With the new X5, Insta360 has successfully created a versatile and powerful action camera.
Price When Reviewed
559,99 Euro
360-degree cameras record the entire surroundings. This means you never miss a moment and can select any angle afterwards. These cameras implement a process called reframing, which allows you to create videos that look as if you had a second cameraman with you. The positioning of the camera is less critical, operation is easier, and the risk of missing important moments is reduced.
360-degree action cams are very popular with mountain bikers and motorcyclists. Another application is virtual tours and interactive 360-degree images, where you can move and look around in all directions with the mouse. This is perfect for the travel, property, and architecture sectors.
But 360-degree action cameras are usually big and heavy, and editing the video is labor-intensive. Insta360 makes 360-degree videos a little easier to produce with its X5 model.Insta360 X5: Camera tech
One of the most important features of the X5 is the larger sensor. It has two 1/1.28-inch sensors–that’s 144 per cent larger than the sensors in the previous model, the X4. These larger sensors ensure a better light yield, reduce image noise, and improve image quality, especially in difficult lighting conditions.
Insta360 has also improved the resolution to 8K at 30 frames per second. The new triple AI chip system with a 5nm AI chip and two pro imaging chips offers more options for image optimization. This is also a prerequisite for good flow-state stabilization. Insta360 claims to have improved the processing power by 140 percent compared to the X4.
Video noise reduction is an important point for all digital cameras, and the X5 offers its AI-supported Purevideo mode. The AI algorithms reduce the noise typical in dark situations, resulting in clearer images. Brightness and contrast are also optimized, which increases the dynamic range. The optimization takes place directly in the camera, so that no denoising on the computer is necessary. The full 8K resolution is also available in pure video mode.
Overall, the image quality with both day and evening shots were excellent. The colours always remained natural and the sharpness was good.
One criticism of 360-degree action cams to date was that the 360-degree videos first had to be converted in the app for the rectangular “normal” video (flat video). The new Instaframe mode, on the other hand, simultaneously records an instantly shareable “normal” video (flat video), either with a fixed direction or selfie view, and a complete 360-degree video.
