Insta360 unleashed a powerhouse last year with the release of the Insta360 X4, a 360-degree camera that delivered big, beautiful video capturing your whole world at once. With the help of its mobile and computer apps, this footage could be turned into a masterpiece. Here we are a year later, and the brand-new Insta360 X5 recreates that same user experience, only with major spec, design and quality-of-life improvements that will make you want to upgrade immediately.
In the box, you’ll find the Insta360 X5 camera, a USB-C cable for charging and data transfer, a protective pouch, a lens cloth, and documentation. We also had the opportunity to test some accessories with the X5, including the invisible selfie stick and rubber lens cap. The build quality of the Insta360 X5 is outstanding, featuring a polycarbonate body that lends it some weight, making it feel like a tool rather than a toy.
Another standout feature of the Insta360 X5 is its lenses, which are made with more durable glass than those of previous models, offering improved impact and scratch resistance. But suppose something proves more powerful than the lens and damages it. In that case, Insta360 has designed the X5 with a replaceable lens system, allowing you to swap out the lenses completely, for only a few dollars more than standard lens guards that aren’t nearly as durable. This is a smart upgrade that helps keep your camera with you and out of the shop.
“The build quality of the Insta360 X5 is outstanding, featuring a polycarbonate body that lends it some weight, making it feel like a tool rather than a toy.”
The Insta360 X5 also introduces a built-in wind guard for the first time in this camera line, improving audio in harsher environments. External mics can be used either via Insta360’s mic adapter or via Bluetooth with a compatible wireless microphone. However, having an improved mic with environmental filters provides a nice option if you want to use it. The mic quality is good for an on-board microphone, though it’s prone to issues after being exposed to water, so don’t plan on snorkelling and then immediately vlogging.
The jump in key specs on the Insta360 X5 is more than enough to get you excited about this camera. It starts with dual 1/1.28-inch sensors—a 140 per cent increase in size from the X4’s 1/2-inch sensors. While the X5 maintains 8K/30 and 5.7K/60 resolutions, it also features 5.7K+ resolution, which offers more detail than 5.7K with smaller file sizes than 8K (achieved by sampling video from the 8K sensor and compressing it to 5.7K). The X5 also increases the maximum frame rate at 4K resolution to 120 fps, up from the X4’s 100 fps.
Battery life in the Insta360 X5 has also seen a significant improvement, with a 2400 mAh battery (up from 2290 mAh) providing up to 208 minutes of runtime—a substantial increase from the X4’s 135 minutes. Waterproofing has also improved, with the ability to submerge the X5 up to 15 metres, five metres deeper than previous models.
Insta360 also introduced a couple of new features for the Insta360 X5: Instaframe and PureVideo. Instaframe locks onto a specific direction—using either the front lens, rear lens, or a top or bottom view—and the camera exports both a normal 360-degree video, ready for editing, plus a flat video that stays locked in that pre-determined direction.
You can also select Face Lock in Instaframe mode, keeping the frame locked on your face, regardless of how or where you move the camera. I’d argue this is the only one of the selections with any real practical use for one big reason: Instaframe limits shooting to 5.7K and only outputs 1080p flat videos. Locking a frame in one position during editing takes only a few seconds and yields the same result at much higher resolutions. At least face lock has a clear use case for people who don’t need 4K+ video.
PureVideo on the Insta360 X5 provides a significant boost in low-light conditions. The difference between PureVideo on the X5 and what the Insta360 X4 offers in low light is, quite literally, night and day. The X5 boosts brightness in PureVideo mode, producing excellent video, whereas the X4 in the same environment couldn’t deliver usable footage.
“The 360-degree capture is ideal for nearly every scenario, allowing you to capture not only your subject but also whatever else is happening around you.”
Now, there are limits to when PureVideo should be used, for both technical and creative reasons. In a mixed-lighting environment, you may not want to overexpose brighter areas just to bring more detail into darker ones. And scenes where it’s getting dark outside can look like early afternoon in PureVideo mode, which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to show the actual time of day. For situations like these, it’s recommended you familiarize yourself with the exposure controls and find your lighting sweet spot while remaining in standard mode.
Video quality on the Insta360 X5 is truly excellent. As a camera for capturing your environment, an action camera and a vlogging camera, it checks all the boxes. The camera’s settings enable you to dewarp your image, eliminating the fisheye lens effect and making it suitable for almost any use case.
The 360-degree capture is ideal for nearly every scenario, allowing you to capture not only your subject but also whatever else is happening around you, so you never miss a big moment. You can even capture your reaction and what you’re looking at simultaneously. Its capabilities as an action camera are obvious once you see what it can do and how it captures the scale of what you’re doing.
Editing the Insta360 X5’s footage is incredibly easy using the Insta360 Studio app on your PC or directly on your phone with the Insta360 mobile app. From there, you can create clips with keyframes that focus the camera on the subjects you want, move it around at will, choose the aspect ratio you wish to capture, and, with the mobile app, access a nearly limitless array of filters and presets to make your videos look incredible. Additionally, the app provides numerous tutorials to help you maximize the potential of your footage after shooting.
With an MSRP ranging from US$549.99 for the Insta360 X5 alone to US$736 for the Motorcycle Ultimate Multiview Bundle—with bundles of all kinds falling between those prices—there’s an option for every type of user, from thrill-seekers to content creators (and probably some combination thereof, though you’ll never find this content creator on a snowboard). The Insta360 X5 is simply the most versatile camera on the market today, capable of serving as your vlogging camera, action camera or even dash cam if you want.
