Nano Insta360 Nano S Lens 2 xf / 2.0 2 x Sony f / 2.2 Video Resolution 3040 x 1520 @ 30 fps 3840 x 1920 @ 30 fps Photo Resolution 4096 x 2048 (8 MP) 6272 x 3136 (20 MP) Live Stream 360 Yes Yes with Freecast (user controls visual perspective) Video Stabilization No Yes, use iPhone integrated system Waterproof No No Shockproof No No Memory expansion microSD up to 64 GB microSD up to 128 GB Battery 800 mAh (70 minutes) 800 mAh (60 minutes) Audio 1 x microphone o 1 x microphone iOS smartphone compatibility iPhone X, iPhone8 / 8 Plus, iPhone 7/7 Plus, iPhone 6s / 6s Plus, iPhone 6/6 Plus Price 159.00 Euro 279.00 Euro
So what has changed ? In fact, a lot. The first version was limited to 3K videos and 8 MP photos, two resolutions to date if you want to be obsolete. The new Nano S can record video in 4K and take photos of 20 MP, thus taking it to the level of the competition and promising superior file quality. It also increases the supported microSD memory capacity and is also compatible with the latest generation iPhones even if the battery, probably due to the higher photo / video resolution, seems to pay slightly for the upgrade in the final autonomy.
The differences also emerge from the software point of view. With Nano S there are in fact two new modes: 360 video call, useful for video calling friends and relatives using the spherical camera thus showing the surrounding environment without having to move the phone, and multiview live-streaming, which allows you to divide the screen into multiple sections. and shoot specific areas of the environment.
These two functions, it should be noted, will never be integrated in the first version of the camera as they need the higher resolution available only in Nano S in order to work. .
How is it made
There are practically no aesthetic differences with Insta360 Nano, except for the painting of the aluminum body which with Nano S is black. For the rest it is the same as the first model: Lightning socket in the internal groove to cling to the iPhone port, two cameras to ensure three hundred and sixty degrees shooting, a microUSB port on the bottom to recharge the internal battery and a microSD slot for the expansion of the memory, the button to use it at any time even without a smartphone and the hole for the microphone on the upper edge.
For details on dimensions, weight and technical characteristics, please refer to our previous review.
In the package
The contents of the box are also slightly different which, as in the previous model, can be recycled by transforming into a VR viewer to view the contents acquired with the camera in a virtual environment using the phone screen.
In addition to the camera, the soft bag ido fabric for transport, the microUSB cable for recharging the internal battery and the instruction manual there is also a pocket stand that allows you to keep the smartphone tilted at 60 °, 68 ° and 75 °, making video calls with the spherical camera even easier.
Field test
Using this camera is as easy as the first version was. Just start the free Insta360 Nano S app and connect it to the iPhone: in a few moments it will be recognized and will be immediately operational. At that point all that remains is to press the virtual button marked with a camera to access the capture mode and take all the photos (or record videos) you want.
The graphic interface it has been streamlined and simplified by a few simple buttons that allow you to change recording modes or access menu settings. There are mainly four buttons: Photos, to take photos and Videos, to record videos.
Then there is the Live mode that allows you to start a live streaming video session via the cloud service . In this mode, most of the screen captures what is in front of the user while in a small area of the display there is a circular area that frames the user using the front camera. Both frames can be adjusted through simple swipes on the screen.
The last mode, called Live 360, is similar to the previous one but without any screen division: the user himself will move spherical framing by gesture.
This type of division is also available for video calls, a function currently in beta.
News also in Photo mode, now equipped with some options to add filters and stickers in post-production. After shooting, it is also possible to change the type of shot by selecting the 360 or dual camera mode as in Live videos, as well as the Fish Eye and “Planet” shots that we also find in the basic model.
Again there is also the possibility of taking pictures in RAW, which can only be edited from the computer using the Insta360 Studio software.
Download it from the official website starting from this page , where you will also find all the links for firmware updates and plugins for the Premiere and After Effect programs of the Adobe suite.
Conclusions
We had already said this in the past and we confirm it also for this new model: using this camera is really a pleasure. Being able to use it even without an iPhone is a considerable advantage, because it allows us to take it out when needed and take pictures or record videos with a click of the button.
All images and videos are archived on the microSD and can be viewed and shared in an instant by connecting it to the iPhone, which becomes a fundamental tool even when you decide to use the camera for the new Live functions.
The robustness and compactness of the camera are two added values for a product that disappears in your pocket and is always with us, ready to allow us to capture photos and videos in the particular spherical format.
Buy Nano S or the first model?
Since its launch (November 2016), the price of Insta360 Nano has dropped significantly (from 230 to 160 euros) and makes the purchase still more interesting for those approaching this world for the first time. The differences between one and the other we have described at the beginning and are to be taken into account above all for the use you want to make of this device.
With Nano S, a significantly higher file quality, both from a photographic and video point of view. And let's not forget about the Live functions. The price, on the other hand, could be the tip of the balance for those willing to give up these undoubted advantages in favor of savings (at the time of writing) of 120 euros.
Retail price
Insta360 Nano S is on sale on Amazon for 279 euros.
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