Who Wants a Common GoPro When Insta360’s Inexpensive X4 Air Exists?

All of us leering on the massive, evil eye of 360 cameras these previous few years have puzzled what it could take to lastly see one on the identical value as a typical GoPro. Well, we might lastly have that possibility with Insta360’s X4 Air. It’s basically the corporate’s last-gen 360 digicam repackaged because the price range possibility. But when Insta360’s main X5 prices $550, grabbing 8K, all-around footage for much less is beginning to sound far more interesting than a conventional motion digicam.

If you stare lengthy sufficient into the iris of the stick-shaped X4 Air, chances are you’ll wrestle to seek out what’s totally different between it and final 12 months’s X4 and the most recent X5. The X4 Air incorporates twin 1/1.8-inch sensors within the typical fisheye compartment. That’s bigger than the unique X4’s 1/2-inch sensors, although barely extra petite in comparison with the 1/1.28-inch on the X5. It will movie the standard 8K decision at 30 fps—which is the fundamentals of what you want for 360 footage. If you drop the decision to 4K, you’ll be able to stand up to 60 fps in comparison with the X5’s 100 fps on the identical decision. However, 8K is extra essential for 360 footage contemplating the pixels are unfold throughout your entire spherical picture. The 100 fps most on each the X4 and X5 was constructed for slow-mo footage, although it’ll sacrifice some picture high quality. The X4 Air can solely hit 120 fps at 1080p in single-lens mode.

Insta360 guarantees the 360 digicam has sufficient battery for 88 minutes of steady recording at its max decision and body price. The new X4 Air additionally received’t take the best-quality nonetheless pictures, maxing out at 29 megapixels in comparison with 72 megapixels. However, not like the Insta360 X4, the Air permits for replaceable lens protectors and totally swappable lenses, first launched with the X5. This has turn out to be one of many most-requested options for 360 cameras. Insta360 redesigned its upcoming Antigravity X1 360 digicam drone to incorporate swappable lenses after receiving early suggestions.

And to high it off, the X4 Air isn’t that a lot thinner or lighter than the earlier X4 or the present X5. It weighs 165g (0.36 kilos), which is 35g lower than the 200g (0.44 kilos) X5, which doesn’t make it that rather more transportable within the grand scheme of issues. You’ll nonetheless be sticking these cameras onto the tip of telescoping poles to seize your all-around antics. As is all the time the problem with 360 cameras, the character of 360 footage means you’ll have to spend just a little extra time within the modifying room earlier than you’ll be able to throw your footage up on Instagram.

The competitors has spent 2025 attempting to knock Insta360 off its 360 footage throne. DJI began issues out with its $550 Osmo 360(which you’ll nonetheless wrestle to purchase within the U.S.). GoPro determined it didn’t want a sudden sequel to its Hero motion digicam sequence this 12 months and as an alternative tried to undercut Insta360 with its $500 GoPro Max2. The X4 Air’s $400 beginning value level remains to be steep, however it’s basically the identical value as a brand new GoPro Hero13 Black. At this level, we will count on 360 cameras to begin assembly or beating the price of single-lens units.

If you had been already about to do the entire “shut up and take my money” music and dance, chances are you’ll want to carry off for a short time. While the digicam is meant to be accessible instantly, Insta360 has not revealed when it might be accessible in both the U.S. or Canada. We reached out to the corporate to study if that is as a result of lack of U.S.