This Insta360 ONE R teardown shows they packed a whole bunch of tech inside that tiny body

Amongst the tiny form factor cameras, the Insta360 ONE R is pretty unique. It’s the first modular action camera that lets you easily swap out different lens modules and even a 360° module. But what makes them tick? That’s what one of our favourite YouTubers, Strange Parts wanted to find out when he decided to dismantle his.

We’ve seen action cameras torn apart before, and they’re usually pretty basic with everything just on a single board. But given the modular nature of the Insta360 ONE R, we know this isn’t going to be your average internal action camera design. And as the video shows, it certainly isn’t.

I’ve got the Insta360 ONE R, and I’ve always wondered exactly how it’s made up inside. Although, I’ve not been tempted enough to tear mine open to find out. So, I have to thank Scotty for taking one for the team and letting us take a peek inside his. There’s a whole heck of a lot more packed into that core module than I expected and it’s interesting to see how all of the different modules talk to each other.

Seeing all the boards and chips that sit inside that core module, it’s not surprising that a few users have reported overheating issues when using it for prolonged periods of time. But I suppose when you need to make the camera waterproof, you can’t just stick vents on it to let the heat escape more quickly. It’s just the nature of the beast.

Also surprising was how well protected the battery is inside its enclosure, with a lot of padding inside and what is essentially a thick metal plate on top to prevent it from accidentally being punctured. No doubt this also helps with heat that comes down from the core module, drawing it away from the battery itself.

I’m looking forward to getting my Insta360 ONE R outside soon (we’re finally starting to open things up here a little in Scotland now). Hopefully, we haven’t missed all the good weather this year.

If you want to get your own Insta360 ONE R, Insta360 just launched their summer sale today, with 10% off the ONE R Twin Lens kit with the 4K and 360° modules and the ONE R Sports kit with the 1″ Leica module. There’s also 15% off the Insta360 GO and 10% off the Insta360 Pro 2. Just, when you get it, try not to dismantle it.