The 360 degree video race is on between the two big names in the space, Insta360 and DJI. Insta360, the pioneer in this market, has released the Insta360 X6, a new camera with a new design from its predecessors, and with the new design came a new goal: to be the only camera you need from now on. No separate action cam, vlog camera and 360 camera, just the X6.
In the box (we tested the Essentials Bundle), you get the Insta360 X6, Insta360’s invisible selfie stick, a dual lens cover, A protection sleeve, a portable battery charger with an additional battery, a USB cable and the documentation. The shorter, stubbier design on the X6 looks and feels a lot nicer than the X5, but the screen, a beautiful OLED display, fails to display the full vertical aspect ratio of its predecessors, nor does it mimic the DJI Osmo 360’s landscape screen (despite the overall camera design skewing in the direction of the Osmo 360).
On the Insta360 X6, you will see microphones on all sides. This captures audio from all directions, but actually analyzes the environment and determines the audio mode needed without the need to manually adjust. The mics are also windproof for the cleanest possible audio on all sides. If you don’t want to use the built-in mic, you can automatically connect to Insta360 wireless mics like the Insta360 Mic Pro.
Also on the body, you’ll find the power and record buttons on the side (pressure-sensitive buttons also exist on the screen so you don’t accidentally hit record while navigating the screen). Waterproof sealed doors are on either side of the Insta360 X6, one housing the USB-C port and the other housing the battery and microSD slot. At the bottom, you have the standard mount for Insta360 cameras, with the added powered connectivity to let you use their X6 Power Selfie Stick, which can power and control the X6 remotely.
On the inside, the Insta360 X6 has made some pretty big upgrades from the earlier iterations of the camera. The X6 sports a brand-new 1/1.1” square sensor; compared to the X5’s 1/1.28” sensor, the X6 has a 4 nm AI chip (the X5 had a 5 nm chip). You can shoot up to 8K/50 fps with Dolby Vision, while the previous model maxed out at 30 fps with no Dolby Vision compatibility. You can also shoot flat video at 5K/60 fps, while the older model shoots at a maximum of 4K/60 fps.
The Insta360 X6 offers a 10-bit I-Log colour profile, while the X5 uses the older 8-bit I-Log. The new camera has also jumped from 72 MP photos to 120 MP. The aforementioned microphones are an upgrade from the X5’s single-mic system, while battery life has increased by nearly 50 minutes, reaching up to 140 minutes when shooting at 8K/30 fps. The X6 is also the first in the series to offer internal storage, with 47 GB of usable space.
Shooting flat video gives you a 170-degree field of view, making it a great way to capture action and putting it in line with other capable action cameras. You can also take that action underwater, as the Insta360 X6 is waterproof to 20 metres. I can barely remember the days when we needed special covers for underwater use, and the versatility of the X6 lets you go from land to sea and back again almost instantly.
The Insta360 X6 also has a great tool in AdaptiveTone 2.0, which exposes each lens separately. If you are shooting a bright scene in front of you while standing in the shadows, both sides can be exposed properly without one trying to compensate for the other. It also shoots impressive night video and can optimize skin tones for more accurate colour. I would still say it is better to shoot in I-Log and use the appropriate LUTs if you want to capture the best possible colour.
Tracking has gotten even better with InstaFrame 2.0, capable of locking onto people, animals or objects when in motion. Purchasing a POV head tracker accessory (which we didn’t test), will mimic an exact POV, as if the camera was attached to your head, looking around when you do, allowing for a much more agreeable mounting scenario with all of the same functionality.
The longer battery life, which is such a gift, comes partly from the body design, which limits overheating and does far less a number on the 2600mAh battery. Having the extra battery is excellent for longer shoots, but the fact that you can charge the battery to 80% in 24 minutes and 100% in 35 minutes, will have you up and running again before you can finish lunch. Battery life is so valued in cameras like this, which I use when shooting on the move, so these improvements are much appreciated from a creator’s perspective.
The Insta360 X6 has an NFC sensor for faster connection to your phone via the Insta350 App, which is still a wonderful tool as it has been for all previous cameras. There is not much in the way of new functionality in the App itself for editing, but the camera has a great new feature for people capturing content, AI Director, which will go through your clips, pick the best moment and put together a perfect clip, then send it straight to your phone.
Discussing the video quality on the Insta360 X6 almost seems like an afterthought. They have been so consistently great with their cameras over the last couple of generations that I didn’t need to see a frame without expecting something great, and of course they delivered. The X6 is capturing insane image quality with rich, beautiful colour. Audio capture is good when you don’t extend the camera too far out, or you’ll lose the presence in your voice to the ambience, at which point an external mic is recommended if you are capturing dialogue.
As durable as the Insta360 X6 is, the company has once again thought ahead about if something happens to a lens. They sell a kit that allows you to replace the lens yourself without the need for sending the X6 in for repairs. So, if something happens to the camera mid-shoot, you can be back up and running in minutes.
At $799 for the Essential Bundle of the Insta360 X6 ($699 for the standard bundle without the extra battery, lens cover, or selfie stick), you are paying a premium, but you are getting a premium camera. This camera delivers to the point that it seems unclear if they will ever offer another action camera, except perhaps as a budget version of this camera. It accomplishes its goal of being one camera for every use case and does so in a smaller design with improvements on the surface and deep inside. It is one spectacular camera.
- DUAL 1/1.1″ SENSORS & TRIPLE AI CHIP SYSTEM: Custom-built dual 1/1.1″ square sensors deliver unprecedented 360 image quality. Combined with a triple AI chip system containing an all-new 4nm flagship chip and two professional imaging chips. A new benchmark in quality for 360 cameras.
- FLAGSHIP 8K50FPS 360 VIDEO: Hit record on our 360 action camera and capture your world in stunning native 8K50fps video. Every view, every highlight, every moment, exactly as it happened.
