The MFT Revolution is Here: First leaked images of the Insta360 MFT camera!

This is a massive news! Insta360 is confirmed to launch a new Micro Four Thirds camera soon! Images have been leaked and posted on Reddit. It’s going to change the history of MFT which was quite on a downtrend in the past years. For years, those of us in the MFT ecosystem have felt a bit abandoned. Panasonic and OM System seem obsessed with bigger, “pro-sized” bodies (like the GH7 or OM-1), while the tiny, pocketable cameras like the GM1 or the PEN series have been left to gather dust.

But The tide is turning folks! Two days ago GoPro launched the first MFT action camera (specs can be seen here). Now Insta360 will give as a new true compact camera!

A month ago we already saw the first images of the back of the camera:

What do we learn from those leaks?

For now let’s sum up what we learned from these images:

• 5280 x 3956 pixels (20MP)
• f/1.8 lens (fixed or interchangeable?)
• Screen layout is an evolution of the Insta360 Ace Pro interface, including a large flip-up touchscreen.
• A white body coating
• The camera has a distinct tan/beige rugged casing in the photo (which may be a prototype skin or a “Desert Edition”). It features physical control wheels for aperture and exposure compensation, a first for the brand.
• Seems to have no EVF

If it’s “ugly” because it has massive heat sinks to prevent overheating during 4K/120p recording. It’s got a hot shoe, dual mics, and a front dial. It’s built to work, not to look pretty on a shelf.

The big questions still to be answered are:

• The Mount: Is it an active mount? If it doesn’t have autofocus and aperture control for our existing MFT lenses, it’s a non-starter for most.

• The IBIS: Insta360 is the king of digital stabilization, but for a “real” camera, we want In-Body Image Stabilization.

• The “Beta” Factor: Being an early adopter of Insta360 hardware often feels like being a beta tester. Are we going to deal with software crashes and overheating just to have a small sensor?

Even if you hate the design, this leak is the best thing to happen to MFT in years. It’s a wake-up call. When a “360-degree action cam company” starts making better compact MFT bodies than the companies that invented the mount, it forces innovation.

What do you think? Is the design a dealbreaker for you, or are you just happy to see a new player in the M43 world?