Insta360 Flow 2 Pro review: a feature-packed smartphone gimbal

A host of AI-powered tools enable this nimble and compact gimbal to keep you (and your friends) in the picture

Man using an Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal
(Image: © George Cairns / Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

If you own the older Flow Pro then a key reason to upgrade to the Flow Pro 2 is its more powerful AI Deep Track 4, which can zoom to keep a group in shot while it tracks them. It can also re-identify and continue tracking a subject even if they walk behind an object. If you’re a smartphone vlogger on the lookout for a compact, portable and intelligent gimbal then the Flow 2 Pro provides plenty of ways to create dynamic content.

Pros

  • +

    Compact and portable

  • +

    Effective AI tracking

  • +

    Sturdy built-in mini tripod

  • +

    Increase functionality with Insta app

  • +

    Compatible with third-party apps

Cons

  • -

    Takes time to set Free Tilt mode

  • -

    Limited control via Apple Watch

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As a smartphone video maker, you may be satisfied with your device’s built-in stabilizer, so a gimbal won’t be on your ‘must purchase’ radar. However, a gimbal does enable you to greatly expand your shooting options, especially if you need your smartphone to pan and tilt to follow you as you walk and talk. Check out my opinion piece on the pros of adding a gimbal to your smartphone kit bag.

Insta360 designs and manufactures a wide range of action cameras. As the ‘360’ in the company name suggests, many of their action cameras – such as the Insta 360 X4 – capture a 360º field of view in photos and video clips. The company also gives GoPro and DJI a run for their money in the shape of a wide range of action cameras, including the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 (which can shoot up to 8K).

Insta360 also produces light and portable gimbals for the smartphone market, and here we’re testing their latest model – the Flow Pro 2. Released in January 2025, the Insta360 Flow Pro 2 is an upgraded version of the Flow Pro (which was released in March 2023). Two years is a lot of time in ‘gimbal years’ so we’d expect to see a range of design improvements and extra features in the Flow Pro 2.

As a portable and compact gimbal designed for smartphone users, the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro compares to the DJI Osmo Mobile 6. Both have a plastic body, a magnetic quick-release clamp to attach your smartphone to the gimbal, and AI tracking to help the gimbal keep you in the frame. Both the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 and the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro also enable you to remote control your gimbal via an Apple Watch, though this method’s control options are fairly limited as we’ll explain later.

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal folded in half for storage

The folded gimbal is very compact and easy to transport (Image credit: George Cairns / Digital Camera World)

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Specifications

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Mechanical RangePan: 360° continuous rotationRoll: -390° to 135°Tilt: -99° to 231°
Payload130–300g (4.6–10.6oz)
Compatible Phone Width64–84mm (2.5–3.3in)
Selfie Stick Length210mm (8.3in)
Built-in Tripod DimensionsExtended Length: 94mm (3.1in)
Battery Life10 hours
Size121.1x282.1x54mm (4.8x11.1x2.1in)
Weight 357g (12.6oz)

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Price

The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro launched with a price of $159.99 / £149.99 / AU$239.99, but this lacks the accessories shipped with the more expensive Creator Bundle at $189.99 / £169.99 / AU$289.99 (which is the version that we tested in this review).

The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro is widely available to buy, though we couldn’t see the Creator Bundle for sale on the Australian Amazon Store. Fortunately, the Standard Bundle was available there.

You can also purchase the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro from the Insta360 site (and compare the different bundles with ease). The Standard Bundle Insta360 Flow 2 Pro compares in spec and performance with the DJI Osmo Mobile 6, though the latter device is a little cheaper at a list price of $139 / £145 / AU$204. Check out out Alternatives section for more on the DJI Osmo 6.

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Design & Handling

On first unboxing the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro it strongly reminded me of the DJI Osmo range of smartphone gimbals, such as the DJI Osmo Mobile 6. Both the Osmo Mobile 6 and the Flow 2 have white/light grey plastic bodies that are folded for compact transport (though you can buy a darker Slate Grey Osmo too). Both unfold to release the gimbal arm and both have a magnetic spring clamp that enables you to connect your smartphone to the gimbal with a click.

A key difference (and improvement) in design can be found in the Flow 2 Pro’s tripod. The Osmo range ship with a mini tripod that you have to attach to the gimbal’s base via a screw thread. This enables the gimbal to stand on its own while you talk hands-free to your gimbal-mounted smartphone.

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal with an iPhone attached sitting on a stone wall

The mini tripod and AI-tracking enable you to walk and talk while the Flow Pro 2 follows your very move with tilts and 360º pans (Image credit: George Cairns / Digital Camera World)

Like the Hohem iSteady V3, the Flow 2 Pro has a tripod built into its shaft. You simply need to pull the legs out and spread them, which enables you to set the gimbal to tripod mode more quickly than by screwing on a separate tripod (like your do with the DJI Osmo range). While the Hohem iSteady V3’s built-in legs are spindly wire supports, the Flow 2 Pro’s built-in tripod legs are sturdier and wider in shape, offering more stability when using the gimbal in tripod deployment.

Another key design feature is the Flow 2 Pro’s ability to pan your iPhone through 360º - and then keep panning to track a subject. Older gimbals (such as the DJI Osmo 5) lacked this continuous rotation feature.

A man reflected in the selfie mirror on an Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal connected to an iPhone

A wide angle mirror enables you to ensure that you’re in the frame when shooting a selfie with your smartphone’s higher quality front facing camera (Image credit: George Cairns / Digital Camera World)

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Performance

To test the Flow 2 Pro I took it for a sightseeing trip to London. I kept the supplied spring clip attached to my iPhone 16 Pro throughout the day so I could quickly whip out the gimbal, unfold it, and magnetically attach the iPhone to it in seconds. The gimbal made the iPhone very comfortable to carry and the control dial’s buttons enabled me to select modes to alter the way the gimbal behaved (such as activating FPV mode so that the iPhone would tilt, and follow my hand and wrist movements - see my video for examples).

I also enjoyed triple-tapping the Flow 2 Pro’s trigger to smoothly rotate the iPhone through 180 degrees so I could start by filming a selfie and then swap to my point of view in a continuous take. This is perfect for travel bloggers who want to feature themselves while exploring a location. A small wide-angle mirror on the front of the gimbal is designed to help you keep your face in the frame when filming a selfie, though in practice I found that my face was sometimes offset instead of appearing in the center of the frame.

The free Insta360 smartphone app provides many useful ways to maximize the results produced by the Flow 2 Pro - such as generating impressive 360º panoramic photos that you can animate to create eye-catching content on your social media feed. Alternatively, you may want to use the Flow Pro 2 while filming via your smartphone’s native camera app so that the gimbal-sourced footage matches other footage that you’ve shot. For example, when shooting with an iPhone you may want to add a background bokeh to your subject using Cinematic mode - a mode that’s not available when shooting using the Insta360 app. Fortunately the Flow 2 Pro supports your iPhone’s Apple Dock Kit feature. This enables your iPhone to enjoy the AI-tracking features of a third-party device such as the Flow 2 Pro, so you can use your gimbal-mounted iPhone to record in Cinematic mode while the Flow 2 Pro will AI-track your every move.

On my test shoot, I set the Insta360 app to Timeshift mode. This captures a moving timelapse sequence (or hyperlapse) that looks very striking and dynamic. Check out my supporting video to see me whizz through a tunnel at high speed. The app also enables you to capture and stitch 360º panoramas that you can animate and share. I found this feature rather fun and impressive.

Camera screen showing a man waving at the camera while a countdown timer flashes 1

Gesture control enables you to trigger AI tracking and start/stop recording (Image credit: George Cairns / Digital Camera World)

After extending the built-in tripod legs I was impressed at how effective Flow Pro 2’s AI tracking was. It panned and followed me smoothly through more than 360º as I walked and talked on location. Having received an Apple Series 10 Watch for my birthday I was excited to try it out as a remote control for the Flow 2 Pro. I was able to start recording with a tap on my watch's screen and I could also activate AI tracking. I could also swipe the watch’s screen to fine-tune the angle of tilt or pan it slightly, though this was more of a fiddly technique that required multiple swipes. In practice I got better and quicker results by turning on Gesture control in the Insta360 app, making my Apple watch superfluous. I could get the Flow Pro 2 to track me and start/stop recording by simply raising my hand and spreading my fingers.

A 360 image taken with an Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal

Produce creative 360º stitched panoramas with no effort, courtesy of the Insta360 app (Image credit: George Cairns / Digital Camera World)

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro: Verdict

I thoroughly enjoyed testing the Insta360 Flow Pro 2. The gimbal and attached iPhone 16 Pro took up so little space that I could film with them while gliding through crowds of people in the London Underground as if I were invisible! I doubt I’d be able to do that while carrying a larger gimbal supporting a DSLR! If you’re a travel vlogger then the Insta360 Flow Pro 2 is perfect for capturing smooth pans, tilts (and even creative barrel rolls) while you walk through a scenic location.

Thanks to its sturdy (and built-in) mini tripod legs you can rest the Flow Pro 2 on a surface and quickly present to camera hand-free while it tracks you through 360º. There’s plenty of space between the iPhone’s USB-C port and the gimbal’s arm so you can attach a small wireless receiver (such as the Boya Mini I was using) to your gimbal-mounted iPhone and capture high-quality sound from a distance.

Small gimbals can be rather limited when recording very low-angle camera moves. Fortunately, you can stretch out the Flow Pro 2’s built-in selfie stick and physically rotate its hinge to go to ‘Free Tilt’ mode. This physical operation can be a bit fiddly to master but it does enable you to make the gimbal flow close to the ground and then crane up high while keeping the horizon level.

The supporting Insta360 app does offer a host of ways to produce eye-catching social media content via the Flow 2 Pro and it also tells you which mode you’re shooting in (such as PF or FPV). It can be harder to discern the selected gimbal mode when shooting in your native Camera app as there’s no built-in screen on the gimbal itself. If you do need to suddenly switch from shooting horizontally to vertically (to capture an Instagram reel for example) then you can do so with two taps of a button, which makes the compact and lightweight Flow Pro 2 the perfect accessory for solo shooters who like to work fast (while keeping a low profile). If you’ve yet to buy a smartphone gimbal then I can certainly recommend that you go with the Flow 2 Pro.

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FeaturesThe feature-packed supporting app unleashes a wider range of content-creating options such as shooting 360º panos or capturing dramatic hyperlapse sequences.★★★★☆
DesignCompact and lightweight, plus the built-in selfie stick and tripod legs extend its functionality when required, such as switching to ‘Free Tilt’ mode.★★★★☆
PerformanceAI-tracking works very well, even when keeping distant subjects such as helicopters in the frame while using 5x optical zoom!★★★★★
ValueSlightly more expensive than the similarly specced DJI Osmo 6, but still good value for money given its reliability.★★★★☆

Alternatives

DJI Osmo Mobile 6

DJI Osmo Mobile 6

This similarly specced stabilizer is a little cheaper than the Insta360 Flow Pro 2, so it’s worth a look if you’re budget is tight. It lacks the built-in fast-deploying tripod legs of the Flow 2 Pro but like that device, you can remotely control it via an Apple Watch!

Hohem iSteady V3

Hohem iSteady V3

Like the Insta 360 Flow Pro 2, the iSteady V3 has built-in tripod legs (though these are less sturdy than the Insta360 device’s ones). It also uses an AI tracker to follow your every move, though this tracker needs to be magnetically attached to the gimbal (and therefore could get misplaced).

George Cairns

George has been freelancing as a photo fixing and creative tutorial writer since 2002, working for award winning titles such as Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N-Photo and Practical Photoshop. He's expert in communicating the ins and outs of Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as producing video production tutorials on Final Cut Pro and iMovie for magazines such as iCreate and Mac Format. He also produces regular and exclusive Photoshop CC tutorials for his YouTube channel.

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