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Insta360 X5 Improves The Quality Of The 8k 360 Camera Uploadvr

Leo Migdal
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insta360 x5 improves the quality of the 8k 360 camera uploadvr

Insta360 X5 has improved video and audio quality, tougher lenses that are now swappable, faster charging, and more. It's the successor to last year's Insta360 X4, which was notable because it offered 2D 8K 360° recording for just $500, compared to the thousands of dollars of previous options. Insta360 X5 records 2D 360° video at the same resolutions and frame rates as its predecessor: 8K at 30fps, 5.7K at 60fps, or 4K at 100fps. But Insta360 claims X5 offers a "dramatic leap" in quality thanks to larger sensors, upgraded chipsets, and supersampling: Insta360 X5 also upgrades the Active HDR mode, which X4 owners told me they almost always used, to 5.7K 60fps, up from 5.7K 30fps on the X4. On both cameras, this Active HDR mode captures 13.5 stops of dynamic range.

Further, the X5 has a new PureVideo mode for low-light capture, which Insta360 says uses "advanced AI noise reduction and dynamic range optimization". Combined with the larger sensor, Insta360 says X5 can deliver "clear, vibrant footage" even in poor lighting conditions. In April 2024, Insta360 launched X4—our first consumer 8K 360 camera, which massively raised the bar for immersive capture. Now, just over a year later, the next-gen Insta360 X5 builds on that foundation with a powerful Triple AI Chip, PureVideo Mode for low light, and a whole lot more. As the US’ best-selling 360 camera brand for five consecutive years, our push into 8K has sparked questions: What does 8K actually mean for 360 video? How is it different from flat 8K?

And is it really needed? Let’s break it down. 360 cameras use two fisheye lenses that each capture more than 180 degrees. When the images from these two lenses are stitched together they form a complete 360 photo or video, as if the camera were at the center of a sphere. In 360 videography, resolution refers to the total pixel count of the spherical image. If you lay the image out flat to view in 2D on a computer or mobile device, it is typically presented in an equirectangular format with a 2:1 aspect ratio, for example:

This is one way in which the concept of 8K in 360 videos differs from standard flat videos. Evolving from the TV and film industries, flat videos typically have a 16:9 aspect ratio, with an 8K resolution of 7680×4320 and 3840×2160 in 4K. Insta360's X-series 360-degree cameras have long dominated the market. They have great video quality, an easy-to-use interface, and simple editing software, which makes these the most beginner-friendly 360 cameras around. The latest version, the Insta360 X5, continues that tradition while bringing larger sensors with even better-looking video. The X5 is a worthy upgrade; video quality is better, battery life is improved, and new features like the PureVideo lowlight mode and replaceable lenses make the X5 the most compelling 360 camera on...

The big news in the X5, and the reason to consider upgrading even if you already have the X4, are the new twin 1/1.28-inch sensors. They're a considerable step up from the 1/2-inch sensors in the X4. At the same time, the video specs have not changed much at all, with 8K 30 fps and 5.7K 60 fps at the high end. A larger sensor with the same resolution means more detail in that footage, which is exactly what you get here. This is without a doubt the best-looking footage I've seen from a 360 camera. Keep in mind that the 8K refers to the overall 360-degree shot.

When you actually frame that footage in the app, the highest resolution you'll be able to export is 4K. But the 4K footage you'll get is markedly better than what the X4 delivers. The footage coming out of the X5 is great for a 360 camera. Bear in mind, though, that almost any other newer action camera is going to have somewhat better video quality. The appeal of the 360 camera is that it can capture what's behind you, whereas Insta360's traditional action cam, the Ace Pro 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), cannot. This makes 360 cameras perfect for filming when you don't know exactly how you want to frame your shot, for example while riding a bike, skiing, skateboarding, and so on.

In the past, to get this kind of shoot-everything, frame-later flexibility, you had to give up some video quality. While that's still true to an extent, with the X5 you're giving up very little in terms of video quality. Insta360 has a new top-of-the-line 360 camera, the X5, that can record 8K video, capture 72-megapixel still images, all in a sphere around the palm-size camera. It's an upgrade from the X4, currently my pick for best 360 camera, and from what I've experienced so far, the X5 could potentially dethrone it. The headline improvement of the $550 X5 over the X4 is its larger, 1/1.28-inch image sensors. The X4 had 1/2-inch sensors; generally speaking, larger sensors absorb more light for better images at night or indoors.

Insta360 saves you from doing the math and describes the new sensors as "144% larger." These are larger than the 1/1.7-inch ones found in the Kandao QooCam 3 Ultra, my current pick for best... There's also faster processing in the X5, thanks to a new "Triple AI Chip system" that Insta360 says reduces noise and improves image quality. "Tiny Planet" photos are one option possible with 360 cameras. This one was taken with the X5 at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Other improvements include a built-in wind guard for better audio outside, an "AI-powered" low-light mode and "ultradurable" glass lenses (always a concern with 360 cameras). The lenses are also user-replaceable, which is a huge benefit for anyone like me who has toasted a 360 camera with an ill-timed, or perhaps ill-advised, lens-ruining shot.

The photo and video resolutions stay the same compared to the X4. For video, there's 8K30 and 5.7K60 or 5.7K30 HDR. Interestingly, the maximum bit rate is slightly lower, 180 Mbps to the X4's 200, but we'll have to see if that's noticeable or perhaps offset because of the larger image sensors. You can take 72-megapixel (11,904x5,952) and 18-megapixel (5,888x2,944) still images. The latter can be used in the app to create swoopy animated short videos that work well on social media. The battery is marginally bigger, 2,400-mAh versus 2,290-mAh, which Insta360 says gets you a few extra minutes of 8K recording.

The Insta360 X5 is a sizeable improvement over its predecessor, the Insta360 X4, which was already the finest 360 camera on the market. 8K/30p 360 recording allows for 2.7K reframed footage — still the best res you can get in 360 degrees. Thanks to larger sensors, low light performance is much better than ever before, while a new microphone wind guard allows clean audio free from wind buffeting. 360 -degree battery life has been boosted over the previous model, and Insta360 has introduced a replaceable lens system to remove the need for lens guards. The best just got even better. Decreased single-lens battery life versus X4

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate. The Insta360 X5 is the latest and supposedly greatest flagship 360-degree camera from Chinese action camera manufacturer Insta360. And it's a camera the brand didn't need to make. See, the X5's predecessor, the Insta360 X4, was already better than every other 360 camera out there. And it wasn't even a close contest.

Just like the new model, the X4 offered 8K 360-degree capture. Its closest competitor, the GoPro Max, could only shoot at 5.6K. To usher in the next generation of its 360-degree action camera, Insta360 didn’t go back to the drawing board. Instead, it turned to the community, taking stock in what its customers liked, but also didn’t like about the brand’s X4 action camera. With the arrival of the new X5, Insta360 beefed up the camera’s sensors and battery, incorporated new editing tools into its app, and transitioned to a stronger, replaceable lens cap to help the camera... Did the improvements X4 owners wanted actually make it out of the comment section?

We took the new X5 on a multi-state test run to find out. The X5 promises video capture at up to. 8K at 30/25/24 frames per second (FPS) and can capture photos at up to 72MP (11,904 x 5,952 pixels). It is IP68, which means it is waterproof up to 49 feet without protective housing and has an operating temperature range of -4 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 40 degrees Celcius). It measures 46 x 124.5 x 38.2 mm and weighs 200 grams. For those unfamiliar with Insta360’s lineup of X-series cameras, they are complex gadgets born out of a simplistic idea: what if you could shoot everything, all the time?

Armed with a pair of lenses, the X5 (and all the X’s before it) is equipped to shoot 360-degree footage, which affords you the luxury of hitting record and not worrying about whether or... Once you’ve stopped recording, you can choose the exact angle, aspect ratio, and view you want as you edit footage in Insta360’s companion app. In other words, it’s like two GoPros bound together and working in unison, only to make you do the work to find the shot you want on the back end. At first glance, the X5 doesn’t look all that different from its predecessor. It still sports a shape that’s more akin to a candy bar than an action camera, with its dual-lens setup staring back at you regardless of which direction you turn it. The intuitive touchscreen was brought over from the previous model, as were the camera’s onboard controls.

If you and I didn’t know any better, Insta360 really didn’t change much. 📸 Insta360 introduces its new X5 8K 360-degree camera ↔️ Features a larger sensor and new Triple AI Chip image processor 🎥 Records 8K30fps PureVideo for better low-light and high-res 5.7K60fps HDR footage 🎞️ InstaFrame mode shoots one auto-framed, flat video and one full 360-degree video at the same time 🔎 Upgraded camera body with removable lenses and built-in wind guard

Powder aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. At the end of April, Insta360 relatively quietly dropped their newest action cam, the AI-powered Insta360 X5. We've been big fans of Insta360's past cameras here at POWDER, especially as ultra-portable content cams for capturing POV, follow-cam, and even interview footage. The new X5 promised better everything: higher resolution, more stable footage, longer battery life, faster processing speed, and an improved interface both on the camera and in the new mobile app, and I eagerly... In short, this camera is a marked improvement on older versions of Insta360's products, and I was truly impressed with the 8K video and still photo quality, overall ease of use, and the new...

However, after a few weeks of testing it in the field, there was one issue that I just couldn't really learn to live with for everyday use as a POV camera. Read on to learn more. Video Resolution: up to 8K - 7680x3840@30/25/24fps (5K @ 60fps and 4K @ 120fps) Shutter Speed: 1/8000 - 120s (photo) and 1/8000 - fps limit (video) Battery Capacity: 2400 mAh (USB-C charge)

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