Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
A strong partner for creators
The Insta360 X4 is the company's latest 360-degree camera, a significant improvement over the previous generation of the X3 model.
The X4 offers better video and photo resolution, full frame rate capture, improved battery life on a single charge, a larger touchscreen, and more powerful editing software. In particular, the X4 supports up to 8K video recording, has a rugged body design, and comes with plenty of giveaways.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
However, excellent performance comes at a cost. The X4 is priced at 800 yuan more than the X3 and is 500 yuan more expensive than the GoPro Max. Combined with the camera's wide range of shooting options, powerful post-production software, and substantial performance improvements, the Insta360 X4 is arguably the best 360 camera available. However, for users who only need to shoot with a single lens, the GoPro Hero12 Black, priced at 2798 yuan, may be a more ideal choice. With its 10-bit HDR support, ease of use, and a more cost-effective price, the GoPro Hero12 Black is the best action camera.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Optimization of details
At first glance, the Insta360 X4 looks quite similar to the X3's exterior design. Both use a broadly consistent basic design architecture, with only minor tweaks for new features. The X4 is the size of a Snickers chocolate bar, made of semi-reinforced material, and equipped with two opposing lenses, one on either side of the body, for panoramic video recording.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Exterior dimensions
The X4 feels firmer in the grip, but is slightly on the larger side. The camera is designed like a sandwich biscuit, with a textured hard rubber cover on the back for enhanced grip, and a large touchscreen and necessary control buttons on the front. Two identically sized dome lenses are located at the top ends to capture a full 360° field of view. The sturdy plastic chassis padding the middle section accommodates the ports and internal components. The exterior shell is finished in dark grey with a light grey interior area.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Control interface
From top to bottom, there is a microphone on the left edge, a covered USB-C port for charging and connecting external accessories such as external microphones, and a replaceable battery slot. On the other side of the edge is a second microphone, a power button, and a customizable quick button. All buttons are encased in a thick rubber material to ensure comfortable and responsive operation. The same user-friendly design philosophy extends to the shooting and mode buttons below the touchscreen display. The standard 1/4-inch tripod mount on the bottom allows the X4 to be seamlessly integrated into Insta360's extensive ecosystem of accessories or your preferred tripod.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Enhance your display
The X4 further enhances the user experience by increasing the touchscreen display size from 2.29 inches to 2.5 inches in the X3. The display also features a Corning Gorilla Glass cover that provides superior scratch resistance. While no specific display resolution and brightness specifications are provided, the screen size is large enough to frame shots effectively and provide good visibility when used outdoors in direct sunlight.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Durability and water resistance
The X4 has an IPX8 water resistance rating, which means it can withstand 30 minutes of immersion at a depth of 10 meters. However, before shooting underwater, it's crucial to make sure the USB-C hatch and battery are securely closed. For deeper underwater exploration, the optional dive case extends the camera's operating range to an astonishing 50 meters, which exceeds the GoPro Max's waterproof rating.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Battery life
A significant benefit of upgrading from the X3 to the X4 is the increased battery life. The X3's 1800mAh battery provides about 81 minutes of recording time. In contrast, the X4's larger-capacity 2290mAh battery is significantly boosted, extending the recording time to a maximum of 135 minutes. The full charge cycle takes approximately 55 minutes, and a backup battery can be purchased to further extend the operating capability. The microSD card slot located inside the battery compartment can be slightly difficult to access, and the camera supports microSD cards with capacities up to 1TB.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Accessories and other details
The box contains the camera body, two sets of standard lens covers, batteries, heat-resistant hand case, USB-C to USB-C cable, protective pouch, lens wipe, and user guide. The standard lens cover is simply a plastic part that prevents the contents of the bag from scratching the raised lens. Insta360 reminds users not to install standard lens covers for shooting, as the poor light transmission of these covers can affect image quality.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Shooting quality
The X4's video capabilities have been upgraded across the board. The maximum resolution of 360-degree video reaches 8K 30fps and 5.7K 60fps, while the X3 only supports 5.7k 30fps. Slow-motion 360-degree video frame rate increased from 3K 100fps to 4K 100fps, and wide-angle video frame rate increased from 4K 30fps to 4K 60fps. Finally, the "Me" mode video is now recorded at 4K 30fps or 2.7K at 120fps, while the X3 only supports 1080p 60fps. The photo resolution remains the same, i.e., 72MP or 18MP for 360-degree photos and 36MP or 9MP for single-lens photos.
By default, X4 uses the H.265 encoding format, but you can also choose the H.264 format. Single-lens content generates MP4 videos and photos in JPG or RAW format. Dual-lens content records video in INVS format, and photos are stored in INSP format. Color profiles include Vivid, Standard, and Log if you want to adjust the color in post.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
When it comes to audio, you can choose between Auto Wind Noise Reduction, Active Wind Noise Reduction, Stereo and Directional Pickup. With Insta360's USB-C microphone adapter, you can connect an external microphone. The camera records AAC format audio up to 16-bit/48kHz.
Connectivity-wise, the X4 supports Bluetooth 5.2 and dual-band Wi-Fi 6.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
UI
Thanks to the large display and intuitive UI design, setting up the camera, switching shooting modes, and fine-tuning are easy and lightweight. By default, the camera starts up in the last mode you used. Press the quick button below the power button to access preconfigured modes for specific activities, such as cycling, driving, motorcycling, running, and surfing. Use the mode buttons below the screen to cycle through basic shooting modes (including Bullet Time, Burst, HDR Photo, HDR Video, Timelapse, Loop, Me mode, Photo, Timelapse, Time Lapse, Time Shift, and Video modes).
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
You can choose whether to shoot 360 with two lenses or 170 with a single lens. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to select the photo resolution, video resolution, and frame rate. It's important to note that not all resolutions support all frame rates. For example, 8K resolution only supports a frame rate of 30fps. When shooting 360-degree video, you can choose "MegaView" (for urban areas with less distortion), "UltraView" (the largest outdoor angle of view with noticeable distortion), or "Dewarp" (to remove distortion from most indoor setups).
Swipe down from the top of the screen to access the camera settings. These settings include level lock, brightness, volume, gesture and voice control, timer, audio and microphone settings, and firmware updates. Swipe from the right to set exposure, color, white balance, and stabilization. You can let the camera handle these settings automatically, or you can manually adjust each setting based on the shooting scene. Finally, swiping from the left side of the screen brings up an album containing everything on the microSD card.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
Mobile app experience
To get the most out of your X4, you definitely need a companion app. Whether you want to fully process, edit, or share content captured with X4, you must use the Insta360 mobile app (available for Android and iOS) or the Insta360 Studio app (available for Mac and Windows).
When you launch the camera for the first time, the app prompts you to pair it with your phone. The Bluetooth connection takes about a minute, after which it automatically converts to a Wi-Fi connection. You'll also need to agree to notifications, locations, and gallery access.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
The phone app looks a bit complicated and the editing features are very rich. For example, you can manually view your 360-degree video and choose your preferred perspective to tell the story you want to tell. You can also pick from several Insta360 video templates that can condense your videos into fun and easy-to-share clips.
summary
After a long period of testing, the Insta360 X4 is arguably one of the most fun cameras I've ever used, and the videos and photos it captures are exactly where the fun comes from.
Whether you're shooting dual-lens or single-lens content, the X4 produces sharp, clear footage. If you opt for a higher resolution and frame rate, the camera will render you rich in detail and smooth motion (thanks to effective stabilization).
Note, however, that the camera performs better in bright outdoor light, and it's clearly better suited for daytime shooting. My nighttime footage looks good, but there's more noise and less detail than daytime footage. Using built-in tools such as Bullet Time makes it possible to make professional-looking videos.
If you take a full-resolution photo or grab a screenshot from a 360-degree video, the still image will look good overall. You can also get a good shot with a single lens. This mode produces the sharpest images and leaves room for you to zoom in and frame the shot a bit. Of course, who doesn't love making miniature planets?
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera
merit
- Shoot up to 8K video
- Easy to hold and use
- Waterproof construction
- Large touch screen
- Powerful editing software
shortcoming
- Accessories increase the cost
- It is easy to heat up during operation
Price:
- Standard Edition: 3499.00
- 128G版：3628.00
- 256G版：3728.00
- Vlog套装:3868.00
- Outdoor Travel Set 256G: 3868.00
- Motorcycle Set 256G: 3968.00 - 4448.00
- Bike Set 256G: 4418.00
- SKI SET 256G: 4208.00
- 钓鱼套装256G：3578.00
The X4 can be a bit expensive, and it still heats up a lot during shooting. However, the value of the X4's power is still very strong. If you're looking for a panoramic action camera, then the Insta360 X4 is a great product to consider.
Insta360 X4 review|A great 360 panoramic action camera