When I first picked up the Insta360 One RS Twin Edition, I was drawn in by the promise of versatility—the ability to switch between a high-quality 4K Boost Lens and a 360-degree Lens sounded like the ultimate setup for both immersive and traditional action footage. Now, over two and a half years later, I’ve put this camera through countless surf sessions, and through some amazing sunsets and waves. So, does it hold up? Yes and no. While it has some brilliant strengths, it also has a few deal-breakers, especially when it comes to water use. Let’s dive in.
The 4K Boost Lens – A Near-Perfect Companion for Surfing
Straight up, the 4K Boost Lens is fantastic. It delivers stunning, sharp footage with excellent stabilization, even in the most chaotic conditions. Whether it’s glassy or you’re traversing through a choppy break, the camera keeps the shot steady and cinematic.
It truly shines during dawn and dusk, capturing the soft pastels of an early morning paddle-out or the golden glow of a sunset session. That said, low-light performance isn’t its strongest suit. As soon as the sun dips below the horizon, image quality starts to take a hit, with noise creeping into the footage. It’s not a dealbreaker, but something to consider.
My only real gripe with the 4K Boost Lens? The field of view isn’t quite wide enough. Compared to GoPro’s super-wide options, the Insta360 feels a bit more constrained, and I often find myself wishing I could pull back just a little more to capture the full experience of the ride.
The 360 Lens – A Disappointment in the Water
On paper, the 360 Lens should be a game-changer—full immersive shots that let you reframe your perspective after the fact? That’s a dream for action sports. But in real-world water use, it just doesn’t hold up.
Despite Insta360’s claims of waterproofing, I had water seep into the camera even though all the ports were sealed and the battery was securely in place. That led to a dead camera, and I had to go through customer service for a replacement. Fortunately, Insta360’s support team was fantastic—they sent me a new unit at no cost.
But still, I cannot recommend the 360 Lens for water use. To make matters worse, at the time, the optional dive case they sold was frustrating to use. Not only did I have to buy a completely different battery just to make it work, but the new setup made the camera heavier and awkward, especially when trying to use a mouth mount. The case’s added guard also interrupted my footage, making it more hassle than it was worth.
Using It for Surfing – A Love-Hate Relationship
One of the biggest challenges I ran into over time was file size. Even short clips would eat up tons of space, which meant constant transferring, deleting, and managing storage.
That said, one really cool feature I loved was the ability to press record and have the camera instantly power on and start filming. This meant I could hit record just before a wave, capture the ride, and turn it off right after—a perfect solution for conserving battery and storage.
But here’s where things get frustrating: Over time, I noticed that doing this repeatedly caused the camera to freeze up. Sometimes, the footage would have artifacts at the beginning, which is a nightmare if you just got the best wave of the session and the first few seconds are ruined.
Is the Insta360 One RS Twin Edition Worth It for Water Activities?
If you’re planning to use this camera for water-based activities like surfing, I cannot recommend the Twin Edition. The 4K Boost Lens is amazing, but the 360 Lens is unreliable in the water. If I could go back, I’d just buy the 4K version and skip the 360 module entirely.
So, after two and a half years, would I buy it again? Probably not the Twin Edition. But if you’re looking for a solid action cam for surfing, the 4K Boost Lens setup is worth considering. Just be ready to deal with storage management and the occasional artifacts.
Footage for the Insta360 One RS Twin Edition & Other Recommendations
If you’re interested in some POV Clips of how the 4k footage looks. Check it out here!
Otherwise are you a surfer in need of a new mid length? Here’s one I’d recommend the most, the Moe Mini Surfboard by Harley Ingleby.
Where to Buy the Insta360 One RS Twin? Other Recommendations.
Don’t get me wrong, the 360 lens still takes great shots, but just don’t use it for water-based activities. Otherwise you can find ⭐ Insta360 One RS Twin Edition here. ⭐I strongly recommend using a dive case and you can also use this mouth mount , if you’re a surfer (been using this mouth mount for 3 years with great results).
Or if you just want to get the most updated version of the camera, you can also check out the ⭐ Insta360 Ace Pro here. ⭐