A wise, versatile 360 motion cam

The primary consumer-grade 360 cameras had short-lived success after the novelty of panning round a video fizzled out. With the popularity of Reels and TikTok, the flexibility of these cameras might convey them again into the highlight. One such camera? The Insta360 X4.

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The Insta360 X4 does all the pieces you’ll count on a 360 digicam to do. However it might probably additionally add pan and tilt results in post-production, hold a person-centered within the body even when that individual strikes behind the digicam, and simply create picture-in-picture footage. Plus, it options enhanced decision, longer battery life, and different enhancements over its predecessor.

I am all the time forgetting to seize behind-the-scenes video for social, however the skill to arrange a digicam in just a few seconds and select the composition later may assist save my Reels efforts. I attempted out Insta360’s newest immersive digicam, and got here away shocked on the variety of capabilities packed inside.

Is a 360 digicam value shopping for? In the event you tried an motion digicam and wished you can shoot first and pan later, the Insta360 X4 could ship simply that.

Insta360 X4

Reccomended

The Insta360 X4 is an exceptionally versatile digicam. The improved decision and prolonged battery life over the sooner mannequin is a giant plus. Sturdiness and ease are additionally promoting factors. Nevertheless, the mic is muffled for a number of hours after heading underwater and you will get extra decision for much less with a single lens digicam.

Professionals

• Shoot first, reframe later versatility
• Quick AI edits
• Extremely straightforward to make use of
• Upgraded decision and battery life

Cons

• Mic takes hours to dry out after going underwater
• Costly

Value, specs, and availability

Insta360 introduced the X4 on April 16, 2024, with orders starting the identical day. The digicam retails for $500.

Design, measurement, and elegance

The Insta360 X4 is easy to function

At round 1.5 inches thick, Insta360 X4 has the girth of an motion digicam, with the vertical, rectangular form of a smartphone. That design provides it a vertical touchscreen. The show is simple to swipe round, and there are shortcuts that make it easy to seek out totally different settings.

The digicam itself options simply 4 buttons, together with a devoted file toggle beneath the display. You can even use voice instructions, gestures, or the Insta360 companion app to take photographs with out touching the gadget. The latter is exceptionally helpful when taking drone-like images on a 10-foot selfie stick or in situations the place you’re carrying thick gloves.

There is a tripod thread on the backside. Because it’s tough to handhold a 360 digicam with out getting your fingers within the shot, most will wish to pair the digicam with Insta360’s Invisible Selfie Stick. The corporate’s software program is sensible sufficient to robotically edit the accent out of photographs.

The Insta 360 X4 is waterproof to about 32 toes (10m). Nevertheless, the built-in mic requires drying out earlier than you may file audio usually once more, a course of the corporate says can take as much as 24 hours. So heading underwater is finest for photographs that you simply’ll edit the audio out of later.

Efficiency and ease of use

Versatility is a significant energy

The X4 takes a format that would simply really feel like a short-lived gimmick and as an alternative turns it into one thing with seemingly limitless artistic alternatives. Sure, it might probably shoot swipe-able 360 images and movies, and seize GoPro-like footage. However the X4 may pan from one factor to a different with out somebody bodily manning the digicam. It will possibly add artistic digicam motion from a stationary place. Image-in-picture mixes each the videographer and the scene in entrance of 1 viewer. I used to be shocked on the variety of totally different prospects packed contained in the X4.

The important thing to that versatility is the Insta360 app. By far the perfect included function is Shot Lab, which walks you thru totally different particular results, and handles many edits robotically. The app additionally leaves loads of room for personalisation. Keyframes mark spots within the video so as to add totally different results, like shifting from ultra-wide to a tiny planet impact. Modifying necessities like facet ratio, velocity, quantity, publicity, and coloration are all included as properly. It is easy to start out with an computerized AI edit after which add your personal tweaks.

Exports and producing a number of the included AI results can take some endurance. Utilizing the app additionally drained the battery of the digicam and my iPhone 15 Professional, however that’s to be anticipated when transferring giant recordsdata over Wi-Fi. I discovered a single cost was sufficient to shoot brief clips for an hour and full just a few edits.

The X4 has just a few built-in instruments to reduce modifying time when you have already got an finish lead to thoughts. Me Mode makes use of AI to maintain you within the middle of a standard-sized motion video with no need to reframe it later. It’s additionally straightforward to make use of the one lens mode for motion digicam use.

Picture and video high quality

Improved decision and wonderful stabilization are key

The X4 makes use of two smaller 1/2-inch sensors on every lens. That places the digicam’s picture high quality in step with a good smartphone, but it surely gained’t evaluate to a high-end devoted digicam.

The Insta360 X4 shoots as much as 8K at 30 fps. Nevertheless, these pixels are stretched throughout two lenses. The one lens mode is extra indicative of the ultimate high quality for a horizontal video: 4K at as much as 60 fps. That’s a decent quantity of decision, and the most important improve from the X3.

Photos default to 18 megapixels, however there’s a 72-megapixel sew possibility that delays the subsequent shot to extend element. Once more, that is stretched throughout that 360 view. The one factor that will have made the digicam extra versatile is a bodily zoom. You’ll discover extra grain when switching between modes like ultrawide to the nearer dewarp that crops in on the picture.

Contemplating the scale of its sensors, I used to be shocked the X4 might deal with low-light scenes. There’s some noticeable grain in dimly-lit photographs, however the ensuing movies are nonetheless prepared for Instagram. As a result of X4 captures 360 footage, stabilization simply requires conserving the framing regular. Recording movies whereas strolling and rollerblading, the footage solely had a minor quantity of back-and-forth motion.

Sew traces are a standard ache for 360 movies. Essentially the most irksome traces come from utilizing the digicam too shut to things and heading underwater, although Insta360 says the waterproof housing (offered individually) creates a smoother sew. Colours generally felt excessive and too saturated, making pores and skin tones seem deeper orange than in actuality. This was a simple repair in publish, nevertheless.

Verdict: Is the Insta360 X4 value it?

Insta360’s earlier cameras introduced new life to the 360 style by increasing what customers might do. The X4 continues that focus with enhanced decision and battery life. It’s not only a 360 digicam, it’s additionally for capturing motion, including digicam motion with out anybody really manning the digicam, POV movies, and picture-in-picture recording.

The added decision is a pleasant enhance over the X3, making the brand new digicam on par with a very good smartphone. At $500, the X4 is dearer than the sooner X3. Furthermore, equipment just like the Invisible Selfie Stick, which is a must have, will add to that price. There are just a few different complaints, together with a mic that wants time to dry after going underwater, oversaturated colours, and smallish sensors that do not excel in low mild.

Take into account the X4 when you’re on the lookout for an motion digicam however need one thing with added flexibility. If decision is paramount, the GoPro Hero Black12 does not have close to the identical stage of flexibility or reframing after the very fact, however gives 5.7K at 60 fps at a cheaper price level, plus the mics solely take just a few seconds to empty out after dipping underwater.