Insta360 Teams Up with Leica on New Ace Pro Action Camera

Insta360 has just launched a pair of AI-bolstered action cameras – one of which was co-engineered with German imaging giant Leica – as it continues to chip away at GoPro‘s two decade-long grip on the market. The Insta360 Ace and Insta360 Ace Pro arrive in an instantly familiar blocky construction, and have a predominantly black and red color scheme.

Unsurprisingly, it’s the Pro model that benefits from the brand’s partnership with Leica, arriving with a large 1/1.3” sensor, 5nm AI chip, and Leica SUMMARIT lens all packed into a small 2.8” x 2.05” x 1.37” body. Users have the option to shoot in crystal-clear 8K (up to 24fps), but can also slow their scenes down to capture high-definition slow motion at 240fps – something undoubtedly targeted at athletes and the company’s action sports demographic. The Pro model is also capable of super-fast PD charging and can reach 80% of the battery’s capacity in about 22 minutes, another feature the company hopes will keep you filming for as long possible.

The cheaper Insta360 Ace shares many of the same features found on the Pro model, but lacks the PD fast charging, doesn’t have a Leica lens, and has a smaller 1/2” 48MP sensor. And – vloggers, rejoice –  both cameras feature a 2.4” flip touchscreen allowing users to view what they’re recording at all times, and opening up a world of creative possibilities and use cases for cameras that would typically stay mounted to a bike’s handlebars or someone’s helmet.

One thing Insta360 hopes will set it apart from its competitors is its dedication to developments in AI and the way it can use these these to improve its cameras and its customer’s creations. On both of the new cameras, AI features like PureVideo – an algorithm that helps to de-noise footage shot in low light – and voice control add a layer of functionality missing from many cameras at this level. The brand has also introduced AI Warp, a new tool in its Shot Lab lineup that that allows you to turn text prompts into in-video dynamic effect.

Insta360’s Ace and Ace Pro cameras are available now at select retailers worldwide and online via the brand’s webite.

In other tech news, Spotify’s just changed the way it pays artists – have a read.