If you already own the hardware, there's free performance waiting for you. But if you’re looking at the modular ILS and thinking it’s a drop-in pocket cinema camera, pump the brakes: there are some serious optical caveats and workflow bottlenecks you need to know before touching that "Buy" button.

1. Already on the PRO? Grab the Free Upgrade

If you're shooting on the Mission 1 PRO, your immediate to-do is simple: check your current build and flash firmware v4.01.

It’s a zero-cost update aimed directly at fixing common creator gripes—most notably what GoPro describes as improved shutter response and continuous 50MP RAW stills in the applicable Standard/RAW settings, excluding SuperPhoto, Interval Photo, and Burst Photo. The official update pages for both the PRO and ILS list v4.01; download the firmware for your specific model, and don't assume matching version numbers make the packages interchangeable.

Also, manage your expectations: the material obtained for this comparison is insufficient to judge the two bodies' actual differences in sustained continuous shooting, image quality, thermals, battery life, and stabilization.

2. Thinking About the ILS? Check the Lens First, Not the Body

The marketing pitch for the ILS is enticing: swap out the standard wide-angle view for proper Micro Four Thirds (MFT) glass.

Before you drop money on the body, though, look closely at your lens bag. The ILS mount has zero electronic contacts. That one hardware decision comes with three non-negotiable hurdles:

  • Strictly manual focus: Any modern MFT glass relying on fly-by-wire focus rings or electronic autofocus won't work properly.
  • Physical aperture only: Your lens must have a mechanical aperture ring, or be a fixed-aperture optic rated at f/4.5 or faster. If your lens adjusts the iris via camera dials, it's a dead end.
  • 1-inch sensor coverage: Even though it’s an MFT mechanical mount, your optics must cast an image circle large enough to cover at least a 1-inch sensor to avoid heavy vignetting.

In short: you cannot just slap a favorite Olympus or Panasonic electronic zoom onto this body. You’re shopping for fully manual cine primes, adapted vintage glass, or niche manual MFT lenses—all sold separately. Factor that glass into your total build cost before declaring the ILS a bargain.

3. Anamorphic Shooting: You’re Flying Blind on Set

GoPro made plenty of noise about anamorphic lens support on the ILS, but the reality on ground is strictly an early-adopter affair:

  • It’s experimental: The feature isn’t even baked into the stock shipping firmware; it lives inside a free GoPro Labs public beta.
  • Post-only desqueeze: The firmware simply writes pixel-aspect-ratio flags into the file metadata so your desktop NLE knows how to stretch the footage when you import it.
  • The major catch: The rear LCD does not support real-time desqueeze preview. There’s no ETA or confirmed roadmap date for when—or if—that feature will land.

Framing an anamorphic shot on a tiny action-cam screen is already tricky. Trying to dial in critical manual focus, balance flare placement, and judge compositions on a distorted, squeezed preview image is asking for botched takes. If anamorphic video is your primary reason for eyeing the ILS, wait until on-screen desqueeze is actually running in production firmware.

The Verdict: Map Your Workflow Before You Spend

Before pulling out your credit card, sit down and draft an honest shot list:

  • Stick with the PRO if you want a reliable, weather-sealed run-and-gun camera where you punch record, rely on the integrated lens and stabilization, and get the shot without fussing over rings.
  • Consider the ILS only if you already have compatible manual glass, have a dedicated use-case where standard action-cam optics fall flat, and don't mind grading and desqueezing footage manually at a desk.

Don't buy into the "modular cinema" hype without calculating the full price of compatible lenses and testing whether you're willing to live with manual lens control and, for anamorphic shooting, the current lack of a rear-screen desqueezed preview.