The new viewfinder in Insta360 turns the little Go 3S into a vintage camera.

In pill form Insta360 Go 3S 4K action camera It was launched in June 2024 as an updated 2.7K version Go 3 which debuted a year ago. while Go Ultra last year Introducing a redesign with a larger sensor and higher frame rates, the Go 3S has remained a smaller but still very capable alternative. To broaden its appeal, the action camera is now available with a new optical viewfinder accessory for framing shots when used as a handheld camera, but you may be better off splurging on the more expensive Insta360 platform which adds an LCD screen.

The Retro Viewfinder extension is available today from Insta360 online store On its own for $47.99, or as part of the new Go 3S Retro bundle starting at $299.99 that includes the 64GB version of the action camera. This is cheaper than Standard package $349.99 Which pairs the same version of the Go 3S with Insta360’s Action Pod mount.

As is the case with Most small action camerasThe Insta360 Go 3S lacks a display of its own. You can connect it to a smartphone app to watch live previews and adjust camera settings, but the Go 3S is designed to be mounted where you won’t be able to see the screen (like over a helmet) as it captures almost all the action in front of you with a wide-angle lens.

The new Retro Viewfinder is an attempt to repurpose the action camera as a handheld shooter that lets you frame subjects like a classic camera. It works similarly to the Insta360’s Action Pod in that the Go 3S slots into the front of the accessory. There are no spring-loaded latches to keep it securely attached, but strong magnets kept the camera in place during a strong shake test.

Instead of holding the accessory above your eye to frame shots, you can hold it at chest level and look down into the viewfinder. The Go 3S’s front panel acts like a shutter button, taking photos with a single press and starting and stopping video recording with a double press. It’s designed this way to create a “retro photography experience inspired by classic film cameras,” according to Insta360. And while framing and taking photos this way has some novelty (at one point I felt like Ansel Adams when I framed a row of community mailboxes instead of mountains), implementing Insta360 comes with some frustrations.

The angle of view is very limited, and tilting the retro camera lens just 15 to 20 degrees forward, backward, or side to side results in you not seeing anything at all. The image in the viewfinder is also flipped horizontally. Even after a week of practice, I found it difficult to intuitively know how to move or angle the camera to put the subject exactly where I wanted it in the frame, or to make sure the shot was level. The process still feels like trial and error.

The Go 3S is an excellent camera, but its wide field of view doesn’t help the old camera lens. As a result, the accessory does not provide an accurate preview of the photos and videos you take. While walking around my neighborhood one evening, I tried to take photos that focused on tree lines and beautiful cloudy skies, but ended up with photos that included random people, houses, and cars that I deliberately tried to keep out of the frame. This is easy to fix with a quick crop in the Insta360 app, but it seems counter-intuitive for an accessory designed to make frames more intentional. There’s still the element of shooting and seeing what you get.

Framing is more accurate when taking selfies with the Retro Viewfinder, but it’s still difficult. You can use the front lens as a mirror for selfies, but it’s difficult to frame photos due to dark reflections, especially indoors.

Battery life is limited, even with an included battery pack/charger that doubles the Go 3S’s battery life from 310 mAh to over 700 mAh. I was able to take about 150 photos during an hour of walking before the camera died completely. Capturing 4K video will drain it faster, as will connecting it to the Insta360 mobile app.

Changing any settings, including selecting film simulation filters or different color profiles, requires a direct Wi-Fi connection to your smartphone. The Retro Viewfinder includes a hidden NFC tag that simplifies operation and connecting to the app with a single tap (the process still takes about 15 to 20 seconds to fully connect), but it’s still much less convenient than pairing an action camera with the Insta360’s Action Pod whose touchscreen provides on-device access to most settings.

Turning the Insta360 Go 3S into a pocketable camera is a smart idea given how popular it is Small old cameras like Kodak’s Charmera are still around. But the implementation here is not perfect. The Retro Viewfinder succeeds in making the Go 3S easier to hold, but its other functions are often frustrating. The accessory itself is cheap enough to consider if you already own a Go 3S, but spending the extra $50 to get a bundle with Insta360’s Action Pod will serve you better in the long run no matter how you plan to use the camera.

Photography by Andrew Leszewski/The Verge