The new Insta360 viewer turns its tiny Go 3S into a retro camera.

Pill-shaped pills Insta360 Go 3S 4K action camera it was launched in June 2024 as an updated version of 2.7K Go 3 which started a year ago. When Last year’s Go Ultra launched a redesign with a bigger sensor and higher prices, the Go 3S has established itself as a small but very capable system. To add to its appeal, the action camera is now available with a new add-on for recording photos when you use it as a handheld camera, but you’d be better off splurging on the more expensive Insta360 dock that adds an LCD screen.

The Retro Viewfinder accessory is available today via Insta360 online store individually for $47.99, or as part of the new Go 3S Retro Bundle starting at $299.99 that includes a 64GB action camera. That’s cheaper than $349.99 Standard Bundle which includes the same version of the Go 3S and Insta360’s Action Pod dock.

As is very small action camerasThe Insta360 Go 3S does not have its own screen. You can connect to a smartphone app to view the view and adjust the cameras, but the Go 3S is designed to be placed where you can’t see the screen (like on top of a helmet) while capturing almost everything that’s happening in front of you using the wide lens.

The new Retro Viewfinder is an attempt to reinvent the camera as a handheld shooter that allows you to frame subjects like a vintage camera. It works similarly to Insta360’s Action Pod where the Go 3S slots into the front of the accessory. There are no spring-loaded straps to keep it in place, but strong magnets kept the camera in place when trying to shake it hard.

Instead of holding the accessory up to your eyes to shoot, you hold it to your chest and look down the viewfinder. The front panel of the Go 3S works as a shutter button, taking photos with a single press and start and stop video recording with a double press. They were designed in such a way as to create “historical portraits inspired by advanced video cameras,” according to Insta360. And while creating and capturing images in this way has its advantages (at one point I felt like Ansel Adams when I was writing the lines of local boxes instead of mountains), the execution of Insta360 comes with some frustrations.

The field of view is very limited, and the Retro Viewfinder’s tilt of only 15 to 20 degrees forward, backward, or side-to-side means you can’t see anything. The image in the viewfinder is also rotated horizontally. Even after a week of practice, I struggled to figure out how to move or change the angle of the camera to position the subject the way I wanted, or to make sure the shot was balanced. This process remains a trial-and-error process.

The Go 3S is a great camera, but most of its features don’t support the Retro Viewfinder. As a result, the add-on does not provide an accurate representation of the photos and videos you are taking. While walking around my neighborhood one evening, I tried to take pictures that focused on tree lines and a beautiful cloudy sky but I ended up with pictures that included people, buildings, and cars that I deliberately tried to keep out. It’s easy to fix with a quick crop in the Insta360 app, but it feels a little out of place for an add-on designed to do that on purpose. There is also the thing of shooting and seeing what you get.

Shooting is very accurate when taking selfies with the Retro Viewfinder, but it’s still difficult. You can use the front lens as a selfie mirror, but it’s difficult to take pictures in the dark – especially indoors.

Battery life is limited, though with an integrated battery or charger that doubles the Go 3S’s battery life from 310mAH to 700mAh. I was able to take about 150 pictures in an hour’s walk before the camera died. Shooting 4K video is a snap, as is connecting it to the Insta360 mobile app.

Changing any settings, including selecting filters to emulate a film or a different color profile, requires a direct Wi-Fi connection to your smartphone. Retro Viewfinder also includes a hidden NFC tag that helps activate and connect to the app with a tap (the process still takes 15 to 20 seconds to connect), but it’s much easier than connecting the action camera to Insta360’s Action Pod whose touch screen provides access to many devices.

Converting the Insta360 Go 3S into a handheld camera is a smart idea considering its popularity. Small retro cameras like Kodak’s Charmera still exist. But the execution here is not good. The Retro Viewfinder manages to make the Go 3S easy to hold, but its other functions are often disappointing. On its own, the accessory is cheap enough to consider if you already own a Go 3S, but spending an extra $50 on a bundle with Insta360’s Action Pod will pay off in the long run even if you plan to use the camera.

Photography by Andrew Liszewski / The Verge