Insta360 X5 The Smartest Toughest 360 Camera Yet Gearbrain Com

Leo Migdal

-Dec 8, 2025, 2:38 PM

insta360 x5 the smartest toughest 360 camera yet gearbrain com

Insta360, the world’s best-selling 360 camera brand, is thrilled to announce Insta360 X5, its latest flagship camera. Combining groundbreaking image quality, rugged durability, and AI-powered ease of use, X5 sets a new benchmark for what 360 cameras can achieve. X5's larger 1/1.28" sensors and lightning-fast Triple AI Chip system deliver a dramatic leap in image quality across all resolutions, including stunning 8K30fps 360 video. With PureVideo, a new AI-powered low-light mode, X5 achieves crisp, cinematic footage in challenging lighting. Built for adventure, this is the toughest 360 camera ever. Its lenses are crafted from a new ultra-durable glass, while a first-of-its-kind replaceable lens system sets a new standard for the industry, allowing you to swap out damaged lenses on the go.

Further hardware upgrades like a built-in wind guard, extended 3-hour battery life, and waterproofing to 49ft, make X5 the ultimate companion for active creators. From shooting to sharing, X5 makes 360 creation effortless. The all-new InstaFrame Mode simultaneously captures an auto-framed, ready-to-share flat video and a full 360 video to fine-tune later. The Insta360 app has undergone a transformation with more intuitive editing tools, and X5 pairs with the Insta360+ cloud service, where you can instantly share 360 clips, edit on the cloud, and more. "X5 redefines 360 cameras by solving creators' real challenges," said JK Liu, Insta360's Founder. "From replaceable lenses to AI-powered low-light shooting, we've built our dream camera—rugged enough for adventure, capable enough to produce high-quality footage, and intelligent enough to capture epic moments effortlessly."

Insta360 has just unveiled a thrilling new camera that merges groundbreaking image quality with exceptional durability and cutting-edge AI technology. Introducing the new Insta360 X5, Insta360's latest top-of-the-line 8K 360° action camera! This innovative device sets a new standard for 360° cameras, being rugged enough to handle the wildest adventures, sophisticated enough to produce outstanding footage, and smart enough to capture epic moments effortlessly. Evelyn took the Insta360 X5 on a vacation to see if it could be the ultimate travel video camera, and it certainly seems to fit the bill. Let’s dive deeper into this impressive adventure camera! The Insta360 X5 elevates 8K 30fps 360° video to unprecedented heights with a significant leap in image quality.

By supersampling from 11K to 8K, it ensures minimal loss in image fidelity for lifelike shots. Whether it's day or night, enjoy unparalleled image clarity thanks to the X5's 1/1.28" sensors, which are 144% larger compared to the X4's. This means every exhilarating moment appears clearer, brighter, and more vibrant, allowing you to relive thrilling rides, deep underwater explorations, or global journeys with stunning detail. The new PureVideo mode, an AI-enhanced low-light mode, optimizes noise reduction and dynamic range to deliver crisp, clear, and vivid cinematic footage for late-night city excursions, motorcycle rides, and more. The Triple AI Chip system, composed of one 5nm AI Chip and two Pro Imaging Chips, works remarkably to reduce noise for clean, uncompressed images in any setting. Additionally, Active HDR has been upgraded to 5.7K 60fps for smoother, sharper shots, particularly in high-contrast environments.

As the fifth generation, the X5 redefines every facet of 360° capture with astounding results, enabling you to record everything, everywhere, all the time! Simplifying this process, the new InstaFrame Mode simultaneously captures an auto-framed, ready-to-share flat video and a full 360° video for fine-tuning later. The first is an instantly shareable flat video, requiring no editing or reframing. The second is a complete 360° video, ensuring you never miss life's unexpected moments. All you need to do is focus on the fun part—shooting—then choose your preferred angle, a fixed view that maintains a constant direction, or a selfie view that keeps you in the frame throughout. This is ideal for everyone, from solo creators and travellers to families and adventure enthusiasts.

Built for adventure, the Insta360 X5 stands as the toughest 360° camera ever created. Its lenses are made from a new, ultra-durable glass and feature a pioneering replaceable lens system, setting a new industry standard. No more concerns about scratches or costly repairs; easily swap out damaged lenses on the go with the convenient Replacement Lens Kit. The lenses are also crafted from a new, high-strength, scratch-resistant glass, making them significantly less prone to damage, allowing you to push the X5 to its limits. Further hardware enhancements include a built-in wind guard, extended 3-hour battery life, and waterproof up to 49 feet, making the Insta360 X5 the ultimate companion for active creators. After last week’s teaser, Insta360 announced X5, the company’s latest 360-degree camera.

The company calls the Insta360 X5 “the smartest, toughest 360-degree camera ever made,” while promising improved image quality thanks to large Type 1/1.28 image sensors and faster AI processors. The Insta360 X5 arrives just a year after the Insta360 X4, which introduced 8K 360-degree video to the Insta360 family. The X5 still tops out at the same 8Kp30 360-degree recording, but thanks to the larger Type 1/1.28 (versus Type 1/2) sensors and “lightning-fast” Triple AI Chip system, Insta360 says the X5 delivers a... The X5 features a 6mm (equivalent) f/2 lens. Although Type 1/1.28 versus Type 1/2 may not sound like a big difference, the X5’s image sensors are 144% larger and, all else equal, capture more light per pixel. The improved AI performance promises better noise reduction and improved image processing.

Low light capture specifically has a new dedicated mode: PureVideo. In this mode, advanced AI noise reduction and dynamic range optimization promise clearer, more vibrant footage captured in challenging lighting conditions. Further, Active HDR has been upgraded to 5.7Kp60 recording. In terms of specific video modes and features, the camera records 8Kp30 360-degree video, as mentioned, plus 5.7Kp30 (plus), 5.7Kp60, and 4Kp120 video in standard modes. PureVideo’s frame rate is capped at 30p, but all the resolutions are available. When shooting single-lens video, it tops out at 4Kp60.

The Insta360 X5 also captures still photos up to 72 megapixels and can shoot RAW DNG files. As alluded to in last week’s teaser, which showed someone hitting the X5’s lens with a hammer, the X5 promises to be more rugged than its predecessor. Insta360, claiming the X5 is the “toughest 360-degree camera ever,” notes that the X5’s lenses are built using a new ultra-durable glass. In the event the lens is damaged, the X5 also features a first-of-its-kind replaceable lens system, enabling users to swap out damaged lenses on the go. 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. All of the videos embedded in this review are 1080p or 4K, so if they look low-resolution, try adjusting the quality using the cog icon. The Insta360 X5 ($549.99) is the latest in the company's ever-expanding range of 360-degree and action cameras.

While the core shooting specifications remain largely unchanged from its predecessor, the Insta360 X4 ($499.99), the X5 has larger image sensors, user-replaceable lenses, improved waterproofing, a new wind guard, and longer battery life. Its mobile and desktop apps have received facelifts and added a number of AI-powered templates for swiftly editing and exporting stills and video. The X5 is a staggeringly versatile creative tool that can produce remarkable outputs with little effort, or breathtaking ones if you're willing to learn how to get the most from it, earning it our... The standard version of the Insta360 X5 costs $549.99 and includes the camera, a USB-C cable, a soft case, and a lens cloth. The Essentials Bundle ($659.99) adds an additional battery, a fast charge case, a hard carry case, a lens cap, lens guards, and a 44.9-inch version of the Invisible Selfie Stick that Insta360 is famous... The camera's software recognizes the selfie stick and erases it (although shadows often betray its presence), which makes for the top-down, over-the-shoulder, and birds-eye view footage Insta360 products are known for.

Insta360 offers a range of accessory bundles for the X5, as it does for its other cameras. These include mounts for bicycles and motorcycles, body and head straps, and diving cases and floatation devices. Visually, the X5 is little changed from the X4. It has the same pair of lenses on the front and rear for 360-degree image and video capture, and largely the same button layout. However, the ribbed front of the X4 has been replaced by a geometric pattern, and instead of a pinhole microphone, the X5 has a new, hexagonal wind guard covering the front-facing microphone. On the rear, the touch screen has increased in size from 2.5 inches on the X4 to 2.7 inches on the X5.

Insta360 doesn't supply resolution or brightness metrics for the display, but it's more than bright enough for outdoor use even in bright sunlight. Insta360, has unveiled the much-anticipated X5, once again following the company’s advancement in 360° action cameras. We’ve covered plenty of the Insta360 cameras in the past, including the superb Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch. The X5 combines groundbreaking image quality, rugged durability, and AI-powered ease of use, making it the most advanced 360° camera ever created. With enhanced sensors, smarter features, and a design built for adventure, the Insta360 X5 is designed to help creators capture epic moments effortlessly. The Insta360 X series has been a firm favourite for action camera users, and the X5 looks set to be another firm favourite.

If you want to check out the best action cameras of 2025 then check out our action camera buyers guide. At the heart of the Insta360 X5 lies its revolutionary 1/1.28″ sensors, which are 144% larger than its predecessor, the X4. This significant upgrade means the X5 can capture more light, resulting in brighter, clearer images even in challenging lighting conditions. The camera can shoot stunning 8K 360° video at fps, and thanks to supersampling from 11K, the X5 delivers sharp, true-to-life shots with minimal loss in resolution. The X5 also introduces PureVideo, an AI-powered low-light mode that optimises dynamic range and reduces noise, perfect for shooting in dim environments such as late-night cityscapes or sunset adventures. With the enhanced Triple AI Chip system, which features a 5nm AI Chip and two Pro Imaging chips, creators can expect clean, uncompressed footage across all resolutions.

Additionally, Active HDR has been improved to 5.7K at 60fps, allowing for smooth, vibrant video capture even in high-contrast situations. X5’s 360° capture has been refined with the introduction of InstaFrame, a new mode that makes shooting and sharing easier than ever before. Simply hit record, and X5 will capture two separate files simultaneously. The first is a flat, ready-to-share video, with a fixed or selfie view, while the second captures the full 360° footage for later editing. This dual-recording function allows creators to instantly share their best moments while preserving the full 360° content for more in-depth edits. LOS ANGELES, April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Insta360, the world's best-selling 360° camera brand, is thrilled to announce Insta360 X5, its latest flagship camera.

Insta360 X5 The Smartest Toughest 360 Camera Yet Gearbrain Com

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