The new GoPro Mission 1 cameras are the company's first action cams with a 1-inch sensors, and fans of the brand are understandably excited by the prospect of a camera that combines the dependable rugged design with long-awaited features.
The thing is, those features are "long-awaited" for a reason. Other brands already had them. Not least Insta360, which had GoPro's Hero series comfortably beaten to 8K video with the Ace Pro and updated Ace Pro 2 cameras.
So when I saw that GoPro Mission 1 camera accessory list included a point-and-shoot grip I couldn't help but notice that it looked a lot look like the existing Xplorer Grip kit released over a year ago for both of those cameras.
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And, in fact, that is only one of the options available to Insta360 customers, as last year we also reported on the possibility of a teased printer attachment for the Ace Pro. Well, now that's a real thing and you can get it.
Printers bolted to the camera might not be necessary, but they do look pretty cool, and given the price comparison versus the elusive GoPro Mission 1 it has another advantage.
So, the Ace Pro wins on attachments. And, crucially for many, with the lovely weather already here, it wins on availability. The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is also proven in serious reviews (including my Ace Pro 2 test); so all we have seen of the Mission 1 is samples released by GoPro and speculation.
The Ace Pro also carries the Leica branding which, lets face it, is pretty cool for a compact camera. More so, I might be tempted to argue, than 'GoPro' is amongst serious photographers.
More practically than the iconic red is that the Ace Pro has a flip-up screen, which makes it a much more flexible (literally) and practical device than GoPro's Mission 1, which still just has a body similar to the GoPro Hero 13 Black – a touchscreen flat to the back.
Think about it. If you were buying a new point-and-shoot camera, or the best camera for vlogging, you would likely expect a hinged screen.
You likely already have a more than decent camera with a flat touchscreen in the form of a phone. Why settle for less when the big argument for the Mission 1 GoPro cameras is the cinematography aspect?
I'd imagine that, if you're looking for a grip, you're thinking about using the camera at other angles. I know when I tried it I found it useful, but still rugged.
The Ace Pro 2 also shoots video in 8K and stills at up to 8192 × 6144 (50MP), which is exactly the same resolution that GoPro is promising. The difference is the Ace Pro 2 is on sale today – for rather less cash than GoPro plan to sell the Mission 1 series.
Even the version with the printer is cheaper than GoPro's as-yet-untested camera, and you can buy that today and be taking pictures by the time the battery is charged.
