AI webcams have made a real impact in both the business and creator markets due to their versatility and unique features that serve the needs of both user bases. Among the most notable cameras in this space is the Insta360 Link, from none other than Insta360, the company known for high-performance yet small cameras. We wanted to take a look at the Insta360 Link to see how it holds up against a much deeper lineup of smart webcams.
In the box, you’ll find the Insta360 Link, a lengthy USB-C cable, documentation an+d stickers that are crucial to the webcam’s whiteboard mode, which we will get into later. When you hold the Insta360 Link in your hand for the first time, you can’t help but notice how small it really is. It’s hard to come to terms with a camera, given that their reputation is so tiny.
The camera, mounted on a gimbal, flows around loosely, giving you your first look at the range of motion for this camera. The base of the camera is where you plug in the USB cable. It also contains your typical-looking webcam mount for monitors, with the added twist of being magnetic. On the bottom of your base, you’ll find a 1/4“ thread for mounting on a tripod or other mount.
“The Insta360 Link sports a 1/2“ sensor with an F/1.8 aperture, making it good for lower light conditions.”
The Insta360 Link sports a 1/2“ sensor with an F/1.8 aperture, making it good for lower light conditions. It is capable of 4K/30fps and 1080p/60fps resolutions and has a Field of View between 67 and 79.5 degrees (26mm lens equivalent), which is a bit lower than I would want it to be for when you are sitting at your desk using the camera, but not so bad for when you are up and on the move. It is able to autofocus as close as 10cm and has a dual microphone system for noise cancelling.
Setup of the Insta360 Link is easy enough, but there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to actually using it, which is common among AI webcams due to their control methods. Thankfully, Insta360 gives you the tools with their software, Insta360 Link Controller. We’ll ignore the fact that the name of the software can use some work and focus on what it can actually do.
Insta360 Link Controller gives you manual control over the webcam’s gimbal, allowing you to pan, tilt and zoom as you please and even set presets that let you create multiple setups and go to them automatically with the click of a mouse (or an assigned hotkey). Under the “image settings” tab, you’ll find the usual controls, such as brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpness with exposure, as well as white balance settings that can be set to manual or automatic.
The exposure settings are particularly robust with the ability to set the shutter speed and ISO and even offer a curve setting (like you might find in photo editing software) to isolate the highlights and shadows to get the picture just right. Out of the box, there is nothing special about the camera quality. But when you hone in on those settings, the picture is among the best quality of any 4K webcam on the market.
In the “more settings” tab of the Insta360 Link Controller, you can toggle the gesture controls of the webcam, either on an individual or total basis. It also provides you with a cheat sheet of what the gestures actually do. There are tracking settings, including tracking speed, auto-tracking (consisting of turning the track on as soon as the camera identifies a face) and single-tap tracking, allowing you to turn the track on and off by tapping the actual camera. AI zoom options are available to determine how much of you want to be in the frame, whether a headshot or full body.
You can also add another letter to the PTZ of Pan, Tilt, Zoom, and an R for rotate because the Insta360 Link can rotate to create native portrait video. You can also use that rotation to level out the camera if it is mounted in a way that leaves your shot slightly askew. The features available to you on the Insta360 Link Controller software give you total control over your image.
“AI Tracking will identify your face and lock on to you, following you around the room, zooming in or out as you move away from or towards the camera.”
The Insta360 Link offers four special modes. AI Tracking will identify your face and lock on to you, following you around the room, zooming in or out as you move away from or towards the camera. Whiteboard mode will lock onto a whiteboard in your shot that is marked with the provided stickers placed in the corners. It will frame it up properly and stay on it until your gesture or turning it off in the software moves the focus back to you.
Overhead mode gives you an ideal overhead camera, but it has to be mounted in a way where the camera is tipping forward so it can lock in on the surface you are trying to capture. Desk View Mode gives you a different version of the overhead mode by tilting down and then adjusting the image to frame it up like the camera is overhead. This is ideal for when you are trying to showcase a document or draw on camera.
The overall user experience for the Insta360 Link was fantastic. Adjusting the camera’s settings is an easy and forgiving process that provides a fantastic final result. Its feature set lets you use the camera in a ton of creative ways, and it does it all while barely being noticed on your desk.
The Insta360 Link retails for $299 USD, which is slightly cheaper than its largest competitor in the space, OBSBOT, with all the functionality the competition offers and then some. Their image quality alone would make their price point fair, with the Elgato Facecam Pro and Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra coming in at the same price. So, the question becomes whether you would use all of the features an AI webcam offers to make it worth your money. If you would use even a couple of them, you can do no better than picking up an Insta360 Link.
- 4K Resolution with 1/2″ Sensor: Always look your best in stunning Ultra HD 4K resolution. With a best-in-class 1/2″ sensor, Link captures life-like detail with an excellent dynamic range.
