Insta360 jumped headfirst into the pocket gimbal camera market all guns blazing with the spectacular – but premium – Luna Ultra camera. The company is now teasing features for a less costly single-lens edition called the Luna Pro, and the latest news is that it will boast true vertical 4K video.

Insta360 first teased the camera three days ago, based on a joke that the number of product launches from the company could be a bit much for the marketing team!

The gimbal camera pictured in the teaser looks like the company's recently launched Luna Ultra camera, except that the camera at the top seems to only have a single lens.

The implication is that we're about to see, on September 10, the Luna Pro, which has already been released in China.

The camera still boasts a 1-inch sensor, 8K video and the detachable remote control screen, enough for Insta360 to describe it as a "flagship" even though it clearly plays second fiddle to the Ultra.

Insta360's real competitors, though, are the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 (with one camera) and Pocket 4P (with two).

As well as distinguishing itself with the detachable remote, Insta360 has given the camera the ability to shoot in 4K vertically as well as horizontally (at up to 4K60). Both of DJI's offerings switch to a 3K mode in vertical operation.

Although there is only one physical lens, the Insta360 Pro's digital zoom will be boosted to 4x, which the company says represents "80mm portraits."

While the Luna Pro has been seen at IFA Berlin, so it isn't just confined to China, the show is still running as I post this. It does at least confirm the name as well as the spec, but we don't expect to hear final pricing until September 10, a little behind Bejing's August 20.

Unlike DJI, which has been forced by US import law to stick to the Pocket 3, the Luna Ultra is and, presumably, the Luna Pro will be available to American customers. Soon we'll see the result on our guide to the best pocket gimbal cameras.

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro, DJI Osmo Action 6 and Insta360 Ace Pro 2 are three action cameras that all go in a slightly different direction.

GoPro has gone all-in on raw resolution and frame rate, cramming a 1-inch sensor into a body that shoots 8K 60fps. DJI has gone the other way, prioritizing real-world image quality with an adjustable aperture and swappable lenses on a square sensor. Insta360 sits in-between, pairing an 8K sensor with Leica color-tuning and a flip-out screen built for vloggers.

At the same time, they also have a lot of common. Each camera is waterproof without a housing. Each shoots serious slow-motion. And each supports some kind of interchangeable optics, whether that's GoPro's identifying lens adaptors, DJI's screw-on FOV Boost and Macro lenses, or Insta360's more conventional fixed lens with software-driven crops.

So, how to choose? Read on to learn more about where each camera pulls ahead of the other, and where and when the differences actually matter. Let's get into the GoPro Mission 1 Pro vs DJI Osmo Action 6 vs Insta360 Ace Pro 2 rumble…

GoPro Mission 1 Pro vs DJI Osmo Action 6 vs Insta360 Ace Pro 2: Specifications

GoPro Mission 1 Pro vs DJI Osmo Action 6 vs Insta360 Ace Pro 2: Photo and video quality

On paper, the GoPro Mission 1 Pro looks the most impressive when it comes to image and video quality.

It's the only one of the three that shoots 8K at 60fps, the only one with an open gate 4:3 mode at full 8K resolution, and its slow-motion ceiling of FullHD 480fps (with a 960fps burst mode) comfortably beats the Ace Pro 2's FullHD 240fps. Stills are equally strong, with a genuine 50MP mode pulled from the full sensor.

The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 isn't far behind on the spec sheet: it also shoots 8K, tops out at 50MP stills and adds Leica color science that gives footage a more graded, polished look straight out of the camera. Where it falls short is slow-motion, capping at FullHD 240fps against the GoPro's much higher ceiling, and it sticks to 8-bit color rather than the Mission 1 Pro's 10-bit GP-Log2.

The DJI Osmo Action 6 was the odd one out at launch, but a firmware update unlocked an 8K 30fps mode and pushed the photos to 38MP. This was possible because, despite launching as a 4K-limited camera, DJI's larger sensor and adjustable aperture give it a clear advantage in low light.

The square sensor also means footage can be reframed between portrait and landscape after recording, without sacrificing the sensor's low-light advantage. In real-world low-light terms, then, it's arguably the most capable imaging system of the three, even with the smallest numbers on the page.

🏆: DJI Osmo Action 6

GoPro Mission 1 Pro vs DJI Osmo Action 6 vs Insta360 Ace Pro 2: Design and handling

Each camera solves handling differently. The GoPro Mission 1 Pro sticks closest to the traditional action camera formula: a rugged block with a removable lens cover that accepts identifying adaptors, plus a new point-and-shoot grip accessory for anyone who wants to hold it more like a compact camera. It's also the heaviest of the three at 212g, and the only one without any built-in storage.

The DJI Osmo Action 6 introduces swappable lenses, including a FOV Boost lens for a wider field of view and a forthcoming macro option, both of which the camera automatically detects when fitted. Its adjustable aperture is unique among this trio and it's also the only one with 50GB of built-in storage – so it's usable even without a memory card. At 149g, it's comfortably the lightest and most compact.

The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 takes a different approach entirely with its 180° flip-up touchscreen, which makes it the most natural choice for vlogging or any shot where you need to see yourself in frame. It's the heaviest to hold in the hand relative to its size and the hinge is one more moving part to worry about – but the flexibility it offers for framing is something neither of the other two can match.

🏆: Draw

GoPro Mission 1 Pro vs DJI Osmo Action 6 vs Insta360 Ace Pro 2: Price

The GoPro Mission 1 Pro is comfortably the most expensive of the three at $699.99 / AU$1,099, dropping to $599.99 / AU$949.95 only if you already hold a GoPro subscription. The DJI Osmo Action 6 sits in the middle at around $433 / AU$669 for the standard combo or around $546 / AU$839 for the Adventure Combo bundle that includes a selfie stick and extra batteries.

The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 undercuts both, launching at $399 / AU$551 for a single battery bundle, and it's since become considerably cheaper still in some markets. At the time of writing, it's been discounted to as little as $367 at US retailers – its lowest price of the year. For buyers working to a budget, that makes the Ace Pro 2 hard to argue with on value alone.

🏆: Insta360 Ace Pro 2

GoPro Mission 1 Pro vs DJI Osmo Action 6 vs Insta360 Ace Pro 2: How to choose

There isn't a single winner here, because these three cameras are built around different priorities. If you want the highest resolution, the fastest slow-motion and the most rugged, no-nonsense action camera experience, the GoPro Mission 1 Pro leads on specs – but you'll pay the most for it.

If real-world image quality matters more than numbers on a spec sheet, the DJI Osmo Action 6's adjustable aperture, swappable lenses and square sensor make it the most genuinely versatile camera of the three, and the one I'd reach for most often day-to-day. It's still very rugged, too – it was the one chosen to go on the outside of the rocket in China's reusable rocket space shot, and survived, which tells you something.

If you're working to a budget, or you shoot a lot of vlogging and talking-to-camera content where a flip screen actually matters, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 offers 8K, 50MP stills and Leica-tuned color for meaningfully less money than either rival.

There's no wrong answer, only the wrong camera for what you actually shoot.

The pocket gimbal camera has been a DJI category since the original Osmo Pocket, but the launch of the Insta360 Luna Ultra is the first time it's had real competition at the high end.

The latter landed within days of the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P. Both pair a 1-inch wide-angle lens with a second telephoto camera aAnd both target the same buyer: a creator who wants a pocketable, gimbal-stabilized camera capable of a proper piece to camera without a crew.

Beyond that, DJI has stuck close to the established Pocket formula by adding a second 60mm lens to a body that still handles much like the Pocket 3 and Pocket 4 before it.

Insta360 has gone further, building a detachable remote control with its own screen and microphone into the Luna Ultra, along with built-in fold-out tripod legs and an 8K video mode that DJI's camera can't match.

So which should you buy? That's the question we'll explore as I pit the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs the Insta360 Luna Ultra.

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs Insta360 Luna Ultra: Specifications

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs Insta360 Luna Ultra: Video and photo quality

The Insta360 Luna Ultra has the more impressive spec sheet here.

It shoots 8K at 30fps, while the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P caps out at 4K (albeit at up to 240fps for slow-motion). Insta360's I-Log 10-bit profile is also consistent across both the 20mm and 60mm lenses, and there's a 200MP stitched panorama mode alongside a more conventional 37MP UltraPhoto setting.

DJI, however, counters with LOFIC (Lateral Overflow Integration Capacity) tech on its 20mm sensor, a system that adds extra capacitors to capture more highlight detail and reduce the risk of blown-out skies.

The catch is that DJI's newer D-Log 2 color profile only works on the wide lens: switch to the 60mm telephoto and you're dropped back to standard D-Log, which makes matching footage between the lenses fiddly.

In practice, both cameras produce natural, filmic color with minimal grading required, and the difference in dynamic range between the two is small enough that it rarely matters day-to-day.

🏆: Insta360 Luna Ultra

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs Insta360 Luna Ultra: Design and handling

Both cameras use the wand-and-rotating-screen design pioneered by DJI's own Pocket 3. Neither is particularly rugged, as both rely on exposed gimbal mechanisms that aren't suited to sand or water.

The Luna Ultra comes with a detachable remote, which pulls away from the gimbal body complete with its own screen, physical controls and a built-in mic.

This means you can set the camera down, walk away, and frame and monitor a shot from a distance. That's something neither the Pocket 4P nor any previous pocket gimbal camera can do without a phone app – and phone apps are never as quick, simple or tactile.

It also boasts fold-out metal tripod legs, while you still need a separate screw-in tripod accessory for the Pocket 4P. Plus the separate physical zoom controller is easier to use by feel than DJI's default setup, which relies on a single 5D joystick that has to be switched between panning and zooming via an on-screen icon.

The Osmo Pocket 4P does has the advantage, though, of familiarity and backwards-compatibility. The existing Pocket 3 battery will fit it and its accessory ecosystem is well established. It has been built on, too, in the Pocket 4 generation with a new magnetic mount on the gimbal for a fill light.

🏆: Insta360 Luna Ultra

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs Insta360 Luna Ultra: Battery and accessories

Both cameras claim an identical battery life of up to four hours. In real-world use, though, the two diverged sharply. The DJI consistently delivered around 210 minutes in testing, while the Insta360 tended to run closer to 120 minutes (especially when shooting in its 8K mode) and ran out entirely mid-interview on one occasion.

In practice, it's also worth noting that both will overheat and power down sooner on a continuous shot at top specs (8K 30 for the Luna or 4K 60 for DJI) – though in Adam's tests it was the Luna Ultra that went first. But most of the time you won't want very long continuous shots, so this is only a concern in some scenarios.

DJI's fast charging is another strength, topping up to 80% in under 20 minutes thanks to USB 3.1 support, and the WiFi 6 connection makes offloading large video files quick. Insta360 charges over USB-C, too, and spare battery handles are available, but there's less margin for error if you're relying on the battery for a full day.

🏆: DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs Insta360 Luna Ultra: Price

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is the cheaper of the two at $710 / AU$959 for the Standard Combo. The Insta360 Luna Ultra starts higher at $769.99 / AU$1,099.99 for its Standard Bundle, with a pricier Creator Bundle available that adds a Mic Pro wireless microphone, a wide-angle lens and an extended battery.

🏆: DJI Osmo Pocket 4P

DJI Osmo Pocket 4P vs Insta360 Luna Ultra: How to choose

Overall, choosing between these cameras is a close call. The Insta360 Luna Ultra is the more ambitious camera: 8K video, a detachable remote that changes how you can shoot solo and built-in tripod legs that DJI still makes you buy separately.

If you're a content creator who values flexibility and composing shots from a distance, it's worth the extra money.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is the safer, cheaper choice, with better real-world battery life, faster charging and a mature accessory ecosystem that rewards anyone already invested in DJI's Pocket line. Its 60mm lens alone is reason enough to upgrade from a single-camera Pocket.

If price and reliable battery life matter most to you, buy the DJI. If you want the most capable, most flexible pocket gimbal camera money can buy, buy the Insta360 Luna Ultra.

The Insta360 Luna Ultra is a bold step into a new category for Insta360, the pocket gimbal camera, which was a space established by DJI a few years ago. That is far from a surprise, though – Insta360 and its partner brand Antigravity are treading on a lot of toes at DJI – already competing for spots on the best action camera, best 360-degree camera, and best 360-degree drone.

How do you come in, guns blazing, against the established competition? With more features and innovation, and that is exactly what the Luna Ultra promises. Though it only preceded DJI's Pocket 4P by a few days, the Luna Ultra was the first dual-camera device of this type, for a start. And if that wasn't enough, it also brought other innovations, like a detachable remote control and microphone.

How, though, does it measure up where it matters, when it comes to use and results? Is this new device going to lead the charge from now on, or is it all talk? I've been out testing it for some weeks, starting with a pre-release version and updating it to the launch firmware, and this is my experience and my verdict.

Insta360 Luna Ultra: Price

Priced at $769.99 / £649.99 / AU$1,229.99 for the Standard Bundle at launch, this is undoubtedly a premium price compared to previous pocket gimbal cameras. The Creator Bundle is more, but includes a Mic Pro wireless mic, wide-angle lens, and extended battery.

The only truly relevant competition is actually the DJI Pocket 4P, which hasn't even been launched in the USA for legal reasons. It does come in at a rather cheaper £529 / AU$1,099 for the Standard Combo, however, so the key question in this review won't be "Is this device good?" (obviously that needs covering) "But is it worth the price premium over the DJI – assuming you can get it?"

Insta360 Luna Ultra: Specs

Insta360 Luna Ultra: Build and handling

The pocket gimbal camera has become an established form factor, and in many ways, especially at first glance, there isn't a lot new here. The buttons are below the screen, so the camera can be gripped like a wand in the hand, and the thumb used to reach the more tactile buttons.

Above is a touchscreen which rotates 90 degrees and serves as a switch, a design concept first seen on the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 but no less useful here. In fact slightly more useful as Insta360 has added a couple of physical buttons to the bottom of the rotating screen which are always accessible (an interesting contrast to DJI's approach on the Pocket 4).

Beyond the similarities, the Luna Ultra is innovative in a very obvious way – its detachable remote with built-in screen. Two little red clip releases on either side will release the controls and screen, which then come away in something a little like a hybrid of a TV remote and a broadcaster's microphone (and it does actually contain a mic).

I found this to be a brilliant design benefit. It was easy to use a tripod, or just a nearby resting place, to place the camera, then I could walk a few steps away and compose a shot using the remote for a piece to camera, which is infinitely better than doing the same thing and being dependent on the automated subject tracking.

It's not that Insta360's system for automated tracking isn't good, but as a creative, it's much nicer to have the choice. A choice which is also bolstered by a subtle improvement against the competition – controls designed to be used by feel. The separate zoom controller is much more like a video camera, and is separate from the thumbstick which can be used to pan and tilt. This is a lot more natural than DJI's default either/or process.

I personally found it difficult to go back to not having a remote when I was out and about (and it's all so much quicker and easier than a phone app!)

Insta360 has placed a USB-C socket on the base, and allow the connection of a small base or a larger battery extension – this is all very familiar if you've seen DJI's Pocket 3 or 4. The difference is that clever fold-out tripod legs, made from metal little thicker than a paper clip, are cunningly tucked in by default. DJI's alternative requires an additional screw in tripod base.

Some people have said that the device is a bit heavy, but that wasn't my experience – I felt that the extra couple of grams over DJI's Pocket 4P made for a device that felt much more balanced.

The Luna Ultra has a wind guard over the built-in microphones rather than just the drilled hole, which is a nice touch, even if for most talking pieces you'll likely be using an external mic.

Some bundles are supplied with a zippable protective case, and the camera comes with a plastic shield. When powered down, the gimbal also places the lenses into a position where they are protected by the arm itself. Nevertheless this isn't a camera for tough conditions. There are mechanisms in the gimbals which aren't likely to be sand or water friendly.

By default, one of the buttons below the screen opens the menu of built-in effects, including some styles designed with the help of the Leica team to replicate Leica film. These are a quick and easy way to get visual effects that do look good. I'd also note that it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with this menu, not least because the OS isn't good at explaining the effects on screen. (On one occasion I accidentally left this feature on and got photos that I couldn't really use, which was a shame.)

Pros will prefer to use the I-Log 10-bit for videos anyway, of course, and shoot with the raw mode.

Insta360 Luna Ultra: Performance

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the camera's performance on picture, subject tracking, and display.

Video might ever-so-slightly lack some of the dynamic range of the DJI Pocket 4P when shooting in Log, but there is more than enough range to achieve results that look essentially identical if you do shoot with Log, so I'm not certain it is the advantage some suggest.

In terms of telephoto, the optical zoom is great, and the digital zoom is good too – though I did see some problems with noise artefacts at 12x, so I'd think of that as a last resort.

The sample video I took of the eclipse – I simply left the camera running during the whole event at maximum zoom – is interesting because there is a detectable drop in resolution as the event reaches totality (ring of fire). That is presumably the camera auto-switching to an equivalent of "PureVideo," the low-light mode, which ordinarily only works in 4K anyway.

The battery life was not, in my experience, four hours, but nearer to two. That's in part because I tended to use the 8K mode, while staying in 4K will deliver more time. On one crucial occasion, the battery did run out while I was shooting an interview (with an Insta360 co-founder, ironically) and I was a little caught out by the fact it stopped recording but the screen stayed on reassuringly, so we just finished the interview and then found the problem. A loud beep in this scenario might be an idea in a software update!

Topping up the charge with USB-C is easy, however, and it is possible to buy spare battery handles. I should have planned better for that interview, but sometimes things just go wrong, and it was near the end of a busy day.

It's also worth noting that Insta360 has been quick to come up with innovative accessories – I've also already tested a neck strap that lets you wear the camera while it automatically follows your head movements with the gimbal and (once I'd got used to connecting it) I was impressed. It might not be to the taste of a photographer or creator used to composing each shot, but it's very practical.

Insta360 Luna Ultra: Overall verdict

Sometimes when a new company enters a market and makes significant changes to the genre, a reviewer (yes, like me) may end up using words like "ambitious." That's code for "I admire what you tried..." and is then usually followed with a "but here's why it didn't quite work."

Here, however, there is no evidence that Insta360's innovations have done anything but deliver more options to creatives, and they don't really seem to come with any compromise. Sure, there are contacts behind the removable remote, but gimbal cameras already have vulnerable elements, so there is a big gain and no loss.

It is not quite perfect. There are moments I found the operating system a little off. It has a lot to say on screen about the Leica image styles, but doesn't give me time to read them, for example. A few other usability tweaks for future software updates could definitely help. But that is par for the course.

On the other hand the I-Log is consistent across both lenses, whereas the DJI Pocket 4P frustratingly stops your workflow and requires you to switch down from D-Log 2 to D-Log if you want to use the telephoto. Now that's frustrating.

Ultimately, any high-end content creator – especially one looking for portability and flexibility – will find the Luna Ultra a near-peerless device. Some may question the price, but the relative ease and simplicity (compared to a phone app or remote) of the remote make this ideal, especially for solo creators, and comfortably pay for the difference.

Insta360 Luna Ultra: Alternatives

How I tested the Insta360 Luna Ultra

It's firmly my belief that the best way to review a camera is to experience it over as long a period as possible, so you can use it in everyday shooting situations – coping with the slightly unexpected all the time.

Insta360 provided me with a Luna Ultra camera before it's release, and I have added it into my bag and taken it with me to a number of locations. On many of those occasions I've also had the new DJI Pocket 4P with me, so I've had the chance to compare the two against each other.

If you have been waiting for the right moment to pick up one of the best action cameras around, this could be it.

The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 8K has just dropped to £279 at Wex, down from its usual £329 price, saving you a cool £50. Better still, that makes this the lowest price Wex has offered it for this year.

I already thought the Ace Pro 2 offered a pretty compelling alternative to the usual GoPro and DJI options, but at £279 it becomes considerably harder to ignore. This is a proper flagship action camera, co-engineered with Leica, with a large 1/1.3-inch sensor capable of recording 8K video at up to 30fps and capturing 50MP still images.

One of my favourite things about the Ace Pro 2 is that it feels like it has been designed for far more than simply strapping to a helmet and throwing yourself down a mountain. Its 2.5-inch flip touchscreen makes it particularly useful for vlogging and content creation, while the Leica colour profiles, Active HDR and PureVideo modes give you plenty of options when you want footage that looks a little more polished straight out of the camera.

It is still every bit an action camera, though. FlowState stabilisation and 360-degree Horizon Lock are designed to keep footage smooth when things get chaotic, while the body itself is waterproof down to 12 metres without needing an additional housing. There is also a removable wind guard to help improve audio when shooting outdoors, which is another small touch that makes the Ace Pro 2 feel particularly creator-friendly.

What really makes this deal stand out for me is the price. At £329, the Ace Pro 2 already sits in competitive territory, but knocking another £50 off and bringing it below that psychologically important £300 mark makes it feel like considerably more camera for the money. Wex is also currently showing limited stock and describing the camera as “selling fast”, so I would not necessarily hang around if you have been considering one.

At just £279, this is the lowest price the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 has hit at Wex this year, and I think it is easily one of the more tempting action-camera deals around right now. You are getting 8K recording, Leica-backed imaging, excellent stabilisation, a flip screen and a rugged waterproof body for £50 less than usual – and that is a deal well worth paying attention to.

Insta360 has over 70% of the 360-degree camera market, and its last few generations of cameras have been as recognisable as they were functional. There have been ten years of development, before the 'X series' has settled on a rough shape and incremental improvements that make for a 360-degree camera that can also be an action camera.

In recent months, though, the dominant X-series has faced more competition than ever before, in the form of the DJI Osmo 360 and the GoPro Max 2. Insta360 has responded by shaking things up in a number of ways for this new generation – it is a new shape, it brings more power – both in terms of battery life and computational abilities, and it has bigger image sensors to make it more capable in low light.

Insta360 is also keen to help make 360-degree creation easier, bringing more AI features to the table.

The question is: Has Insta360 done enough to stay ahead of the much tougher game? I have been lucky enough to get early access to one of the cameras and have been out testing it to answer exactly that question.

Price

The Insta360 X6 launches at a category-topping $699 / £619 (or $799 / £709 for the 'Essentials Bundle' which adds the near-essential selfie stick as well as other probably-less-necessary accessories like a fast-charge case and extra battery).

That is some way in excess of the GoPro Max 2, or the DJI Osmo 360, a premium Insta360 understands too. The X5 and X4 Air will remain for sale, with the X6 sitting at the top of the range.

Specs

Build and handling

For the first time in several generations, Insta360 has changed the form factor of the camera. The X3, X4, X4 Air and X5 are all virtually the same height and width, placing buttons beneath the screen and the back-to-back lenses at the top.

The new X6 dispenses with those two physical buttons, opting to add a pressure-sensitive display which can be pressed (even when wearing a glove) to act as a shutter button, while moving the mode button to the other side.

The two main buttons on the screen are easily pressed, so starting and stopping recording is straightforward (and you can enable a pressure sensitive screen start-stop for gloved hands).

While the camera remains compatible with Insta360's magnetic mount system, four contacts for pogo pins mean that new accessories – including a version of the selfie stick that has a battery in the handle and keeps the camera running for much longer, ideal for a long shoot or an extended timelapse.

This re-imagination of the design makes a lot of sense because the more compact form factor is easier to use for action situations. The camera nevertheless now packs ambient light sensors and an AdaptiveTone 2.0 system to meter each camera separately.

The X6 is also better equipped to record action, boasting faster 8K50 fps (its predecessor maxed out at 30fps). There is support for Dolby Vision HDR and 10-bit color.

In terms of rugged strength, the camera feels convincing, all the ports behind sealed doors. It is waterproof to 20m/60ft without a case, and new '2.0' lenses are easier to replace in the field (and priced lower than before too).

Performance

Perhaps I should start by saying that pulling content from the device to assemble clips was as painless a process as I've experienced with a 360-degree camera.

The Studio app was my tool of choice, though it can also be done on the phone, and files copy over surprisingly fast thanks to the Wi-Fi 6 connection.

I can see in my first tests that the investment in larger image sensors has been worth it – the image quality, both stills and video, is markedly improved from the previous versions, and that shows in footage I was able to capture in locations like Times Square, where detail was captured in the rapidly flashing lighting, while the darker area

I was definitely sure that the 1,200-nit (peak) 2.32-inch OLED display achieves the level of brightness needed to cope in sunny environs, too, and Insta360 are right to be proud of the battery improvements – charging to 80% in 24 minutes seemed easily achieved.

Operating the menus is snappy and straightforward, but that's not the only evidence of the new processor chip.

The most significant improvement is active subject tracking, meaning the X6 can also work a lot like a gimbal camera, creating flat 4K video which keeps a nearby subject in frame as you go – usually meaning you, the person holding the selfie stick! There is also the option of 360 Video Backup – shooting a spherical video as well as a flat video simultaneously, so you have the flat video quickly and can reframe. This, though, is let down by the fact that 1080P and 5.7K is the limit.

The device will also start making an AI edit when left alone and plugged in, which is a step forward from other cameras.

Software

Insta360 has provided its usual Insta360 Studio for desktop and a phone app which can also serve as a remote control, as well as plugins for Premiere and the like, all of which go to making the workflow of the 'shoot first, frame later' creator as smooth as possible.

Admittedly, I'm uncertain that the app absolutely needs 2.2Gb of my Mac's overpriced drive space, but Insta360 does not set Apple's storage prices, and that's a minor issue. However most video editors prepared to invest time in after-the-fact will find a range of easy-to-grasp tools built around a timeline, and subject tracking can be added at this stage.

The phone app will show you ready-edited compilations – the above is what it did with the same set of clips I had from New York. Clearly it can't make a coherent edit of my talking to the camera, but it does seem capable of identifying the most action even in images with relatively little going on. Despite the fact these shots were made more with testing quality in mind, you can see the beginnings of an edit you could post on socials.

Overall verdict

To be honest, I still don't feel I've had enough time with this camera despite all the time I've had and all the shots I've made. Why? Because it might actually be well on the way to being as capable as Insta360 would like to suggest.

Has the company completely solved the potential time to spend perfecting a shot after-the-fact? No. I'd wager that is impossible. But most of the drawbacks of 360 photography are consigned to history, especially if you choose your mode sensibly. I'd love to report you can do absolutely everything, but because 360 Video Backup mode is not yet at maximum resolution, it's still best thought of as a gimbal camera OR an action camera OR a 360-degree camera at any one moment.

As a pocket gimbal camera, it dispenses with vulnerability, which will give it an edge for many. Despite the name, that product category has small motorised components that tend to be better kept in a bag than your pocket, while the rugged nature of this design feels like a success for anyone into more sports-like activity than gentle walk-and-talks. Sure, you don't get the lens blue for background subjects, but action camera users expect deep depth of field.

The 360-degree stills seem spectacular to me as an idea, but it's difficult for someone used to shooting and editing slowly to trust it. For most people, though, I can see just how liberating it is to have a camera so quickly prepare the highlights for your social feeds – it's not like you can't take a look at the originals.

Overall, though, this isn't a cheap device, but it really delivers on the promise of replacing or extending the capability of action cameras, and makes a fair stab at being a pocket camera (with some caveats), and is, of course, an excellent 360-degree camera. Three-in-one? Definitely. And all three are good cameras, in their own way.

Alternatives

How I tested the X6

As someone who has tested a large number of 360-degree cameras and assembled a guide to the best 360-degree cameras and the best action cameras (not to mention some 360-degree drones), I know there is only one useful way to test a device like this: to get out there and use it. That is what will expose quirks of the system as well as gather enough useful shots in different situations.

After that, of course, it's equally vital to put the software through its paces.

Insta360 trusted me with a pre-release X6, so I could get a head start testing the camera, and I tried it in a number of locations, including New York, London, and in Spain for the total solar eclipse, which happened the same day the device was launched.

The Insta360 X-series has long sat at the top of the best 360 cameras, but the camera maker doesn’t just want to replace the X5 with the new Insta360 X6 – no, the company wants to replace three cameras in one.

The Insta360 X6 levels up the company’s flagship 360 model with larger sensors, AI that edits videos in the background, and Dolby Vision (a first for 360 cameras that means optimized brightness and contrast). But the X6 also sits at a higher price point than the X5’s launch price.

The key upgrade to the X6 is the move to two Sony 1/1.1-inch sensors. Those sensors are about a third larger than the X5’s, but Insta360 says the X6 has about four times as much light-gathering power.

Along with that sensor, Insta360 didn’t add one processor but three – a move to add five times more computing power. Besides aiding the 360 camera’s sharpness and denoising, that massive update in power is built for AI that works behind the scenes.

That opens the door to higher resolution output, including 5K60fps video in single-camera mode, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Insta360 explains that, when the X6 is plugged in, the camera automatically begins assembling a highlight reel of the footage using on-board AI, wirelessly delivering the edit to a smartphone. Insta360’s Auto Edit is still intact and improved to version 2.0, giving users tools to create an automatic edit but with more fine-tuned control like the framing, camera movement, cuts, and music.

There is even the power available to create 3D models of an environment using 3D Gaussian splatting, and "return anytime."

360 cameras have often served as a replacement for action cameras too – using a single lens instead of two for more standard POV footage. But Insta360 says the X6 does the job of not just two cameras but three: a 360 camera, an action camera, and a gimbal camera.

The X6 has a new flat tracking mode that tracks a person across a standard 4K frame, which Insta360 says gives the X6 the ability to act like a gimbal camera. Gimbal cameras like the DJI Pocket series have risen dramatically in popularity – and Insta360 now even has its own take on the format with the Insta360 Luna Ultra.

The move to add a gimbal cam mode makes a lot of sense – much of the benefit of 360 cameras comes from the fact that the immersive data means adjusting the framing or adding stabilization doesn’t decimate the video’s resolution.

Insta360 is putting those extra pixels into use with a flat tracking mode that produces a standard frame video while tracking a subject. 360 cameras could do this before with re-framing, but the new InstaFrame 2.0 acts like a gimbal camera without any editing. The X6 isn’t about to replace the Insta360 Luna Ultra gimbal cam that launched just two months ago – as the Luna uses a dual lens design that also allows for more telephoto shots – but it aims to build in wide-angle tracking without a second camera.

Compared to the earlier X5 – the camera that sits at the top of the list of the best 360 cameras – the X6 goes beyond the updated sensor and processor and also adds more battery life, I-Log recording, upgraded cooling, and more durable lens covers (that are also cheaper to replace).

Those upgrades, however, come at a cost. The X5 debuted at $549.99 / £519.99 / AU$929.99, but the X6 comes in at $699 / £619 / AU$1,049.

You may also like

For more immersive camera inspiration, browse the best 360 cameras.

GoPro isn’t the only action camera giant working on a mirrorless camera. In a recent interview, Insta360 CEO Jingkang “JK” Liu revealed that the company is working on not one but two mirrorless cameras.

The interview with Japanese publication MyNavi confirms the firestorm of camera rumors that Liu triggered himself earlier this year, when the CEO shared a photo of what looked like a mirrorless camera under development.

But while mirrorless is a well-known category, Liu’s comments hint that Insta360’s upcoming cameras won’t be like a typical interchangeable lens camera.

“I think we’ll be able to show everyone a prototype at next year’s CP+,” Liu said (translated by Google).

“This camera has the potential to completely change the way we take pictures with a camera – framing, focusing and pressing the shutter button. I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of unconventional camera will be unveiled.”

But one of the reasons the mysterious mirrorless cameras will be unlike current options could be that Insta360 is planning on using AI in order to build, as Liu puts it, a mirrorless for “people who don’t know how to use interchangeable lens cameras”.

The interview hints that AI will be more of a focus than in cameras from traditional Japanese mirrorless makers, and include tools to automate shooting and reduce failed shots.

Liu offered one more hint about one of the upcoming mirrorless cameras: “It will be a shape no one has ever thought of before.”

Insta360 is no stranger to oddly shaped cameras, as the dual-lens nature of 360 imaging requires a design far different than traditional single-lens cameras.

During the interview, the CEO indicated that the new Insta360 Luna Ultra was selling well and that the optional head-tracking accessory had been so well received that some orders may be delayed.

You may also like…

Read about GoPro's upcoming mirrorless camera or browse the best mirrorless cameras.

One of Insta360’s best immersive cameras is about to get a major overhaul with one-inch sensors and three AI chips. According to fresh teasers, the 8K Insta360 X5 will debut on August 12.

The current Insta360 X5 is “easily the best 360-degree camera out there,” but if the teasers are any indication, the X6 will usher in a new era for the series. Insta360 hints that the X6 uses one-inch sensors – a boost from the X5’s pair of 1/1.28-inch sensors. The company says that those new sensors are “custom Sony sensors,” suggesting they were tailor-made for the immersive 360 view.

Even with the jump in sensor size, Insta360 says the X6 will still shoot 8K resolution across the 360 view.

The teaser also confirms another unusual detail: the X6 will use not one but three AI chips inside the camera.

While the 8K and triple AI chip design sounds like the makings of a very modern camera, Insta360 says the X6 has been “a decade in the making.” Insta360 originally launched the X1 in 2018 and has been steadily improving the immersive camera over five generations.

While the teaser doesn’t include full specifications – or a price – Insta360 has dropped enough hints that there’s a clear step up from the X5. While the earlier X5 also offered 8K, the X6 has larger sensors.

Larger sensors tend to deliver better low-light performance. In a second teaser post, Insta360 said, “Zoom all the way in, day or night, and the detail holds.”

While the upgraded sensor hints at a significant change from the X5, Insta360 is no stranger to the one-inch sensor camera. The Insta360 One RS 1-inch edition and modular One R one-inch edition also have the larger sensors, along with the company’s newly announced compact gimbal camera, the Insta360 Luna Ultra.

The teaser video showcases a variety of different shots, including underwater shots and nighttime shots of fireworks, hinting at both the camera’s durability and low-light quality.

Insta360 fans won’t have to wait long to find the full details. Insta360 says the X6 is arriving on August 12 at 9 AM EDT / 5 AM PST / 2 PM BST.

You may also like

Take a more immersive look in DCW's guide to the best 360 cameras.

The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 Dual Battery Bundle has dropped to just £289 at Park Cameras, down from £345 and saving you a cool £56 on a powerful 8K action-camera double-power package.

For anyone looking to capture high-quality footage while travelling, cycling, skiing, hiking, or simply recording everyday adventures, this is a deal that deserves attention. The Ace Pro 2 combines a compact and rugged design with detailed 8K video, strong image stabilisation, and the flexibility required for fast-moving action.

Low-light performance is another major strength. Action cameras have traditionally struggled once the light begins to fade, but the Ace Pro 2 is designed to produce cleaner, more detailed footage across a broader range of conditions, making it a versatile option for both daytime adventures and evening shoots.

Its flip-up screen also makes framing considerably easier, particularly when filming yourself or creating content for social media. Combined with intelligent shooting modes and straightforward controls, it offers a polished experience without forcing you to spend hours working through complicated settings.

This particular bundle includes a second battery, giving you more time to keep recording before needing to recharge. That is particularly useful for longer days outdoors, holidays, events, and any occasion where access to a power socket may be limited.

At just £289, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 Dual Battery Bundle offers a great deal of action-camera performance for the money. You can get the camera with one battery for £279, but we strongly advise you to get the bundle for another tenner – as it is by far the best deal.

Insta360 has invited creators to design new accessories for the Luna Ultra, sharing 3D designs of its new camera with the wider community and offering $11,000 (approximately £8,200 / AU$15,900) prizes – and the chance to have their design become a real product.

The competition, being run with 3D printer company Bambu Lab, opened on July 10 and has already seen a number of entrants on the host platform MakerWorld.

When I first held the Insta360 Luna Ultra at the pre-release event, I could tell that the design was a bit special – and seemed likely to provoke the attention of creatives not just because of its function but its form.

Why? I think, especially, the side-by-side arrangement of the "eyes" which reminded me of Johnny 5 from the movie Short Circuit. It also evokes Pixar's WALL•E. Certainly, the designer of the Luna Buddy, 3dLabItaly, pictured, seems to have got that!

This is perhaps why Insta360 has opted for two competition categories: 'Creative mods' and 'Practical add-ons'. The former can include "custom looks, playful concepts and aesthetic upgrades". You will not be at all surprised to know that assorted stylized cat's ears have already appeared in the first 40 entries!

One wonders whether the second category – in which Insta360 calls for things like stability mounts, expanded functionality, filming accessories, creator rigs – might be more likely to win the overall prize of a production run, but perhaps not for a playful device like this.

If you don't yet have a 3D printer, you're still welcome to enter. Indeed, there are 3D printers in the $11,000 prize pool – so this might be your chance to pick one up, but don't delay as the competition closes on August 09.

Whether you are entering or not, I do think this competition sets a great precedent – and it'll be interesting to see whether other camera manufacturers are enthused by it.

Insta360 is known for engaging with its community, with many of the company's existing accessories coming from that engagement (that and the enthusiasm of its CEO, who takes a personal interest in projects like the Luna head-tracking device).

Personally, I have a lot of faith in the camera community to know what it needs – and it's great to see the connection to product creators get closer. I can't imagine it will always have this kind of budget, though, so it's probably a great chance to try your skills.

I wonder if the guy who made the most pistol grip ever is going to enter?

You might also like…

Take a look at the best 360 cameras and the best action cameras.

Byron Seven a tech maker, designer, and self-proclaimed everyday cary gear enthusiast, has created this pistol-grip accessory for the new Insta360 Luna series of cameras – but does it look a bit too like a gun?

Byron says "I put a lot of thought into how tools feel, function" but commentators have seen this new design and not all can see themselves using it.

@donalleniii, on Instagram, said "I think I have too much melanin in my skin in the United States to safely operate this camera" – alluding, perhaps, to the 3-times higher rate of shooting of minorities by police in the USA (see NIH data).

It is far from the only comment that suggests many will be sceptical for the same reason.

More light-hearted is @thegolden_gff, who notes "It’s All good until you film the president…"

Nevertheless, there are plenty of comments expressing enthusiasm, and others looking for variants for the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and DJI Osmo Pocket 4 cameras already on the shelves.

The Insta360 Luna Ultra, seen here, is Insta360's first pocket gimbal-style camera, and in many ways instantly the best pocket gimbal camera. It brings new features like a detachable remote monitor and microphone and dual cameras.

Incidentally, if you're wondering, I've reviewed the cameras but not the grip. Both the Luna cameras, and the DJI cameras that seem to inspire them, can be used in the horizontal way that seems to inspire the gun-like grip, and it works especially well for some shots, like rotating views. They are normally held, though, vertically, so I'm not actually sure the grip is ideal in all situations.

The Luna is not the cheapest gimbal-style camera and many already have the popular DJI offering, which explains the demand for alternatives which is appearing already (amongst those prepared to risk holding the "gun").

Interstingly this is not the only experimental design seen on the Byron Seven site, and he has addressed DJI devices before – though not all his filmmaking and phone holder alternatives are quite so reminiscent of a Glock.

Indeed he claims he engineered a 'real camera' from a DJI Osmo Pocket with a rig design.

I've not had the chance to test that, either, but the attention to detail is impressive – I can't argue with @divyanshudn who said: "the amount of custom 3D prints for a single video ! Kudos to you"

The Antigravity A1 Infinity Bundle has dropped to just £1,199, down from £1,499, and saving you a cool £300 on one of the most exciting and unusual drone packages currently available.

What makes the Antigravity A1 stand out is its ability to capture immersive 8K 360-degree footage, recording everything around the aircraft as it flies. Rather than committing to a single camera angle in the air, you can reframe your footage afterwards and choose the perspective that best suits the finished video.

The experience is made even more immersive by the included Vision Goggles and Grip Controller. Instead of operating the drone through a conventional screen and controller setup, the system is designed to make flying feel more natural and intuitive, opening up a completely different approach to aerial filmmaking.

The Infinity Bundle also adds considerable value for anyone planning longer filming sessions. It includes three high-capacity flight batteries, a charging hub, a Quick Reader, carrying cases, and spare propellers, giving you a far more complete setup straight out of the box.

This is not simply another compact camera drone. Its combination of 360-degree capture, immersive flight, and post-production reframing makes it particularly appealing to filmmakers and content creators who want to produce aerial footage that looks different from the familiar shots captured by more traditional drones.

At £1,199, the Antigravity A1 Infinity Bundle remains a serious investment, but the £300 saving makes this complete 8K 360-degree drone package considerably more tempting. For creators looking to experiment with a new style of aerial filmmaking, this is a deal that certainly deserves attention.

As part of the launch for the Insta360 Luna Ultra, the company held a major event in Wetzlar, Germany – and in attendance was Max Richter, the company's co-founder.

While the Luna was the main attraction, with the event taking place at the home of Leica – a brand which defined portable cameras – I couldn't help but remember that, in the last few months, we have also seen and heard some other very interesting rumors from Insta360.

Namely the possibility of a compact camera, perhaps even with an interchangeable lens (ILC).

I asked Richter if he could share any information about those rumors and, to my surprise, he was a little more forthcoming than you might expect.

While I didn't walk away with the product name, Richter definitely leaves me with the strong impression that something like that is in the roadmap.

"It doesn't end here – in the future you can expect more also on the traditional photography camera space."

Wow. No cameras are more traditional than Leica's, so I then asked him if the company that owned the hotel we were meeting in ought to be a little worried.

Insta360 has had an engineering partnership with Leica for seven years, resulting in several co-branded products, though I have heard the term "Legacy company" used to describe one of the greatest names in the history of photography more than once.

He reassures me (and Leica): "No, I don't think [they should be worried]. They are a close partner and we can't announce any details, but Insta360 has a bigger vision to become one of the world's leading content creation tools, and really we get there step by step."

He talked about having first met the Leica team in 2019 at CES, and the "legacy" he says is paired with a "young upcoming technology company". He talks about Insta360 learning a lot about "imaging excellence and internal processes" from Leica.

There was also an Antigravity A1 drone on display. Antigravity isn't technically Insta360, but the company was 'incubated' by it and Richter seemed very knowledgeable about the drone when I asked.

I was especially interested, after the launch of the DJI Avata 360, whether there would be an alternate controller for the A1 drone that didn't require FPV goggles. This is an option for DJI customers and sidesteps the need for a second person to join you when using the drone for safety reasons.

"We get a lot of market feedback for this," he tells me. And, after considering his words, lets me know that "we definitely listen to market feedback," but he can't announce anything just yet.

It would seem a sensible move, though, especially as new drones are still difficult in the USA – but accessories aren't an issue.

Which gets us on to the wider global prospects for Insta360 and some of the company's other interesting products – like special editions of the kind that used to come from Japan.

"If you are community user, driven and bold enough to bring the ideas to life, there is tremendous opportunity."

He cited the Ace Pro 2 Explorer bundle that creates a point-and-shoot camera – a concept he says is doing well in Asia-Pacific and was a DIY idea from Facebook.

"It's in our DNA that we're very user-centric… still our founder, JK [Liu Jingkang], is very active on Facebook, he still checks the Reddit comments, so we're very very community driven."

So that might just be the answer. Keep asking the forums and, eventually, you can get anything you need!

You might also like…

Take a look at the best 360 cameras and the best pocket gimbal cameras, along with the best Leica cameras.

Insta360 has struck back against DJI with five patent claims covering gimbals and 360 degree-cameras – this in apparent retaliation for DJI's patent lawsuit launched the same day Insta360 launched the Luna Ultra gimbal camera.

What will this actually mean. First, of course, we'll get to hear a lot of posturing from the two companies. Insta360's founder JK Liu said "At Insta360, we prefer to let our products do the talking. But we are not afraid of a legal battle when challenged."

The patents that Insta360 has asserted as its own are, according to the company, being used by DJI in a number of its major product lines, including the Osmo Pocket series (the center of the storm, of course), the Ronin/RS series of camera gimbals, the Osmo Mobile series of phone gimbals, and the Osmo 360.

Other than the Ronins, these are all product categories that Insta360 now has at least one competing product in since the June 10 launch of the Luna.

That launch was strong, with the Luna Ultra ranking as the best-selling camcorder in Amazon USA in the 24 hours after launch.

Insta360 has been clear that the Luna Ultra is not a response to DJI's product (though the similarities are evident to me as a reviewer). JK added "Development began in 2020, with earlier Insta360 products including the ONE R, Link Series webcams, and Flow Series gimbals helping shape the technology and design direction behind Luna Ultra. DJI filing lawsuits on the same day we launched Luna Ultra speaks volumes—exposing their fear of competition from a highly competitive product."

Though it may not be related, and I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions, it is interesting that the date of launch on Insta360's side was something of a surprise for those of us covering the industry – coming a little sooner than first anticipated. At the time, I thought it was because some retailers accidentally leaked it.

Crucially, the product will not be disappearing from the shelves, and nor are we expecting to see any changes in the timeline of DJI's product launch.

In many cases, new DJI products have become available through different retailers in the USA – buying the Pocket 4 in the USA is possible – before appearing on DJI's own store anyway, and the Pocket 4 is one of those, so the Pocket 4P may be one of them too.

In these cases, the demand for the products of both companies, which appears global and present now, is likely to result in a behind-the-scenes settlement even should a court decide that a patent belongs to one or other company.

Such a decision, if contested, will be some years away, and neither company will suspect product sales in the meantime. The legal solution, should the court decide it is appropriate, will be one of restitution (in other words, paying the money that was lost).

In the meantime, check our guide to the best pocket gimbal camera.

Insta360’s first gimbal camera has now officially launched - sooner than expected - and boasts 8K among other features that instantly put it ahead of the competition.

The Luna Ultra is a gimbal cameras and seems like a competitor for the pending DJI Osmo Pocket 4P. Both place two cameras on a gimbal for steadiness at the top of a handle – but it seems the new Luna Ultra has beaten DJI to market (though the single camera DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has been out since April).

The Insta360 Luna Ultra is not only a new category for Insta360, but boasts 'industry-first' features to the category as a whole – especially the detachable remote control.

The most distinctive feature is the detachable remote control – which is also home to the 2-inch OLED touchscreen display and a built-in microphone. The camera also features a tiny built-in mini-tripod and subject-tracking AI, so the device is a complete portable studio.

I was lucky enough to get an early look at the Insta360 Luna at a special hands-on event held at the "City of Optics" – otherwise known as Leica HQ, Wetzlar, Germany, but the final release date wasn't expected today, in part because CEO JK said a secret feature was causing a delay.

Why was that test on Leica's home turf? The companies have a long history together, and the Luna's lens – and some software features – are part of Insta360's cooperation with Leica.

Of the launch Leica's Marius Eschweiler, a Leica VP, said "It reflects the shared vision and long-term collaboration between Insta360 and Leica, combining optical heritage with a new generation of intelligent imaging technology."

At Leica-Park I was able to put the camera on nearby bollards, take off the remote (which includes the touchscreen, joystick to control the camera, and zoom controls), then stand where I thought was the right place to record a piece to camera. It was a simple job to line the shot up just as I wanted with the remote and check it on the screen (which still works remotely), then press record.

For even better sound quality, the device is also compatible with wireless mics. Indeed, Insta360 offer several bundles, one including their Mic Air. (This is, of course, a feature now to be expected in not just the pocket gimbal category – the DJI devices do it – but most action cameras too.)

Other key features include 8K30fps with Dolby Vision support, 47GB built-in storage, 10-bit video, a low-light mode, 37 megapixel "UltraPhotos" and 200 megapixel panoramas (created by automatically rotating the camera and stitching the result). Photos can use Leica color profiles Leica Natural, Leica Vivid, and Leica Chrome.

The Luna Ultra, the premium version featuring dual cameras, will sell for US$769.99, and is already available at B&H and Amazon (indeed it appeared a little earlier than the official launch). There are two colorways – Cosmic Black and Stellar White.

Will it make it to the top of our best pocket gimbal camera guide? My experience so far has been promising; I'd better get to work (but then I also happen to know another camera is coming soon from arch-rival DJI – I've also already tried the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P in Cannes!)

Insta360 is gearing up to launch the new Luna and Luna Ultra cameras, but the date for the worldwide launch has been put back to sometime later in June. This delay was explained on Weibo, the Chinese micro-messaging platform, by the CEO Liu Jingkang, known as JK, as caused by a new feature he had requested – and he went on to describe it in some detail.

The feature in question is no less than a Luna first-person camera kit, which he says was initially a temporary experiment designed because he wanted to do two things at once.

JK also posted a video which appears to show the device being used, though it's difficult to see exactly what is going on, except for a few tantalizing reflections.

His explanation, though, is the key to what is going on – and what seems likely to be offered as an accessory to the camera when it comes to market.

"Last year, during the National Day holiday, when I was internally testing our camera, I encountered a street performance. I used a Luna demo unit to record it, but I was focused on the screen the entire time (afraid of going out of frame), rather than enjoying the performance itself," said JK, and I think that's an experience that a lot of us can relate to.

In his post, he continues: "Recording was out of fear of missing it, but the only opportunity I had to enjoy it was spent on the screen. This made me realize that enjoying the present moment and recording are equally important."

This explains why what he calls the "Luna first-person camera kit" was developed, and why the video on Weibo shows him testing it, walking out of the office to his car (a Tesla Cybertruck, since you ask).

While it can't definitely be connected to the settled launch date, he does mention the date June 18th for a reposting competition on the Weibo platform.

The Luna series is Insta360's entrance into the pocket gimbal camera market, until now dominated by the DJI Osmo Pocket series – notably the Pocket 3 and now Pocket 4.

The market is becoming increasingly competitive and it'll be interesting to see where the Luna lands on our guide to the best pocket gimbal cameras in a few weeks. I have already held both the Pocket 4P and the Luna Ultra in my hands, so I know they're only days away, and tried the Luna's remote control, but ultimately, the final versions will be what matters.

The Insta360 X4 Air has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting 360-degree cameras on the market, and this latest deal makes it even harder to ignore.

The 8K Insta360 X4 Air Starter Bundle has dropped to just £289, down from £389, saving you £100 off the usual price for this kit that includes the all-important invisible selfie stick, a silicone lens cap so you don't scratch the two fisheye lenses, and two spare batteries.

At the heart of the Insta360 X4 Air is its headline-grabbing 8K 360-degree video capture, which delivers noticeably cleaner detail, stronger reframing flexibility, and more cinematic results than earlier generations. Whether you’re shooting action sports, travel content, or immersive social clips, the extra resolution gives you far more freedom in post without sacrificing image quality.

The X4 also shines as a dual-purpose camera. Switch out of full 360 mode and it becomes a capable single-lens action cam, complete with excellent stabilization, punchy color, and impressive low-light performance for its class. It’s a genuinely versatile tool for creators who want one camera that can do a bit of everything.

What really sweetens this deal is the Starter Bundle itself. It’s designed to get you shooting straight out of the box, with essential accessories that make the X4 easier to use – and saves you having to buy all these extras afterwards, when you realize you needed them in the first place.

In typical Insta360 fashion, usability is a strong point. The touchscreen interface is intuitive, the companion app is one of the best in the business, and features like invisible selfie stick effects and AI-powered reframing make complex shots accessible even if you’re new to 360 video.

With a £100 saving, this is the best ever price we’ve seen on the Insta360 X4 Air Starter Bundle to date. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to jump into 8K 360 capture, this deal makes a very compelling case to do it now.

See our full guide to the best 360 cameras

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has been released and the Pocket 4P has been shown to journalists (including me), but the cameras lack one feature that the big new competitor from arch-rival Insta360 will bring to the market: a detachable remote control. Not built-in as standard, at least.

The Insta360 Luna and Luna Ultra are also in that pre-release stage; I've seen them and had hands-on experiences, but the final on-sale date is still a little way in the future.

However, if you are looking for a camera from DJI that has a detachable touchscreen, I remembered this morning that you can actually already buy it.

If you want a camera set up with a detachable remote from DJI, you'll find that you actually already own the 'camera' element. That's because the device I'm talking about is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P, which is a gimbal for your phone – and its major new feature was a magnetically-attached detachable touchscreen with remote control for the gimbal.

This was a spectacular update from the previous gimbals, able to share the screen from your phone to help compose shots remotely – as well as encasing the thumb-controlled joystick and the record button in an even smaller (albeit thicker) remote housing than the one for the Luna.

I find it interesting that this product could be developed by a product development team at DJI HQ for the Mobile 8P phone gimbal, without the idea making its way to the new DJI Osmo Pocket 4P gimbal cameras.

Was it a deliberate choice or do the teams not communicate?

Will it actually set the Pocket 4 and 4P back against its new competition? The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 (the single camera version) already has the advantage of being on sale already, but once all four devices are out – and in all the various colors we've seen (black and white variants) – could the remote make a big difference?

I think there is a lot of potential for the Luna to win because its detachable remote has one extra benefit: a built-in microphone. To be fair, both DJI and Insta's pocket gimbal cameras support wireless microphones – but a built-in detachable mic is a usability boost in some situations.

A gimbal means smooth video. Remote controls like the one on the Luna or the Mobile 8P are ideal for a piece to camera because you can use the device's built-in tripod to position the camera, then ensure your shot is perfect from a distance.

As to which you choose, what matters now is your intended workflow. Whether you want to shoot video straight to your phone or to a dedicated camera, the choice is between these brands (and how much you spend).

Insta360's price point is that of an 8K camera for "a new generation of content creators" (as Max Richter, joint CEO of Insta360, put it). The Mobile 8P, on the other hand, is a premium camera gimbal, and arguably the best smartphone phone gimbal, but that's a much lower outlay.

It's also worth adding that all the cameras in question can be remotely controlled by phone apps, too, but phone apps aren't the same and don't have physical joysticks.

Wearable and not much bigger than your thumb, the POV camera is a new sub-category of action camera that is exciting for vloggers and anyone who wants to capture their lifestyle with as little interruption as possible.

If the traditional boxy GoPro-style action camera is too big, then wearable POV cameras are the solution. Some are small enough to be known as pill cameras (but not for medical reasons). Most designs now include the very practical magnetic clip – so much so that "magnetic camera" is another term for them. They are worn as easily as modern wireless microphones, and can be controlled in different ways.

Like the traditional action cameras, these cameras compete on their compact nature and low weight, their ability to capture high-resolution (and store it), and the ability to get stable video despite being worn on clothing. Desirable features also include waterproofing, a good battery life, and some form of remote control – via case, app, or both.

Image stabilization takes processing power, but there is no way that you can wear a camera on a hat, your chest, or handlebars without it picking up some movement. I've already picked all the best action cameras; here I've looked closely at the best tiny POV cameras and put them to the test myself.

Best for most people

Coming with a battery housing (”Action Pod”) that boasts a folding 2.5-inch touchscreen, from which the detachable 4K 60fps camera pops out, even without the ‘tiny camera’ option, this would be a compelling action camera with the vlogger’s favorite benefit of a good-sized fold-up display. A nice touch is that a MicroSD card can be added to the Action Pod to increase storage options, though video is initially recorded to the camera’s internal memory.

The camera has a 1/1.28-inch image sensor, making it ever so slightly bigger than any of the competition. The result is a camera that has very little in the way of compromise, and even has an acceptable low-light mode.

As camera-only, it can be worn in two main ways – clipped onto a hat or, thanks to the magnet, worn on a pendant. Typically, you'd hang the chain around your neck and the other side of the magnet behind your clothes, so you can pop the camera on and off very discreetly. Cleverly Insta360 has also designed the pendant to be twisted to set the camera angle up or down – a very useful touch.

Insta360’s image stabilization does seem to have the edge, and includes a horizion balancing mode which many find useful. There is also support for Insta360's microphones for vloggers.

Read my full review of the Insta360 Go Ultra and see sample video

Best for pro quality

Offering creatives the benefit of a The 1.9-inch display isn’t the biggest in this list, but it is a crisp OLED touchscreen which I found great to use (it's responsive) and it’s worth remembering that it is easily detached from the camera so you can keep it nearby if you are worried about the size. The design also means you can point the camera away from or toward the 'screen side' when it is attached to the "Multifunctional Vision Dock" as DJI call it.

The camera’s other big plus point is the 4K120fps slow motion. 4K60 can be captured with DJI's impressive digital stabilization, too, which can also balance the horizon if you want. Another nice touch is pre-roll (hit record after the moment!), though this feature is never quite as good as I hope – because you do need the lens pointing the right way!

The key advantage, though, to this camera is the 10-bit recording in DJI's D-Log M, which allows a lot of flexibility for those who like to preserve color and brightness information until the edit.

DJI has also built in a receiver for the company’s own microphones, as well as cramming stereo mics into the frame. Included with the camera 9either 64GB or 128GB versions) you'll find a hat clip and a magnetic lanyard, as well as a protective case and a ball joint mount with a suction cup (to, perhaps, sticck the camera on a dashboard?)

See my full DJI Osmo Nano review for a sample video

Best cheap

This is a super-cheap camera without a screen, but a form factor that seems to owe a lot to the Insta360 Go 3, or 3S, cameras. It it also worn with a magnetic lanyard so it appears to float on the fabric of what you are wearing but is held in place firmly enough for activity.

Unlike that camera, though, there is no separate wireless controller. There is a TF card slot (compatible with a MicroSD card) in the camera, and it records 4K video directly to this. Simple operation is via a start-and-stop button. It is incredibly compact and remarkably robust, constructed from a sturdy plastic composite that easily survives accidental drops. It also skips a display entirely to keep its footprint as small as possible, making it a very simple, no-nonsense point-of-view shooter.

In low light the output will be a bit less than ideal – the noise or grain is a factor – but the 120-degree field of view has decent (if not perfect) clarity across the whole image.

The camera offers respectable battery life for an action cam, providing around 90 minutes of 4K recording or up to three hours if you drop the resolution down to 1080P (fine for burts of action, but not ideal if you want body cam-like life). Ultimately, for a starter camera or an affordable way to capture memories on vacation without worrying about premium low-light performance, it exceeds expectations at its bargain price.

See our full Boblov W4 review for sample videos

Best for low weight

The Insta360 Go 3S was the first 4K camera in this form factor (though the even cheaper Go 3 came before it if you're happy with 2.7K). It's light enough to clip nearly anywhere and go unnoticed, yet it retains the benefit of the magnetic pendant that many of the other cameras on this list offer.

Insta360 has not left this camera alone since launch, either. Retro chic fans will love the unique 3S Retro Bundle with old-style housing, with prism-and mirror framing device much like an old 110 camera.

In lower light, a camera this small will inevitably experience some "noise" (look a bit grainy), and the battery life is only 30 minutes when you're not inside the 'Action Pod' housing, but the housing can top it up fast. The housing also boasts a flip-up display which, again, makes this a handy vlogging tool.

The camera also has good image stabilization – including horizon balancing, and a 'kids mode' that enables you to let the kids wear the camera while you control it remotely (and they don't press anything that'll ruin your POV capturing of their future memories).

Read my full review of the Insta360 Go 3S with samples

Best glasses

An alternative to a clip-on or body-worn camera is a pair of sunglasses with a built-in camera – controlled from your phone. That is what Meta, the owners of FaceBook, created jointly with Ray-Ban (a brand you just might have heard of). The result is a very convenient in a lot of POV shooting situations.

Smart camera glasses work by connecting to your phone wirelessly, and you can command them from the touchpad on the arm, the app on your phone, or using the built-in microphone with an instruction beginning "Hey Meta...". For example "take a picture," but the AI can also take advantage of the camera to see from your POV, so you could also ask, "What does that sign mean?"

There are hidden speakers over your ears in the arms, which you can use to listen to music and take calls – though the sound is audible to anyone very near you.

Incidentally, here is a cost-saving option: The Gen 2 model that I have chosen here is the better quality option for photo/video with 3K recording but I'll freely admit to being the camera nerd. Just as good (as it uses exactly the same camera system and software) are the Oakley Meta smart glasses.

A word of warning: these glasses have a wide field of view, like an action camera, so won't record a lot of close-up details, but they have nevertheless been associated by some sections of the media with creepy behaviour. To combat this, a light flashes as you record video and the camera won't work if you obscure the light.

If you're looking for a cheaper way to capture the fun from your POV, and the specs don't matter the original RayBan Meta smart glasses are still Ray-Bans, so you still look cool, but will have enough left over for a nice holiday drink or ten too.

Read our full review of the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)

Cheap alternative

How we test POV cameras

Like everything, the best way to get to know something is to try it out in the real world, so this list includes products that we at Digital Camera World have hands-on personal experience with. That also means that if you want to know even more, you can tap through to a full detailed review.

See how we test cameras at Digital Camera World

By using their POV cameras – from the Insta360 Go series – shared their toddler's perspective of the world and turned her into an unexpected star.

Rather than pointing cameras at their child, they found that the POV cameras were small and light enough to easily be worn on the young girl's baseball cap, clipped on with the lens facing her to record her expression as she explored her world.

The cameras offers a wide angle – both the models (the Insta360 Go 3S and Insta360 Go Ultra) appear in our guide to the best action cameras. The Go 3S has a 16mm EFL, and the Go Ultra 14.3mm – this means the camera can be this near the face and still allow the viewer to perceive the environment around as she explores locations like sandpits, puddles, and flower gardens.

By placing the camera at her height – just 2ft8 – and just in front of her she appears to be running toward it. The viewer sees her world – adults are giants,

Her parents said they would keep going while their daughter had that childish perspective "before she starts seeing it from an adult perspective, where everything has to make sense. Until that time, I'll keep recording, preserving these moments of innocence and joy."

Insta360 has shared some tips on using the Go 3S and the clip (which is included) to get the right angle – in essence make sure the camera is angled down.

The company has also added a Kids Mode to the camera which turns off the indicator lights and beeps, and, significantly, disables the record button on the small camera itself, giving parents remote control. That prevents little ones from stopping a recording.

The camera is also Apple Find My compatible, and shoots in 4K – the full review covers it in more detail. Insta360 is clearly steering into the popularity of the POV camera design this summer – it also has seasonal re-release of the mini camera with special retro compact camera styling called the Go 3S Retro Bundle.

The result is videos which have ranked amongst Instagram's most-liked posts of all time.

Pleased by the success achieved with its cameras, Insta360 has made a YouTube about the girl's break out startdom.

If you're interested in achieving the same, why not check our guide to the best body camerras.

Insta360 has just completed a pre-launch event for its new Luna and Luna Ultra pocket gimbal cameras, sharing the device with creators and others at the legendary Leica campus.

The camera clearly takes a swipe at DJI's established Osmo Pocket 4 and Pocket 4P products, the latter of which is also waiting for final price and release date, but is has some distinct differences.

One of the most obvious is that both variants of the Leica Luna sport a detachable remote control – into which the controls, a touchscreen, and a microphone are built-in. This gives the Luna some interesting use cases for YouTubers.

At the event, the company shared that there will be two models of the Luna – a Luna Pro (with one camera) and the Luna Ultra with two.

The Luna Ultra will have five steps of optical zoom, with the tele lens 3x the wide, but also offering 6x (lossless) and 12x.

In both cases, the lens is co-engineered with legendary camera company Leica, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its core technology last year.

The main image sensor is 1-inch, and has a f/1.8 maximum aperture.

The camera also boasts an in-camera beauty mode, which should make it very competitive in the vlogging space. This is a feature DJI has made sure is available in its cameras, and it seems to contribute to success – before Insta360 arrived to compete, DJI was reported to have 72.5% of the market share in Japan for video cameras by BCN in April, thanks to the new Pocket 4 launch (the Pocket 4P is still not on sale).

Insta360 has clearly also considered the cinematography market. There are cinematic profiles, as well as ACES workflow compatibility, 10-Bit I-Log and Dolby Vision.

As you might imagine, given the location for the event, there are also Leica color profiles built-in.

Insta360 has just launched a new bundle that turns the 3S into a ultra compact retro camera evoking design classics you'll remember your grandparents owning, but retaining the 4K video features too.

Targeting those who want to enjoy the tactile feel of shooting with a retro viewfinder, the GO 3S Retro Bundle includes a unique new housing for the 3S, as well as two new retro looks for the camera: Canvas White and Classic Red.

As well as an optical viewfinder, if you turn the device around there is a built-in selfie mirror effect.

The external design isn't the end of matters though. The Go 3S Retro bundle brings the style into the app with three exclusive film-style filters: Negative Film, Positive Film, and Sticker Filter.

The eleven color profiles also include five new film-inspired ones – NC, CC, GR-F, Mono and Vintage Vacation. The profiles can be applied in camera, so the experience is more analog than post-processing.

The Go 3S's original strengths are still accessible, as per my original Insta360 Go 3S review. It is a waterproof action camera, able to go up to 33ft (10m) underwater without a housing.

It features Insta360's "FlowState" image stabilization, and FreeFrame Video, which allows video to be exported in any aspect ration (so you can capture the best social and landscape clip at once).

There is also compatibility in the app with data from Apple Watch, Garmin and other devices to create overlays in export videos.

The camera pops out of the retro housing magnetically, and the Magnetic Pendant is included in the bundle. This is worn around the neck, typically beneath clothing so you can put the camera on top and wear it with minimal impact and capture first person perspectives.

The camera itself is just 39g and has built in memory (two options are available) and can record around 30 minutes of video, or up to 76 with the battery attachement (which can also clip into the back of the retro viewfinder, if desired).

The Insta360 GO 3S Retro Bundle is available now at the Insta360 store for 64GB and 128GB, priced at $249.99 / AU$469.99 and $269.99 / AU$499.99, respectively.

The newly launched Insta360 Mic Pro features e-ink displays on the clip-on mics so that, rather than displaying the company's logo, you can add your own design to them – and change it job by job.

In other regards, this new product has a lot in common with the product category that Rode and DJI has already made a lot of ground in.

The Insta360 Mic Pro is a 32-bit float system capable of wireless recording to either a mirrorless or DSLR-style camera using a shoe mount, or a phone using an adapter.

If you've see the best wireless microphones – and perhaps specifically the DJI Mic 3 – then you'll understand exactly what I have in mind, but what really makes this different is the e-ink display, seen here with an emoji and an Insta360 Logo.

The microphones can also be switched between different patterns. There is a cardioid, figure-8, and omnidirectional option, as well as a Voice Focus mode to lock out other sounds.

That's thanks to a 3-mic array on each TX. Another specialist feature Insta360 is pushing the envelope with is processor-powered noise cancelling on the device.

Insta360 users will be able to achieve direct connection – without the need for the RX (receiver) using X5, X4 Air, Ace Pro 2, and GO Ultra cameras – and record 48 kHz audio. Others can use the RX to connect to nearly any device.

The e-ink display can show any color – not just yellow – and has two modes, either grading shades using a pattern of its (six) primary colors, or forcing a logo to fit the nearest solid color, more useful for graphics.

Insta360 are positioning this as a flagship Mic (to take on the likes of the DJI Mic 3), as opposed to the Insta360 Mic Air which the company already offers for simple remote sound capturing.

The system is capable of using multiple TX and or multiple RX – in order to get multi-person audio onto one device or to record the audio onto up to four cameras for syncing.

It is shipping now from $99 / £89 / AU$159.99 (mic only) to $329.99 / £279 / AU$529.99 for 2-TX and 1-RX in a charging case.

While not confirmed, several relatively dependable online sources are showing versions of the Insta360 Luna – a camera seemingly coming to challenge DJI's Pocket 4, the update to the massively popular gimbal camera we now know will be announced tomorrow.

While there has been discussion of the Insta360 Luna for a while, debate is now crystallising around the possibility of two models – a Luna and a Luna Ultra, as suggested by Igor Blogdanov (QuadroNews).

We've been pretty confident that the two-eyed version is on the way for a while thanks to the presentation by Insta360's own CEO, Liu Jingkang (or 'JK'), at the company's annual conference. At that time, though, the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 was just a rumor – now we know from DJI's social posts that it will be announced tomorrow.

This is also the point at which JK shared the name 'Luna' with the audience.

We also can't be sure, with only a few seconds of promotional video to look at, but it looks a lot like the Osmo Pocket 4 is going to have a single camera, leaving the goal wide open for Luna's dual camera setup.

Other specs, not to mention quality and user experience, will be relevant to buyers too, but I understand the pull of an extra optical camera. You wouldn't catch me upgrading my phone to a model with fewer cameras.

Some rumor-mongers do have an answer for that too, of course. It has been suggested that a DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Pro might be on the cards at some future date, though there has been no firm evidence about that (certainly ont a release date) from DJI.

In fact, in most cases, the camera that people had presumed was the future Pocket 4 from DJI has turned out to be a sighting of the Luna being tested. But not all of them. There are definitely tweets like this from Igor Bogdanov that seem to show images of two different variants of the Pocket 4 camera on a similar handle – and one of them has dual lenses (arranged very differently from the Luna).

So there we have the scene set for the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 announcement, and we also imagine that a little bit more will be discovered about Luna very soon afterward – though whether there will be a one-camera version isn't known yet.

Some online have suggested 'Luna Ultra' for the dual camera, likely because the Go Ultra is the newest and highest spec version of that tiny camera, but that is speculation. We have seen 'Luna' next to the dual camera version (and no 'Ultra') already, so perhaps that's it?

When will we know for sure? April 19. Why? Insta360 more or less told us that NAB will have news in this not-too-subtle posting:

Which will be on sale soonest? Which will be the best on DCW's list of best gimbal cameras? It's hard to know. but we'll keep watching.

Insta360 has launched a clever new accessory that could change how people use 360 cameras – a grip that lets you shoot like a traditional compact, while capturing cinematic 2.35:1 widescreen shots.

The new accessory, sold as the X5 Photography Grip but also compatible with the X4 Air, is available from Insta360's own store or major retailers like Amazon.

It places the hand and grip near the base of the device, connecting to the same point that the Invisible Selfie Stick would. That means that although the design isn't completely invisible to the camera's lenses, it is still able to perceive a significant part of the imaging sphere without interruption, and capture wide panoramas.

The idea solves one of the biggest usability quirks of 360 cameras: awkward handling. By making the camera feel more like a familiar compact, Insta360 could make the X5 and X4 Air feel more accessible to casual creators.

The shutter button has been designed to be "satisfyingly tactile" (as Insta360 puts it), while the control and power is drawn via the camera's USB-C port, making the device effectively lag-free and not in need of separate batteries.

You might argue that Insta360 has missed a trick in not making the device, with dimensions of 84 x 62.6 x 33.8mm (3.3 x 2.5 x 1.3 in) into a battery accessory too. That said, the aluminum alloy housing with silicone outer – shipped with a wrist strap – is still 135g (4.8oz) and compact camera users also value low weight.

While battery life is a serious concern for one of the best 360 cameras, if you're using it mostly for panoramic stills, it will certainly keep you busy for a day without needing a boost.

If you are thinking of video capture, your hand is so far out of the shot that single-lens vloggers should also see the advantage of this device – there is plenty of room to crop down to normal 16:9 or other video formats.

The X5 Photography Grip is on sale now for $49.99 / £47.99 and is compatible with the X5 and X4 Air (but not the X4). It is available in black and white colors (to match the different camera variants Insta360 has shipped).

The new Insta360 Snap is a very particular device for content creators with a unique purpose. It is a snap-on touchscreen that lets you treat the superior main cameras on your phone as selfie cameras, and Insta360 has introduced not one, but two versions...

If you've ever tried capturing a picture of yourself with any of your phone's main cameras – except perhaps an exceptionally wide-angled one – you'll likely have found that framing the shot is near impossible.

The Insta360 Snap is a 3.5-inch touchscreen that connects to most mainstream phones via a USB-C cable – including the iPhone 16 and 17 – and acts as a second monitor, offering real-time preview. It essentially is the phone's camera app, seen from the other side.

The screen has a reversible cover which protects it when not in use, but flips around the 7.3mm thick screen and covers most of your phone's main touchscreen when you are casting to the Snap, meaning

Other features include a power button (enabling you to leave it attached to your phone even when not using it, and a 'mirror' button, allowing you to flip the image to whichever way is most comfortable to work.

At the base of the more expensive 'Selfie Screen with Light' – developed with Amiro – are two additional buttons, allowing the control of the brightness between five levels (and off), and the color temperature.

The key advantages of the design are that, by using USB-C, it has low lag compared to Bluetooth alternatives, requires no battery, and offers touch control. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and 550 nits of brightness.

A full list of compatible phones can be seen on the Insta360 Store FAQ, but it includes all the best camera phones of the last few years (iPhone 15 was the first with USB-C). If your phone doesn't support MagSafe charging, a sticky magnetic ring can be attached.

The Insta360 Snap Selfie Screen is available now, and I will be posting my full review shortly (I'm testing the version with a light). It is priced at $79.99 / £72.99 / AU$139.99, or $89.99 / £82.99 / AU$154.99 if you want the version with the light.

According to online leaks, the Insta360 X6 has been registered by the 360-degree camera market leader, so delivery of the new top-of-the-range camera – the sequel to the X5 – should be expected soon.

The leaker, Mauro Tandoi, posts about drones and cameras, and seems to have some good evidence at times, so I am not ignoring what he has to say here.

But what features would a new X6 offer that the X5 – already our top pick for best 360 camera – offer? Well, in truth, the X5's advantage isn't as clear now as it was when that camera launched. Since then, both the DJI Osmo 360 and the GoPro Max 2 have come along with new features and sensors making the X5's position a lot more precarious.

Many might suggest that a bump in image sensor size – to at least match the DJI Osmo 360's 1/1.1-inch sensors – would be the obvious one.

8K60fps would also be a significant step up. The X5 (and indeed the Antigravity A1 drone) are both 30fps in 8K, dropping to 5.7K for single lens 120fps.

A newer camera should offer 10-bit color and better HDR in order to compete with DJI's offering, and larger image sensors in order to tackle the low-light complaints.

Boosting the battery and internal thermals could help with the necessary processing. If 8K60fps is a little way off, then higher imaging resolutions seem even further away, so don't expect to hear anything about 16K!

The other aspect of 360-degree imaging which gives a company an edge is the post-processing software, and there Insta360 has long held an advantage thanks in large part to its head start, but both DJI and GoPro have been catching up, as evidenced by their recent releases. In fact, this is essentially how the X5 clings on our list – that and availability issues surrounding DJI in the USA.

In DJI's case, that was the company's first 360-degree drone, the Avata 360, and – while I still found aspects of the Studio app clunky, especially around saving and exporting – it definitely afforded a lot of possibilities.

None of this can be known for sure from the information currently available, but the leak from certification suggests that the spring launch window is likely, as it has been in years past. Both the X4 and X5 launched in mid-April.

Interestingly, prices have also crept up over time, the X4 launched at $499, while the X5 was generally $549. Now, there is no information on a new price, but with tariffs and semiconductor limitations, it seems very unlikely a new device will cost less to buy.

On the other hand, traditionally the previous year's model has often gotten cheaper...

DJI, the market leader in the consumer drone world, has filed six new patent cases against Insta360 Intermediate People's Court, according to posts on social media, the first time DJI has done anything like this in its home market of China.

DJI has been facing growing competition from Insta360, which has created action cameras and recently, its own drone brand Antigravity.

At the same time, DJI has been creating products in areas that were first occupied by Insta360 – not least the Osmo 360 camera, both of which are competing to be the best action camera was well as the best 360 camera.

Until now, though, DJI has kept the competition in the retail sphere, not the courtroom, unlike, for example, the environment in the US, where GoPro has already sought, unsuccessfully, to make patent claims against Insta360.

Now, though, with the release of the Avata 360 – DJI's long-awaited answer to the Antigravity A1 360-degree drone – expected just days away (March 26), it seems that the battle will be fought in the courtrooms as well as the skies.

In a Weibo post – the Chinese short messaging platform – the Independent Photographers Association suggests that core areas will be involved, including patents on flight control, structural design, and image processing.

Perhaps more interestingly for those who enjoy a personal side, they are suggesting that some of this information travelled with an employee who left DJI and moved to Insta360.

Insta360 CEO Liu Jingkang – often known as "JK Liu" – said in his own Weibo account, he suggested that, in the case of DJI suing Insta360, everyone can simply wait for the court’s normal evidence collection and investigation procedures. Such disputes are common in the competition between technology companies, but took the opportunity to point out:

"GoPro and DJI suing us is entirely understandable given the mentality of giants facing market share losses. Conversely, many functions and accessories of DJI's panoramic camera and thumb camera have been reported by the media as "copying" or "strikingly similar"

JK Liu sums up his long response: "We respect intellectual property rights, but at the same time, we respect facts, legal procedures, and rulings. We are not afraid of any patent litigation, we do not engage in existing market competition, and we will only use continuous innovation to expand the market and win a place. We will not use weapons unless absolutely necessary."

A message that seems to have earned him a lot of positive responses in the Chinese social platform's chat. It'll be interesting to see if the courts take it the same way.

The upcoming release of the DJI Avata 360 has been followed by the announcement of the best deals yet on the Antigravity A1 – the only drone so far with similar tech. The A1 is already on sale now, has the same 8K resolution DJI is touting, and has just had a significant drop in price.

As the Digital Camera World drone expert, I tested the Antigravity A1 at a press event while it was still in the late stages of development, and reviewed the release version, and I was stunned with the way a new entrant to the drone market solved tech problems that DJI hadn't yet tackled.

First and foremost, of course, this is the first drone with a 360 degree camera. Let's be fair, the table-toppers in our best 360 camera guide, Insta360, are closely related to Antigravity so there was help there, of course.

To my surprise, though, the A1 was even more ambitious. The slightly steampunk goggles didn't just give the pilot a view from the cockpit (using motion sensors so you can look in any direction), but added a screen on the outside (the 'left eye') so that anyone with you can get an immediate view of what you're seeing. No phone connecting, passwords, logging in or anything. It's a brilliant idea.

The controller, admittedly, seems to owe a bit of its concept to the floating joystick idea that DJI has already introduced with the DJI FPV through to the DJI Avata 2, but that is not a bad thing at all, and Antigravity has put its own spin on things, with a really cool design and great textured grips on the controls.

The drone, too, has an impressive array of features beyond the 8K 360 camera, which means video can be re-framed after the flight (including AI subject tracking). It also boasts collision sensors, motion control, and subject tracking.

Personally, if I were taking this leap, I might be tempted by the bigger bundles – more batteries certainly don't hurt with something so fun to fly:

And it's very hard to forget that you also get to use the software developed by Insta360 which, as far as I'm concerned, is the best 360-degree post-processing software there is, and it works on your phone, your computer, or even as a plugin to your editing app.

The DJI Avata360 is now essentially confirmed – or at least an announcement is on the Marchy 26 – but what that will bring is uncertain. We only know that the main camera resolution will be the same.

The Insta360 Titan, an 11K 360 camera that is the cinematic equivalent of consumer Insta360 X5, was adapted for spaceflight by the Canadian space agency and everything was going well – until it wasn't. Today a film is released explaining how the mission was recovered after contact was lost...

The Insta360 Titan is an 11K camera but it was designed for cinematographers to use down on Earth, where there is enough atmosphere for traditional fan-based ventilation systems to keep the device cool, and traditional materials can be used for the shell.

The idea of capturing 360-degree video showing the path of the moon over the surface of the planet below was tempting, though, and the idea of using the best resolution device available was appealing to the Dorothy Project – a Canadian group which set out with the goal of helping everyone get the "edge of space feel" that astronauts experience.

There is much to be said for that, too, if we want our planet to survive – some of the best quotes about humans needing to live in harmony come from those who have seen Earth from beyond, experiencing what is known as the overview effect.

Before this mission could be ready for spaceflight, taking the device 35km above the surface of the Earth, a lot had to happen, including protection against the intense solar radiation, and preparation for the experiences of forces up to 7G – even though balloon rather that a rocket was to be used.

After launch, the camera was sending back live footage, and recording – perhaps for the first time – a high-resolution stereoscopic 3D 360 footage – so understandably it was wanted in full but, soon after the mission reached full height, the camera stopped transmitting a signal.

Happily, though, the mission was built with the ability, if all else fails, for a robotic arm to extend and press 'the button' – the story of which is explained in the movie being released today.

So, instead of a total loss, just 40 minutes of panic ensued.

You might not take a camera into space, but it is reassuring to know that it is a lot easier to turn a regular Insta360 camera off and on if it's that little bit nearer.

To be fair, I've rarely experienced any kind of crash in my testing, which is why they do so well in my guide to the best 360 cameras – but then I must admit neither I nor Digital Camera World yet has a space program.

After a series of delays, the ruling finally came in on the wire that Insta360 won all five of the patent claims brought against it by GoPro, brilliant news for innovation in the action camera space.

What was officially known as Investigation U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) No. 337-TA-1400 covered five "utility patents" around action cameras, targeting Insta360's image stabilization – including horizon leveling. This kind of tech is used in all premium action cameras, so the idea it could be the subject of a patent claim is a worry for consumers who want to see competition and price controls in this space (even if they do end up choosing GoPro).

There were also claims relating to distortion correction and aspect ratio conversion.

In all cases, the commission found that the patents were invalid or not infringed, and also reversed a previous judgement by an Administrative Law Judge in GoPro's favor.

This is significant because the ITC's ruling is effectively final in these cases, and ends GoPro's policy which has looked, to many, like an attempt to stay ahead not through innovation but using the help of the courts.

JK Liu, founder of Insta360, hinted that he shared this perspective when he said "The ITC's decision reaffirms what the industry has long recognized: Insta360's technology is built on true innovation. The facts spoke for themselves..."

"True innovators compete by building better tools. The ITC's decision allows us to continue doing what we do best: empowering users with bold, boundary-pushing technology."

And perhaps even less subtly:

"The future of this industry should be shaped by better products, not legal tactics that protect market share at the expense of consumers."

Back in the distant past, before I turned to the more enjoyable path of cameras, I picked up a degree in Law, so I can confidently say what is interesting here for the future is the number of patents which the authorities didn't feel were actually something GoPro could use against other companies.

Technologies like image stabilization cannot now be owned by GoPro and licensed – certainly the aspects they attempted in these cases.

This might prove to be good news for consumers in the end, as it increases the incentive for GoPro to earn income from consumer sales by innovating and impressing potential customers.

This is something GoPro has done well recently with the GoPro Max 2, one of the best 360-degree cameras, which is very much a direct competitor to Insta360's home turf.

The future can only get more interesting.

Diver, underwater filmmaker, and marine conservationist, Barny Dillarstone has filmed a creature from the deep that he says has likely never been filmed alive in the wild before. And indeed, Barny’s footage of a purple eagle ray (myliobatis hamlyni) is wonderful to watch, but it’s just one of many incredible deep-sea encounters present on his YouTube channel.

Barny specializes in dropping underwater cameras onto the ocean floor, where he films all manner of underwater species, some familiar and some most certainly not. The purple eagle ray footage comes only a few days after I wrote a news story about another extremely rare encounter, when researchers filmed a sleeper shark for the first time in the near-freezing waters of Antarctica. But far from the South Shetland Islands, Barny’s footage was captured off the coast of Indonesia’s Black Magic Island.

What I like about the underwater filmmaker’s channel is that it’s not just underwater footage with a bit of voiceover. The production quality is like a televised wildlife documentary, with behind-the-scenes footage of the boat and crew, as well as each drop, which doesn’t always go to plan.

The underwater rig looks to be surprisingly simple. It’s built around an Insta360 Ace Pro 2, which is attached to a large, weighted cage, with a forward-facing light, and bait attached to a protruding rod. A huge length of rope is then attached to the rig, so the team can hoist it back up again after each shoot. Interestingly, Barny mentions how shallow-dwelling creatures tend to fear light at night, whereas in the deep, creatures seem to be attracted to it.

This – and a tasty squid – is what possibly attracted the beautiful purple eagle ray at the end of the video. Remarkably, though, it isn’t the only exclusive recording of a species that’s possibly never been filmed alive, but I’ll let you watch the whole video to find out what sea creature that is.

The channel is a reminder that only 5% of the world’s oceans have been explored by humans, making the seas a smorgasbord of rare encounters for bold filmmakers like Barny. And with quality underwater cameras now more affordable than they ever have been, we live in a time where new discoveries are perhaps more likely than ever.

You might also like...

If you're interested in dabbling in underwater photography, but don't want to spend big, take a look at the OM System Tough TG-7. If you're looking for other cameras like the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, here are the best action cameras. And if you're thinking of submerging a camera that's not waterproof, you need an underwater housing.

As the old adage goes: Never work with children or cheeky little sled dogs. A video from AP Archive documents AP journalist Emma Burrows' account of the moment she and her colleague, Zhenya, realized their $700 360 camera was missing, while filming dog sledding in Greenland.

Both jumping to the same conclusion that a cheeky dog had pinched the device, they trudged through the snow in near darkness to visit the dogs’ location and soon found their half-chewed camera.

“There, amazingly, on the ground, was lying the 360-degree camera," said Emma. “And what’s even more amazing is that the dog had hit record.” In the video that the journalists retrieved, the cheeky canine can be seen chewing its expensive ‘toy’ before hot-pawing it over to a sled, which it then hides beneath, suggesting it knew exactly what it was doing.

The footage of the dog trotting off with the Insta360 camera is rather hilarious, with the wide-angle perspective forming a caricature image of the pawpetrator. Make sure you watch the video (above) to see the canine filmmaker in action.

Despite a few seconds of footage showing the chewed-up camera, there’s no mention of it no longer working. Visually, it seems to have held up rather well, with most of the visible damage affecting the case. What’s most surprising is that the lens looks to have remained relatively unscathed.

So, there you have it, if you’re working with sled dogs any time soon, make sure you keep an eye on your camera equipment, lest a plucky pup decides it’s time for their star turn.

You might also like...

If you're into 360 degree cameras, check out the Insta360 X5. You might also be interested in the best action cameras. Plus, here's what happened when a 360 camera was strapped to a British Superbike.

Insta360 CEO Liu Jingkang – perhaps emboldened by DJI's international troubles – took the opportunity of the Insta360 Annual Conference yesterday to officially announce 'Luna', a new gimbal-based camera similar to the massively popular DJI Pocket 3 but featuring two cameras.

The image in this post on X, posted by reliable DJI rumor source Quadro_News seems to suggest he too thinks that DJI needs to be mindful of the Insta360 announcement.

In case it had missed your attention, there have been a lot of rumors, too, about the prospect of a DJI Osmo Pocket 4, but no confirmation as yet. That is perhaps why competitor Insta360 might have taken the opportunity to steal a march on the announcement.

What was not given was a price or shipping date, only the information that it would arrive in the first half of 2026. Essentially, that's any time between March and the end of June.

It is clear, though, that the prototype depicted – and now publicly named as 'Luna' by JK – has all that is required to be a serious contender to the rumored specifications of the future DJI Pocket 4, let alone the existing Osmo Pocket 3, boasting as it does a dual camera system.

While the full specifications were not revealed, CEO Liu Jingkang did tell assembled press that the device was not built on DJI tech – Insta360 is building its own technology.

The structure of this new pocket gimbal camera appears to be based on a modular design, so batteries or other modules could be detached and added.

If you are saving up, I'd suggest that you anticipate a price somewhere between $499 and $699 on the grounds that those are competitive prices with the DJI Pocket 3, the success of which has made it something of a target.

Creators will also likely be able to take advantage of other Insta360 systems like the Mic Air. See the company's strong position in my guide to the best 360 cameras and the 8K action camera the Ace Pro 2, though its rivalry with DJI is also growing as it invests in a drone arm – called Antigravity.

Another year, another slew of camera rumors – but I’ve been noticing something a little odd with a handful of camera rumors lately. More than one brand known for action cameras is rumored to be working on cameras that fit under the more traditional type of camera rather than the action camera genre.

For the most part, action camera makers make action cameras, and camera makers focus on compact cameras and mirrorless cameras – although there are a few exceptions, like the Sony RX0 II. But a handful of rumors making the rounds seem to hint that brands like Insta360 and DJI could be crossing the line into more high-end camera territory.

One of these rumors has been fueled by the CEO of Insta360, who posted a photo of the back of a camera that looked nothing like what the 360 and action camera maker has currently on the market. Rumors are swirling that the camera shown in that photo could use a 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor.

But Insta360 is not the only one. Rumors are swirling once again over the idea of drone and action cam giant DJI making a mirrorless camera. No, this isn’t new – rumors of a DJI mirrorless date back to at least DJI’s stock acquisition of Hasselblad. One rumor last year even said such a camera would be out before 2025, and, well, that never happened. The latest talks suggests (or perhaps hopes for) a larger sensor cinema camera from DJI.

These early 2026 rumors aren’t the first hint that action camera makers may be growing out of their usual label. Last year, GoPro CEO Nicholas Woodman hinted that the company was looking to expand into an adjacent product category in 2026: “the higher-end low-light camera category for vloggers, prosumers, and professionals.”

Now, Woodman’s comment isn’t enough to determine what format such a higher-end camera could be – he very well may have been referring to an action camera with a larger sensor and not something like a vlogging camera or mirrorless camera.

But what’s interesting about these recent rumors is that they all seem to have a common theme – action camera makers breaking out of the category and into more advanced camera types.

The camera industry feels poised on the edge of another industry shift. Compact cameras have made a comeback (though far from the categories hey dey). More cameras have arrived with a vlogging and cinema focus as video becomes the dominant social media traffic driver.

And now, if the rumors are any indication, it seems action camera brands may be poised to dabble in more camera categories. Of course, it’s often hard to pick apart the made-up ramblings from the rumors that come from industry leakers. But, if the hints offered by GoPro and Insta360’s CEO provide any indication, the lines between action camera makers and traditional camera brands may be less clear-cut in the future.

Such a shift may be needed – GoPro is struggling enough financially that the CEO refused his salary last year. Insta360, with its wide product line that now spans 360 cameras, traditional action cameras, and even a drone, has reported boosted sales.

I am, admittedly, dubious about some of these action camera rumors, but I suspect 2026 may be a key year for action camera makers.

You may also like

Take a look at the top action cameras, the best 360 cameras, or browse more camera rumors.

Insta360 CEO JK Liu has ignited global speculation after posting an image of an unknown camera – one that appears to feature a physical aperture control, something the company has never offered before.

The Weibo post, captioned "Heading towards new focal lengths," has photographers almost certain Insta360 is about to enter the compact camera market, taking on Fujifilm, Sony, and Canon directly.

Insta360 is a big brand in some smaller places – not least, of course, the best 360 cameras (panoramic cameras), and it has expanded into other action cameras and been the guiding hand behind major new drone brand Antigravity.

In his Weibo account, Liu Jingkang shadow stone, the Insta360 founder – often known as JK Liu – made the post and shared the picture, which suggests a high degree of credibility. (It's also notable that something in the picture has been disguised, suggesting that there might be something secret in the office that Insta360 isn't yet ready to share!)

As someone who reviewed the Insta360 X5 and Ace Pro 2 cameras, among others, There are clear design similarities to Insta360’s recent cameras, particularly in the on-screen graphics, between the graphics visible on this articulated screen and those devices, too, adding an extra element of believability.

Looking around, though, there isn't much else that matches – this would, after all, be a new category for Insta360, so it would need to be a new case. It clearly features two physical buttons and a video/stills slider switch at the 'top', possibly a flash/accessory shoe, and what appears to be a thumb wheel for control.

The graphic suggests to me that there might be two thumb / finger wheels (one facing the front, one the back?)

Here one is presumably allowing control of the aperture (F1.8) and the the other the exposure compensation (EV). Clearly there is an articulation point for the screen, too.

It is, of course, the existence of a control over focal length which moves Insta360 into new territory, as, while the company has strong presence with its unusual 8K action camera, an excellent vlogging camera, neither it nor any of the company's range thus far have allowed variable aperture.

What this mystery camera could be?

• Insta360’s first fixed-lens compact camera
• A large-sensor vlogging camera with manual controls
• A DJI rival aimed at creators, not traditional photographers (a 'big Ace Pro')
• A first test ahead of a wider mirrorless push

DJI, a company Insta360 is often seen to compete with in China, did introduce a variable aperture – F2 to F4 – in its latest Osmo Action 6 action camera, but a fully fledged compact camera like this would be a new step again in the two company's rivalry.

The BCN Award 2026 has been announced, revealing the best-selling camera brands in Japan's digital camera and imaging market.

Based on nationwide retail sales data from January to December 2025, the award reflects actual purchase figures collected from 20 major electronics retailers, including Amazon, Bic Camera, and other leading chains across the country.

This year, Sony claimed the mirrorless camera crown for the third consecutive year and sixth time overall, while Canon continued its long-standing dominance of the DSLR segment with an 18th straight win.

In a first-time achievement, Kodak earned the top spot for compact cameras, and DJI took home the crown in both the video camera and action camera categories.

Unlike product-based honors, the BCN Award recognizes manufacturers rather than individual camera models, ranking brands by total sales volume and overall market popularity.

Let's take a closer look at the top three brands in each category and the companies shaping Japan's highly competitive camera market in 2025…

Compact

1. Kodak: 24%
2. Fujifilm: 13.9%
3. Kenko Tokina: 13.3%

Kodak takes the top spot in Japan's compact camera category for the first time, claiming 24%. The Kodak Pixpro FZ55, a simple, affordable point-and-shoot, dominated monthly sales charts and highlights the ongoing comeback of budget-friendly compact cameras.

Fujifilm follows with 13.9% of sales, led by its popular X100 series and the Instax hybrid instant cameras. Fujifilm's GFX100RF, a groundbreaking 102MP compact medium-format camera, was recognized with the DGP Imaging Award, one of Japan's most prestigious honors.

Tokina takes third at 13.3%. maintaining a steady popularity in Japan's compact camera segment.

Mirrorless

1. Sony: 29.9%
2. Canon: 27.4%
3. Nikon: 15.1%

Sony continues its dominance in Japan's mirrorless camera market, winning the BCN Award for the third consecutive year and sixth overall, with 29.9% of annual sales. Canon follows closely with 27.4%, while. Nikon holds third place at 15.1%, maintaining its position from the previous year.

The market has been defined by Sony and Canon. Sony's A7 V, released mid-December 2025, instantly became Japan's best-selling mirrorless camera in the second half of December.

Canon's high-end EOS R6 Mark III and entry-level R50 V, along with Nikon's Z5 II, are 2025's product examples that continue to be celebrated in Japan's competitive mirrorless market.

DSLR

1. Canon: 44.3%
2. Nikon: 38%
3. Pentax: 17.7%

Canon remains the undisputed leader in Japan's DSLR market, winning the BCN Award for the 18th consecutive year and 20th overall, with 44.2% of annual sales. Nikon holds second place with 28%, while Ricoh Imaging (Pentax) captures 17.7%.

Despite the mirrorless boom, DSLRs are far from obsolete. Canon's EOS 5D Mark IV continues to dominate the professional and enthusiast workflows, while models like the 1D X Mark III are still popular.

Nikon remains strong with, for example, the D850 and D780, while Pentax appeals to a dedicated niche with models such as the K-1 Mark II.

Canon's dominance isn't a surprise. It ships the majority of DSLRs worldwide. Even with mirrorless growth, nearly 800,000 DSLRs were shipped in 2024, underscoring that the DSLR experience remains valued among photographers.

Video

1. DJI: 64.7%
2. Panasonic: 18.9%
3. Sony: 11.1%

DJI had taken the top spot in Japan's video camera market for the second year in a row, capturing an overwhelming 64.7% share. Panasonic followed with 18.9%, and Sony held 11.1%.

Key DJI releases include the Osmo Action 6, launched late 2025, and the Osmo Pocket series – a compact handheld solution that some observers argue could also fit under action cameras due to its portability, though officially classified in the video camera category for BCN Award purposes.

Among Panasonic's most popular devices for professional video are the Lumix S5 IIX, and it updated its hybrid lineup with the Lumix S1 II, and camcorders such as AG-CX20. Sony continues to impress with the FX6, FX3, and hybrid models like the A7R V and A6700.

Action

1. DJI: 40.1%
2. Insta360: 37.9%
3. GoPro: 18.9%

DJI claimed the top spot in Japan's action camera category for the first time, capturing 40.1% market share. Arashi Vision (the company behind Insta360) followed closely with 37.9%, while GoPro fell to third place at 18.9%.

DJI's success in 2025 was highlighted by the Osmo Action 6 and the Osmo Nano, a tiny wearable camera, while the Osmo Action 4 and 5 Pro offered strong budget and professional options.

Arashi Vision continued to push innovation with the Insta360 X5 (8K 360°) and maintained strong momentum with the Ace Pro 2. Meanwhile, GoPro focused on its Max 2, while the Hero 13 Black remained a popular choice.

As Chinese manufacturers, DJI and Insta360 continued to gain ground, GoPro's market share declined amid intensifying competition.

You might like...

Browse the best compact cameras, the best mirrorless cameras, the best DSLRS, the best cameras for video, and the best action cameras.

If true, this unverified leak could be brilliant news for the vlogging community – a serious competitor for the DJI Pocket 3 camera at the same time that DJI is facing trouble releasing new products in the USA. The patent images look genuine, but the source has gone further than that, generating final images for a bit more attention. Here we'll deal with the facts...

I've been reviewing the new Insta360 Link 2 Pro camera this weekend, so I'm more than aware of the company's capabilities when it comes to gimbal-based cameras, and it has already occoured to me (and a lot of other photographers and video makers) that it would make a lot of sense to see something like this come from Insta360 when, scrolling down my tweets – I mean 'X' – I saw the above post.

Now the problem is that, while it's easy enough to find a leaked patent and diagrams, all that really tells us is that someone at Insta360 also had the idea – not that a product is on the way, or that it is definitely coming, or when. All of that is what we'd really like to know.

The writer at The New Camera claims to have conducted more research, hence the discovery of the patents (filed in China, which makes sense) and a modular design. This, again, seems very likely (DJI opted for a modular design if you count the expandable battery – adding a removable gimbal head doesn't seem to be much more taxing.

The next question is just how reliable the source is, and, historically, we've not had a lot of information from them which has panned out, but there are certainly a lot of interesting posts.

The other thing I'd say is interesting is that more reliable DJI rumor souces have NOT mentioned this story yet...

Self-styled 'tech detective' Igor Bogdanov is sharing pictures of a pair of upcoming DJI Osmo Pocket 4 cameras, apparently, but I might have expected him to mention a big competitor if he thought it was serious or imminent.

That's not to say it's not coming – in fact I very definitely think it'd be mad NOT to take on this product category given the tech available to Insta360. I just don't think we've learned that much of interest just yet.

The new Insta360 Link 2 Pro and Link 2C Pro cams boast 1/1.3-inch image sensors with dual native ISO, and 4K output resolution, targeting pro-grade streaming as well as video calls. With the Link 2 – which also boasts a gimbal – Insta360 seems to be taking the idea that a device in this category can take on a fully fledged PTZ camera and running with it.

In terms of imaging quality, 4K is nothing new for webcams, but the 1/1.3-inch image sensor is a larger sensor than seen on many. Indeed, it is 2.23x the sensor area of the 1/2 inch sensor of Insta360's already well-received Link 2 webcams, and means the 'Pro' cameras can perform in very low light. Insta360 are calling it DSLR quality, but that's a claim we'll assess in the review I'm still conducting.

Other features include HDR, a dual microphone setup, which enables AI-assisted noise reduction. Since this is something most consumers have come to expect from the microphones on their smart headphones, it makes sense to include it on a webcam.

The camera also boasts some natural bokeh, though there is a Background Blur feature available via software should you choose. Insta360's software includes DeskView, Whiteboard, and Portrait modes, and new features upgraded with new Smart Whiteboard, Virtual Background, and Green Screen options.

As with the previous generation (the Link 2 and Link 2C – note without 'Pro' at the end of the name), the key distinction between the Link 2 Pro and the Link 2C Pro is the presence of the gimbal, and the subject tracking features that come with it. The gimbal enables the Link 2 to physically turn the camera to follow a person as they move and even walk around, while the 2C has a lesser form – digital cropping for automated subject framing.

Support for the Wave Speakerphone and Stream Deck platforms is included.

Both cameras are on sale now, and while the camera is undoubtedly higher spec, the price has risen above the previous Link 2 and 2C models too.

You might recall that 1/2-inch sensors seemed big for webcams when the Link 2 series emerged, so these pro cameras are a step ahead – hence the price rise. For now, at least, both are available in stores, too.

With CES kicking off in Las Vegas, a new company, Leaptic, is promoting a new ultra-compact action camera on social media. It looks very similar to the recently launched DJI Osmo Nano; however, while that camera was 4K, this one offers 8K – or at least the promotional materials imply it. The truth might be a little more complicated...

There is an 8K action camera out there – the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 – but both Insta360 and DJI have stuck to 4K video when it comes to their most compact cameras, the Go Ultra and the Nano respectively.

This camera, though, seems to be named – on close examination of the newly posted product page – the Dreame Leaptic Cube. After a year or so in which we've already seen a lot of new brands that involve DJI products, is exactly how much this looks like the DJI Osmo Nano. I'm looking especially at the join.

"Why, then, does it have a better spec?", you might ask. "Well, does it?" I would retort, because if you look carefully through the product page, you'll see the phrase "8K sensor" rather than 8K video, and 50MP clarity, saying 8K sensor is a good way of bigging up the number of pixels involved, a practice commonly used by even the best budget action camera brands.

Even more interesting, a lot of the styling of the site seems to owe something to the design style of DJI's own pages (rounded corners, blue-to cyan sensor illustration and more), and perhaps even the text for the company story text.

Here the company actually says "We are Dreame Leaptic – not a spec-chasing brand, but a persistent innovator" in the brand story which has appeared at the bottom of its new site, but the pages feature a lot of tell-tale signs of AI, including long dashes with no spaces.

In a world where AI is used to generate copy and pages, rather than employing original human designers, perhaps this kind of thing will become more common. Alternatively, could this be another brand emerging to get DJI products out there despite the ban in the USA.

You might also like

Check my guide to the best action cameras to see all the different cameras and sizes that are already out there.

Built around a 360-camera, the Antigravity A1 is the most exciting new drone for a long time, but that doesn't mean I don't have to review it seriously like any other. In fact there are more questions about it than any other because we all know, now, more or less what to expect from other drone designs.

Other than simple toys, there are three concepts that most drone users are already familiar with:

• Standard camera drones: by far and away the most popular, a remotely controlled camera at the front and a monitor (often taking the form of your phone) attached to a remote control
• FPV drone: First-Person View drones let you 'sit in the cockpit' by wearing goggles and look through the camera at the front, making it easy to fly amazing stunts and a whole genre of into and out of building videos.
• Follow-me drones: Using AI, the drone doesn't need a remote controller at all but follows the subject with its camera or sensors and takes action videos like an angel on the shoulders.

The Antigravity A1 takes elements of all of these and introduces an entirely new technology: 360-cameras. We've already seen the best 360 cameras growing in popularity in the action camera space because there is no need to 'frame' the shot until later, and that makes a ton of space for drone pilots – especially, of course – with high speed flying like FPV.

Essentially, those are the elements we've got. The question is, do they actually work together? It's asking a lot...

Antigravity A1: Pricing

At launch, in December 2025, the Antigravity A1 is being sold in three bundles. The cheapest of these is the 'Standard Bundle' at $1,599 / £1219, which includes the A1 Drone, the Grip controller, the Vision goggles, a battery for the goggles, and a battery for the drone.

There isn't an easy comparison as to whether this is good value because there is no comparable product, but you could say that a 1-battery DJI Avata 2 bundle – which also has goggles and a similar style of controller – but no 'world first' 360 camera is around three-quarters of the price.

On the other hand, you could see the A1 as affording the opportunity to shoot video as one person but control the camera separately (later) – a new way of achieving results a bit like DJI's $15,000 Inspire 3. I'll look at both these theories as we go, but my overall feeling is that, in essence, the pricing represents good value for someone who understands what they are buying.

The other bundles are Explorer Bundle (3 batteries) $1,899 and Infinity Bundle $1,999.

Antigravity A1: Specs

Antigravity A1: Build & Handling

Unboxing and exploring the Antigravity A1 was one of the more exciting experiences for me as a drone expert for a long time, even though I'd been out to a press event several months ago and seen a pre-production model. It's great to see a technology has made it through the pitfalls of development and exists in real, complete, usable form.

I was immediately struck by the quality and professionalism of everything in the boxes. This is right up there with the biggest name in the industry – yeah, we know who Antigravity need to go up against – and that isn't something I've seen a lot. No expense has been spared and that means every step of the process is a joy.

The Antigravity A1 itself does feel light, of course. Because it's meant to. It's a sub 250g drone. It's made of similar scratchy plastic to other drones in the weight class. But folding the legs out still introduces you to positive design choices: the legs can be folded out in any order without bumping into each other. A simple design thing, you'd thing, but a lot of other firms have not managed it.

Admittedly, the A1 solves it because it needs to introduce a new element – landing legs – that do introduce an additional complexity, but they are handled broadly automatically and give the drone a joyously insectile look.

At the front there is no camera gimbal. Instead the 360-degree camera system is made up of two lenses – one facing up and one down – mounted on a dampened element. At the very front are two optical collision sensors (this drone will go to a lot of effort not to let you crash it!)

I strongly advise a landing mat, by the way.

The Grip controller may look a little intimidating at first, with an extensive array of buttons, but the software makes it easy to get to grips with (sorry). The textured design helps too.

On the underside, you'll see the drone is well equipped with landing sensors.

An essential aspect of the Antigravity A1 experience is the goggles. These use motion sensors so that you can look around and see the entire world from the drone's perspective. This is achieved without you needing to give it a second thought thanks to the 360 camera technology and the near-invisible stitching, something which Antigravity adopted from sponsor Insta360. That, of course, is no bad thing since that company has been top of our best 360 camera guide for a long while!

I found that my view through the goggle's Micro-OLED dual 1-inch displays was good, and I was able to adjust them without the built-in adjustments need for the extra lens adapters that were supplied for me to review with. The tutorials made the process very straightforward.

Charging everything was all easy too, with one exception. I tried plugging the goggles in with a USB-C to USB-C cable at first and couldn't work out why the wouldn't come on. As it turns out, a USB-C to barrel cable takes the power from the special battery, which is worn like a necklace.

Antigravity A1: Experience

I made this quick video showing my experience with the drone...

Antigravity A1: Performance

When you get on location, it'll take you a few moments to get things together, but everything has been considered by Antigravity. The battery for the goggles is worn on a neck strap, so the goggles seem to have a low weight. Each of the devices is powered up with a short press then long press approach and I found that they all connected seamlessly (and I didn't actually need to get my phone app involved which cheered me up – standing in fields updating software is never fun!)

Antigravity A1: Camera Performance

The output is produced via your phone or computer app and, if you're not planning on experiencing it using something capable of viewing the 360 experience, you need to use these tools to produce traditional video or stills. These essentially allow you to play the whole spherical view and crop onto any part of it – in any shape (you can get 16:9 or 9:16 video, or 1:1 video come to that, just as easily, from the same shot.

The limitation is that the entire field of view recorded in video is 8K at 30fps (or 5.6K at 60fps) so if you only want, say, proportionally a quarter of that view you'll be getting the equivalent of a Full HD amount of resolution.

The software will fix things a bit, but there are limits, of course.

Ultimately, in terms of quality, the output is best when the view is either of a subject relatively near the drone, or seen relatively wide – broadly at the equivalent of a 30mm EFL lens or wider, I'd say, like most camera drones that don't boast telephoto cameras.

That's fair enough – and also true of FPV drones (or the best action cameras) which all seem to have very wide-angle lenses. Zooming in is tempting, but is always digitally zooming, so reducing the data you are working from, so the sharpness of the video is at risk.

In terms of flight performance, I found the drone relatively snappy, and the Grip controller very natural to use, especially in its default mode.

The ready availability of tutorials and tips helped, as did the layout. My only slight gripe was that I didn't feel very comfortable flying much over 300m (900ft) from myself before the radio range was reaching its limits. Admittedly, I was testing in the UK, near an urban area, with evidence of a morning mist, so there would be more interference than ideal circumstances, but I couldn't leave that unmentioned.

Antigravity A1: Editing

Be prepared to spend a bit of time getting this right, and the results will please you. The same is true with any 360-camera.

Where things could be a little better in the editor is with tracking of relatively distant objects, like the train. There isn't really the AI to handle it passing behind the small bridge. The AI is much better when it stays nearer people or things, which is likely something from the heritage (Insta360's physical cameras are usually held on a pole of a few feet at most).

Antigravity A1: Overall Verdict

This is not only a good drone, but an impressively successful fusion of two technologies, and one which makes me think "this is something I could use" – not always the case when someone brings a new idea to the market.

There are, essentially, two compromises that you need to consider in exchange for the A1, but, personally, I think they're both more or less worth it. The drone isn't as screaming fast as you might hope for from a heavier FPV drone because keeping under the 250g limit has issues when it comes to physics. The other is resolution; a total of 8K seems to be the limit for consumer 360 cameras at the moment.

That is a challenge, especially if stills photography is important to you, but if you're looking to create video – especially attention-grabbing stings and the like – this device feels like it is unleashing a whole new set of possibilities.

I enjoy the Grip controller. I was taken aback by how few issues I discovered with the design – my only real complaint is that the batteries for the drone and the goggles can't be interchangeable. There are, no doubt, good reasons.

Antigravity A1: Alternatives

How I test drones

I've had a lot of experience with drones before joining Digital Camera World – I was an enthusiast building drones when it was just a hobby world, and I even wrote books on the subject to help others adopt the hobby which became bestsellers.

I later became a professional drone operator, taking on commercial jobs. I even ran a business offering 'drone experiences' (which meant, among other things, teaching drunk business people to fly drones in safety cages!)

These days I've taken the most recent UK professional exams and I still help others fly – including my son, who has also become quite a drone enthusiast. That means I get a very broad perspective on using drones – not just from an experienced photographer and videographer with clients in mind, but from younger operators.

I test drones by taking them out into the real world and flying them and trying them, working through the features and taking advantage of my knowledge.

The Antigravity A1 drone combines FPV controls and 360-degree camera systems for the first time on a drone, and is the first product from a new drone company backed by Insta360. After a teaser, we'd been expecting to hear about it on Thursday (December 4), but some US & UK retailers seem to have spoiled the news – and that means the pricing can be seen for the first time...

Clifton Cameras and Wex Photo Video have both put three different bundles of the Antigravity A1 drone on their sites today (perhaps saving a bit of time as they were also dealing with a lot of new Sony A7v page updates today!), and these prices in UK pounds can be ordered today.

In the USA, Best Buy has followed suit - again offering three bundles of the new Antigravity A1 drone.

• Clifton Cameras Antigravity A1 8K 360 Drone Explorer Bundle £1399
• Wex Antigravity A1 8K 360 Drone Explorer Bundle £1219
• Best Buy A1 8K 360 Standard Bundle $1599

The cheapest ($1599/£1219) 'Standard bundle' still includes drone, controller, and goggles and a protective case for the goggles (as well as a battery for the goggles and a neck strap to carry the battery). That means all the expensive stuff comes in the cheapest bundle – unlike, say, the DJI Neo which is FPV capable but doesn't include the controller or goggles at the lowest tier.

There is also an Antigravity A1 "Infinity Bundle" listed at $1999/£1499, with 3 flight batteries, a full carry case, and a charging hub as well as the other accessories.

This is a revolutionary drone – the first with 360-degree camera technology that allows you to re-direct the camera after the flight, but it has other new features – at least if the samples I tested pan out – like little landing legs to protect the lenses, and the ability to sense if anyone has tried to put extra weight on it. The drone market seems set to change.

You might also like...

As the resident drone expert, I was lucky enough to try a hands on with a pre-production Antigravity A1 earlier in the year, and you can see how that went here.

Trying 360 photography is a lot easier than you think. In fact its easier than ordinary photography because you don't even need to think where you're pointing the camera.

For those of you asking where the fun in that is, hold on – there is a lot more creativity available – you just need to be open to thinking in a slightly different way. You'll be fine. I believe in you! But a lot of people are put off by the idea of having to invest in a new piece of camera equipment and, right now, that is much of a worry than ever with some spectacular deals this Black Friday.

The thing is, it has been a very busy few months in the 360 camera world, with three companies all releasing major products within a very short space of time. They are the DJI Osmo 360, the GoPro Max 2, and the Insta360 X4 Air.

The latter is especially interesting for those looking to keep costs down because it's the first lower-price version of a previous model – at least in name; there was an X4 (not Air) that was slightly bigger and lacked some of the same features.

What's really interesting though, is that even though this camera has just come out, Insta360 has bowed to the pressure of the season and made a massive price cut – at least for direct sales.

It's also possible to pick up great prices on the company's other 360 cameras through Amazon or other retailers. The Insta360 X4 (without 'Air' at the end) was the first mainstream consumer 360 camera with 8K resolution, and this feature is more significant than any other upgrade that others have offered since. Because it's now effectively an older model – with the X5 or the X4 Air as the newer ones – it can be found for some pretty interesting prices despire being well equipped.

Insta360 has been established in the field for a few years now, and has also built a good range of software. Software is important because it allows you to 'point the camera' after the fact. If, for example, you want to export your video in a traditional format

But they are not the only company that has done so. GoPro has spent some years selling a 360 camera called the Max, and in the last year announced a minor update, commonly called the 2025 edition, and finally – just a few weeks ago – an all-new Max 2 which is also 8K. There isn't a lot of discounting to be found yet, as you might expect, for a brand new top-of-the-line product, but I've still seen $50 off at Amazon:

The other big name in the action camera space, DJI, also took 2025 to throw its hat into the 360 camera ring with its own all-new camera, the Osmo 360, which has also been discounted impressively for a few months.

DJI's own software isn't quite as mature, but works on phones and on Mac and PC and is able to identify and track subjects so it covers all the key bases, while the camera features impressive image sensors that achieve some of the highest image resolutions.

So, in essence, what I'm saying is that I'm the expert here and I love this tech but there has never been a better time to get in at the top end – with the kind of resolution that you won't need to replace with a new model anytime soon.

You might also like

Check my guide to the best 360 cameras to see where all these models sit.

Back in summer I, with a select few, got to try the Antigravity A1, a new class of drone which – though not then ready for sale – was being proposed by the Insta360-backed company as the next major revolution in flying cameras. I was impressed, but I wanted it sooner. Now, today, there has been a teaser and it look like I might be about to get my wish...

The teaser video, which can be seen here, isn't giving much away, except that a full launch seems to be coming on December 4, which is only a few days away, and very much this year – sooner than originally suggested by Antigravity.

What has catapulted the company into action isn't clear, though it has to be said that when I tested the drone – my first experience with the Antigravity A1 is something you can read more about – there was not much to suggest there should be a significant delay.

The drone I tried featured a control system with a wand, fully functioning FPV goggles (even to the point of including a monitor on the outside so friends or family could check what was going on) and the quad (short for quadcopter) itself, which was successfully engineered to stay under 250g yet include a dual lens system for a 360-degree pilots view.

At the time, I was a little baffled as to why I might not see it in retailers until 2026 – though, of course, a whole new manufacturing and distribution structure needed to be built up.

While I can't guarantee the product we'll see on December 4 will be the same as the one I saw on that press preview, it has to be said that in the interim the social media from AntiGravity has included more than a few pictures of a very similar-looking drone:

So I'd say the clocks are definitely ticking down to drones changing shape for good (and then we can ask, was it a good thing...?)

In the meantime, check out my guide to the best Black Friday drone deals

You might also like

As well as my coverage of the Antigravity A1 announcement as a news story, check our guide to the best cheap drones and the best drones for beginners.

If you're an Insta360 user, your humble little action camera will soon become an instant camera able to produce instant photographs.

The company has dropped a teaser video for a new camera kit, which will equip the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 with a proper grip, exposure dial, shutter button and (zoom?) rocker switch, along with a printer module that spits out your pictures as you take them.

This isn't Insta360's first such add-on for the Ace Pro 2, of course. The new (and as yet unnamed) kit comes in the wake of the Xplorer Grip Kit launched earlier this year, which added a grip and a (very strange, seesaw-like) shutter button to the action cam.

However, while it was well received, the Xplorer felt very much like a proof of concept next to what Insta360 is doing with the upcoming kit.

As you can see in the video below, the grip has been completely redesigned with the addition of a knurled control dial and an actual, proper shutter button – which will go a step further in establishing the Ace Pro 2 as an action cam that can cosplay as a street photography camera.

However, it's the instant printer component that's the really interesting part of the equation – meaning that the Ace Pro 2 can also drag up as an instant camera, putting it squarely in the same arena as Instax and Polaroid.

With Instax having sold 100 million cameras as of this year, and parent company Fujifilm recently posting a 13.3% revenue spike thanks largely to Instax sales, it's clear that the market is a profitable one – because once you've sold something that prints pictures, you can then sell paper on which to print them.

It seems incredibly unlikely that Instax or Polaroid would license their tech to Insta360, so we could be looking at a proprietary printing format when it comes to the new Ace Pro 2 kit.

More likely, it will adopt the popular Zink printing technology used by portable printers as well as digital instant cameras from Canon, Kodak and Polaroid. Either way, I would expect this to be an "only print the ones you want" experience (similar to the recent Instax Mini LiPlay+) rather than an "every shutter press prints a photo" experience like a traditional instant camera.

Whatever is in store, we won't have to wait long to find out the specifics. The teaser video confirms that the announcement will take place on November 12 (though I'd expect details to leak on Chinese social media long before then).

You might also like…

Take a look at the best instant cameras that take analog photos, along with the best digital instant camera hybrids. And don't forget to double check the instant camera film sizes to find out what type of instant film you need.

Insta360's range of 360 cameras now offers both a premium 8K camera and this newer, lighter version of the X4. Usually, when companies offer a lesser camera in this space it is the resolution that suffers – GoPro's old Max (1) being a case in point, or the X3 – but here the X4 Air has the same 8K as the X5 and, in fact, bigger imaging sensors than the original X4.

Where, then, is the compromise? Well, it is lighter, so rest assured that I'll be looking quite closely at the battery life (which officially caps at 88 minutes in the lab at 8K)

The stills resolution seems to be capped at 29MP so this is definitely more of a video camera, though if you're an action enthusiast also looking to get traditional video, there are still one-lens modes. Some of the low-light modes for the X5 aren't included too, so I'll just try the camera in a dark room and we'll see how it does!

The key principles of 360 photography are still very much respected. The camera has a screw hole for the Invisible Selfie Stick, it has "FlowState Stabilization" and HorizionLock, noise cancellation. There are also plenty of cool effects in camera thanks to InstaFrame, including subject tracking.

Insta360 X4 Air: Specs

Insta360 X4 Air: Pricing

• Camera only $399.99 / £359 / AU$639.99
• Starter Bundle (Selfie stick, lens cap, extra battery) $439 / £389 / AU$699.99

At the worldwide launch on October 28 2025, the price was over $100 less than Insta360's premium device, the X5 (which was $549 / £519 at launch), yet still boasts 8K resolution. The X4 Air also has a lens replacement system – very handy on a 360 camera as we'll see, and not ubiquitous.

Insta360 X4 Air: Build and handling

At first glance, I didn't immediately appreciate the difference between the Insta360 X4 Air and its siblings, the X4 and X5. When they're not actually next to each other, they're not massively different in size – though the X4 Air is noticeably smaller and thinner. Moreover they adopt exactly the same design language; they're rectangualar, with a portrait touchscreen on one side.

Of course there are back-to-back fish-eye lenses; together they give the camera a spherical all-around view of the world which it can stitch together for that 360 view. These are both near the 'top' on the flatter sides, while the edge of the camera has a textured grip that still feels to be a quality component despite the lower cost.

A notable difference is that below the touchscreen there is only the shutter button on the X4 Air, whereas the X5 has a shutter and a menu button, as well as a power and a QuickShot button on the side. Clearly, Insta360 has decided there isn't the space for as many physical buttons (personally, I don't mind as they can be more confusing than helpful on a 360 camera anyway).

There is still a QuickShot button though – to begin shooting from standby mode – on the side, on the side, next to the power button.

I did notice that the plastic on the front next to the name seemed a little scratchy when compared to the X5, even if all the edges felt of good quality. Overall, though, I had no concerns about the robust nature of the camera and the most important thing is that it is possible – with a $30 kit and included tool – to replace the lenses without sending the camera away or paying someone to do the job. That is excellent news, and a great bit of design (which explains the three blades around the rim of the lens that are faintly reminiscent of a radiation symbol).

Power comes from a detachable battery, which has waterproof latches, in a similar design the camera's bigger brother. A smaller flapped door with a waterproof latch exists on the opposite side (beneath the buttons) with a USB-C port beneath it. The upshot of all this is 15m (49ft) waterproofing. This can charge the battery present in the camera though files can also be downloaded by Wi-Fi / Bluetooth and one of the first things the camera will try and do is encourage you to download the app.

Insta360 is well established in the 360 camera game and has an app for iOS and Android, as well as for Windows & Mac, and plugins for FCPX and Premiere which means that at the moment Insta360 probably has the edge over its 360 hardware competition in terms of software.

Insta360 X4 Air: Performance

In simple operation as a 360 video, the camera is straightforward to use and responsive, which is a very good start. The power switch gives you a power on chime and has the active preview screen ready in a couple of seconds, from where you can swipe to any angle on the admittedly compact but crisp 2.5-inch touchscreen without worrying about any lag, or access the modes menu.

Insta360 keeps the screen tidy with features like tucking the battery percentage away under a graphic, but flying it out if you tap on the battery. I was worried about the battery, but actually it lasted longer than I anticipated when I took the device out on a job.

The selfie view did a good job of keeping me in shot, a bit like a smart gimbal, making traditional cameras seem a little old-fashioned, too.

Image quality in good light was difficult to dispute, and in lower light stills look OK (so long as you're not planning to zoom in too far to a specific point). Camera movement in low-light video, however, isn't especially well forgiven so while I got some nice videos with the camera on a support, when only people were moving, giving speeches or eating (it was a wedding), the shots on the classic invisible selife pole were more prone to exaggerated vibration.

Sample Video

Insta360 X4 Air: Overall Verdict

I used the Insta360 X4 Air in the same kind if locations that I'd use any other 360-degree camera, indoors and out, and I found that the video looked good and was just as easy to work with.

Despite the lack of a specific low-light mode, I got decent footage recording speeches from the camera on a fixed post at a wedding in a dark venue, so there are possibilities. The system's smarts are even more impressive in good light, though, as the InstaFrame feature revealed to me, when it had no problem keeping my face in shot. (I also liked the fun stuff like the barrel roll feature).

Insta360 has been generous with the feature list – road mode, star lapse etc. – which is not always true of action cameras and their cheaper models (loud cough and looks in the direction of GoPro). The option of a Mini Remote that fits into the Foldable 2-in-1 Selfie Stick was also a nice plus (Insta360 lent me one of these to try with the camera) and the only thing I didn't like was that, by default, the camera loudly said "Start recording" when it did. Me, I'd have had this quiet unless enabled!

So, to answer the original question I had – is this camera the solution or should you still go for the premium options? For the answer to that I've got a full guide (best 360 cameras) but I honestly think that the TLDR is for video in the day, when most people capture their 360 action, this is a great solution – otherwise there are still good reasons to look elsewhere. But don't worry too much about the battery or the resolution.

Alternatives

Can 360-degree cameras be used in the dark to image the night sky? Astrophotographers have been using circular fisheye lenses to capture the Milky Way for decades, while astronomers regularly employ 180-degree (whole-sky) lenses to image fleeting “shooting stars” and, in the case of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), produce an all-night timelapse of auroras (see this example). Whether consumer 360 cameras — essentially two 180-degree fisheyes mounted back-to-back — are capable of true astrophotography is another matter.

In 2025, two key models appeared with improved low-light potential: the Insta360 X5 and GoPro Max 2. Both claim 8K resolution and AI-assisted noise reduction. With the GoPro Max 2 unavailable at the time, I took the X5 to Churchill, Manitoba, to see how it performed under the Canadian Northern Lights.

Why use a 360 camera for astrophotography?

The immersive nature of 360 cameras is immediately appealing. By capturing the entire sky and landscape, they open new possibilities for creative storytelling — linking the cosmos above with the scene below. If astronomy is about what happens above the horizon, and astrotourism is about what happens beneath it, then 360 astrophotography bridges the two beautifully.

The best thing about 360 photography is that you can reframe your shot later — zoom in or out, switch from vertical to widescreen, or highlight any element that happened to be in view. You can go “tiny planet,” panoramic or all-sky — the choice is yours.

Limitations of 360 cameras

The most common misunderstanding about 360 cameras is their effective resolution. Even though 8K sounds impressive, that’s across the entire 360° sphere — effectively around 4K per hemisphere. The Insta360 X5’s stills measure 11,904 × 5,952 pixels (about 70.9 MP) in a 2:1 equirectangular format, but reframing inevitably reduces detail.

Sensitivity is another challenge. Consumer 360 cameras use small smartphone-class sensors. They perform well in daylight but struggle in darkness, producing grainy, low-contrast images even with long exposures.

The X5’s PureVideo mode (8K 30 fps) is designed to enhance low-light footage, but in my tests during a new moon, it wasn’t sensitive enough. That’s a shame because it’s something the newer full-frame mirrorless cameras can handle. Happily, the X5’s 1/1.28-inch sensor handled long-exposure stills far better.

Field test in Churchill

During my three nights in Churchill, the moonless night skies were clear, with the late-season Milky Way bright — and the aurora brighter. At 58 degrees north, Churchill is permanently under the auroral oval, so even if there’s no significant geomagnetic activity forecast, the aurora are often visible after dark. On the final night of the trip, Kp5 conditions ensued, causing the night skies to come alive with intense aurora for about two hours.

With the Insta360 X5’s battery fully charged – and good for about three hours – I took it out first to a lonely lake road, and then to the iconic “Miss Piggy” air crash site close to Churchill Airport … where polar bears are often spotted (there was an armed guard with a gun, and a minibus with open doors, nearby at all times!).

I set up the camera first on its invisible selfie stick, which extended to 9.8ft. I mounted it on a small tabletop tripod — and it immediately fell over in the wind during one of the first shots I took (the camera wasn’t damaged, but its casing was scuffed). I quickly re-mounted it on a tough full-size tripod.

I also took the opportunity, between auroras, to apply (several) Band-Aids over the very bright and incredibly annoying blue flashing lights on each side of the Insta360 X5 that accompany a countdown to a long exposure. If there is an option in the settings menu to switch those off, I didn’t have time to look for it.

360 settings at night

After testing, my preferred settings — under a new moon — for stills were: PureShot, ISO 1600, 10-second exposure, auto white balance, and no exposure compensation. Under darker or brighter conditions — for example, during quarter or gibbous moon phases, or with less intense aurora — you’d need to adjust accordingly.

A timelapse would have worked — essentially hundreds of stills like these stitched into a video sequence — though I didn’t have time to process one during the trip. Here’s an example on Reddit of an aurora timelapse from Greenland, whereby still images are stitched together in-camera to create a video.

Despite its limitations, the X5 produced colorful, bright stills of all-sky aurora. Images showed noticeable softness and noise, making them great for sharing but not for archival or print-quality work.

Verdict

Whether a 360 camera suits astrophotography depends on your goals. For scientific or high-resolution imaging, a full-frame camera with a fisheye lens still far outperforms any consumer 360 model. Observatory all-sky cameras — with large, low-noise sensors — also remain in a different league.

Where 360 cameras excel is in documenting experiences: aurora viewing, eclipses, or nights under the stars. They capture both the sky and the landscape in a single immersive frame, producing striking images even from modest displays.

So, is 4K per hemisphere enough? Not for deep-sky astrophotography — but it’s more than enough for the aurora. It’s not yet time to leave your DSLR or mirrorless camera at home, but next time you head north, consider adding a 360 camera — and don’t forget a tough tripod!

Jamie Carter travelled to Churchill with Lazy Bear Expeditions.

Check out our guide to the best 360 cameras

Insta360 – known for action cameras and above all 360 cameras – had established a strong technical lead in the niche over GoPro until that company finally launched its GoPro MAX 2 a few weeks ago. Suddenly, GoPro had both a new 8K spherical camera and an older 5.7K one, which retailers could sell for a bargain price.

Where did that leave Insta360, which already had 8K as a feature of its premium X5 camera? Interestingly, it seems that the company has chosen, instead, to beef up its lesser offering with a new category, which it is calling the "X4 Air."

The new camera is being offered in both white and black housings, both featuring dual 1/1.8-inch image sensors. These sensors represent a 134% increase in pixel area in comparison to the original Insta360 X4 camera.

The "Air" refers to the body weight of the camera, at 165 grams (0.36 pounds), but the fact the camera is still an 'X4' means that it boasts 8K video recording when capturing 360-degree video. Camera can shoot using AdaptiveTone and Active HDR at up to 8K30fps, and has a 'Portrait Mode' which can detect faces and adjust the brightness to favour smooth natural skin tones.

The X4 Air has, despite the weight loss, seen a boost to durability, user-replaceable lenses with an ultra-hard optical coating which Insta360 doubles drop resistance compared to the original X4.

"X4 Air is about capturing life as it happens," said Max Richer, VP of Marketing and Co-Founder at Insta360. "It lets creators stay present while capturing everything around them. It's for anyone who wants to film real life without the weight or complexity — a lighter, simpler way to tell stories."

Later, you can easily reframe footage in the Insta360 app to uncover new perspectives and share moments you didn't even know you caught.

For a limited time, every X4 Air purchase includes a free one-year Insta360+ subscription with 200GB of storage.

The Standard Bundle retails for US$399.99 / £359 / AU$639.99, while the Starter Bundle, including a 114cm Invisible Selfie Stick, Lens Cap, and extra Battery, is priced at US$439.99 / £389 / AU$699.99. Both also include a one-year Insta360+ subscription at launch, with cloud storage.

You might also like

Check my guide to the best 360 cameras.

SJCAM, best known for accessibly-priced alternatives to GoPro and the like, has just launched a new "3-in-1 Handheld Action Camera", the C400, which looks like it has the potential to worry DJI, with it's gimbal-based Osmo Pocket cameras, Insta360 – with it's detachable Go series – and GoPro! That's quite the achievement.

At first glance the C400 seems to have a lot in common with the massively popular DJI Osmo Pocket 3 because of that rotating preview screen:

The C400 does not, however, offer the true signature feature of DJI's popular vlogging camera, a rotating gimbal. What made the Pocket series unique (at first, anyway) was the inclusion of a physical gimbal which stabilized the camera just like the gimbals on DJI's market-leading drones.

Instead, at the top of the C400's feature list is a 'detachable design' which has more in common with today's big new release from DJI's arch-rival Insta360, the Go Ultra. That camera comes in an 'ActionHub' about the size of a GoPro, but a square camera housing the size of an Oreo or an Apple Watch can pop out of it and keep recording from even more tricky locations.

The C400 also features a detachable camera element, though it seems to include a small monitor too (unlike the Insta360 Go series). Like the Go series, though, wearing a magnetic pendant for POV video seems to be an option.

The user can then position the camera in one place and use the handle to view the video from another, ideal for solo shooting of vlogs and the like. Just rotating the screen is enough to turn the device on.

In terms of image stabilization, there might not be a physical gimbal, but SJCAM promises a 6-axis gyroscope to assist the electronic image stabilization. It includes a Horizon Steady feature.

The camera can record at 4K and will launch at a price of $249. The C400 Pocket (the small camera only without the handle / remote control element) sells for $159. Using the handle to top the battery up will bring the power up to 7 hours, according to SJCAM.

Optional accessories include a small tripod and the magnetic pendant.

You can learn more about the device at the SJCAM store, or check out its predecessor, the C300.

You might also like

Check our guide to the best GoPro alternatives and the best action cameras.