Leica partners with Insta360 to bring us the 360-degree camera we've been waiting for

Insta360 has unveiled a new addition to its action camera lineup: the Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition. And this time, it has upped its game by partnering with Leica. This 360-degree camera packs two 1-inch sensors, can capture 6K 360 videos and 21MP 360 photos, and is designed to be especially impressive in low-light shooting situations. It's a sister model to the Twin Edition, which hit shelves in March and earned a full five stars in our Insta360 One RS Twin Edition review, but unfortunately is a whole lot less waterproof than we'd expect from today's best action cameras (including that sister cam). We're waiting for our review model to arrive so we can test it out properly, but here's a quick look at the headline features. 

This is the first 360 camera to which Leica had lent its legendary imaging expertise. The aim, according to Insta360, is to allow creators to shoot creative, interesting shots without compromising on image quality, with dual 1-inch CMOS sensors that are built to capture images with maximum clarity, minimum noise. Theoretically, you can use this to shoot impressive footage from dusk until dawn, as well as indoors, where other 360 cams might struggle to deal with the shadows and highlights accurately. Check out the sample footage below. 

Insta360's cameras are modular, with lenses that can be swapped to tackle different shooting situations and open up new creative possibilities. So while the full ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition looks very different from the Twin Edition, it actually uses the same Core module (and they're backwards compatible, too, if you have the older One R Core module). 

The brand is on a bit of a launch streak at the moment. As well as the One RS, which hit shelves in March, last month the brand unveiled the Insta360 Sphere – a camera accessory that straps to your drone to capture unobstructed 360 aerial footage.

Like the Sphere, the new 1-inch cam will enable you to record in panoramic 3D, with no obstructions from selfie sticks and the like. The camera captures the full scene so you can edit and reframe the footage in multiple ways afterwards (including as traditional flat footage, if that's what you want). As an action cam, you've also got intelligent image stabilisation and horizon levelling options. We are, however, disappointed to see that there's only IPX3 water resistance here ("Can take water sprays of up to 60°"), so you won't be taking this cam for a dip or even out in a downpour. The Twin Edition, in comparison, is waterproof to 16 feet. 

Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition is available to order today at store.insta360.com and select retailers worldwide. At RRP, it costs US $799.99. If that's out of your budget, our best cheap action camera guide has plenty of more wallet-friendly alternatives. And if you have a different ONE R or ONE RS already, you can use your existing Core and purchase an upgrade bundle for US $649.99 to add the 1-Inch 360 Lens, battery and mounting bracket.