Best Insta360 Cameras for Content Creators in 2024

Insta360 action cameras also make a great alternative to a GoPro for immersive POV video footage, notably the Ace Pro model.

You see, each of these cameras is slightly nuanced with its features, so it’s really important to understand the quirks before you buy.

Let’s jump into the guide.

What is the Best Insta360 Camera in 2024?

Insta360 X4 (Our Top Pick)

Insta360’s latest flagship consumer offering is an action and 360-degree camera in one. It’s tiny, so you can carry it around easily and/or clip it to your body, a car, or a motorbike using one of their accessories.

In true-action camera style, it’s weather-resistant and waterproof up to 33ft (10m).

The standout feature of the Insta360 X4 is the 8K image resolution, which is 78% more pixels than the 5.7K resolution of the Insta360 X3.

Boasting dual ½ inch 48-megapixel sensors, the Insta360 X4 can record 360-degree footage at a staggering 8K and still photos at an impressive 72-megapixel resolution!

While the 360-degree field of view is brilliant, it’s not always the only way to record hyper-smooth footage of your next adventure. By using a single forward-facing lens, you can shoot a 170º wide-angle perspective at 4K 60.

As found on the X3, the X4 also boasts the Invisible Selfie Stick mode. Both X4 cameras capture sweeping ultra-wide views and stitch the footage in a way that overlaps and conceals the selfie stick and camera when held at a distance from the user.

Another returning feature is the Me Mode, which uses AI learning to detect you while holding the Insta360 X4 at a distance and keep you in the center of the frame.

It’s important to note that Me Mode supports 2.7K 30 in-camera stitching and up to 4K 30 and 2.7K 120 slow-motion modes with external stitching in the dedicated app.

Thanks to AI learning, the Insta360 X4 supports silent gesture control to start and stop recording or take a photo with one camera.  Alternatively, the camera supports Voice Control 2.0 for quick voice command outcomes.

If you’re keen to capture cinematic slow-motion footage, the X4 features a “Bullet Time” slow-motion video mode that captures rich, resolution-dense 5.7K 120.

The latest generation of the flagship Insta360 fleet also supports the capture of wide 360º time-lapse footage in 11K Time-Lapse mode. It also supports an 8K TimeShift to record ultra-high resolution footage while walking with the camera.

Regarding physical features, the new Insta360 X4 boasts a more rugged exterior, removable lens guards, and a larger 2.5″ Gorilla Glas touch screen.

Bigger than its predecessor, the X4 measures 1.81 × 4.86 × 1.48″ (46 × 123.6 × 37.6mm) and weighs 7.16oz (203g).

While the X4 can record ultra-high-resolution images and video content, it does so at the cost of power consumption. Fortunately, the team at Insta360 improved battery life in the X4 by 67% with its removable 2290mAh battery.

As a result, the Insta360 X4 can record 5.7K 30 360° video for up to 135 minutes and in 8K 30 mode for up to 71 minutes.

The Insta360 X4 delivers a significant power, performance, and output leap over its past iterations.

Insta360 Ace Pro (Best Flipscreen Action Camera)

Easily mistaken for a GoPro, the Insta360 Ace Pro is the brand’s foray into the ‘regular’ action camera market.

However, to up the ante, the Ace Pro offers a show-stopping 8k maximum video resolution (capped at 24fps), a Leica co-engineered lens, a larger 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, and a 2.4-inch flip screen.

Although the latest GoPro Hero action camera offers a front-facing screen for vlogging, the Ace Pro trumps it with a bigger, clearer version that’s a joy to use.

With the 8k video resolution, you can take advantage of a unique Clarity Zoom feature, which digitally zooms into the footage, giving you two focal lengths of lens in one.

The Insta360 editing app’s new Auto Edit feature uses AI to put together your video in record time.

The clip above took around 5 minutes to create – I chose to go in and manually edit a few of the AI selections. Still, the app did an astounding job of choosing and piecing together the best moments in over an hour of video footage.

Overall, the Insta360 Ace Pro is one of the best action cameras of the year.

It’s better than the GoPro for low light shooting, the flip screen provides better viewing, it offers 8k (although limited to 24fps in 8K), and the Clarity Zoom feature is genuinely useful.

Insta360 1-Inch 360 Edition (Highest Quality Video)

This, for the serious consumer, is a mighty, mighty camera, as you’d expect from something co-engineered by Leica.

It’s the first Insta360 to have dual 1-inch sensors, and as such, it provides incredible image quality and dynamic range.

Due to the size of its sensors, the Insta360 1-Inch works extremely well in low light conditions, picking out all the details other cameras might miss.

Like others in the range it has 360-degree horizon lock, and Insta360s bespoke, AI-assisted FlowState Image Stabilization, so shaky footage is a thing of the past.

It also incorporates the brand’s Invisible Selfie Stick feature, meaning you can record fantastic third-person views, and anyone watching would think it was filmed by a drone.

It has a long-life battery, which should give you up to 60 minutes of recording time shooting 6K video at 30fps. Of course, if you’re not using the device at the top range of its capabilities you’ll get significantly more shooting time.

A unique feature of this camera, and one that separates it from the pack, is its Leica lenses and the fact that these are interchangeable.

This gives you the kind of flexibility of a modular device like the Insta360 One RS. No more being limited by a single type of lens.

Insta360 One X2 (Best Value)

This is a rugged, waterproof action camera for the user who doesn’t want to fork out a huge amount of cash.

It’s long-lasting when fully charged, and has over double the battery life of its immediate ancestor, the Insta360 One X.

The Insta360 X2 has great audio capabilities. With its four mics and a newly-designed smart wind-reduction algorithm, your voice, or anything else you want to be the aural focus of the recording, will come through consistently.

Take it out in extreme conditions and rest assured there won’t be any sudden drop-offs in sound quality.

The Insta360 One X2 is a solid choice for anyone who wants to travel light but still have a feature-packed action camera in their pocket.

Insta360 One RS (Most Versatile)

The Insta360 One RS is a modular 4K point-and-shoot action camera and a 5.7K 360-degree camera all rolled into one.

Although many of the features of its predecessor, the Insta360 One R, remain the same, there have been some important upgrades.

The battery is larger and now gives you around 80 minutes of filming time. The 4K mod now has a 1/2 inch 48 megapixel sensor, that’s 4 times as many megapixels as the Insta360 One R.

The device has also had a much-longed-for upgrade in terms of its ease of use. The Insta One R could be difficult to release from its mounting bracket, and once released, it could be fiddly to switch mods around.

The new quick-release mechanism makes it quick and simple to get the device out and then swap mods on the fly.

Insta360 Go 3 S (Hands-Free)

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The Insta360 GO 3S is one of the smallest action cameras available. Without the action pod, the camera measures 2.1 x 1.o x 0.9″ (54.4 x 25.6 x 24.8mm) and weighs just 1.4oz (37g).

The action pod is also compact and lightweight, measuring 1.9 x 2.5 x 1.2″ (48.3 x 63.5 x 30.5mm) and weighing 3.4oz (96.4g).

The GO 3S camera captures records up to UHD 4K video at up to 30p and 12MP still images. It also accommodates a super smooth 2.7K slow motion paired with Flow-State Image Stabilization.

Other recording modes include Time-Lapse, Time Shift, and Loop Recording. The unit supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for quick content sharing via the Insta360 app.

Regarding the Action Pod, the GO 3S connects magnetically and digitally to the case to expand the camera’s features and control while adding a flip-up touch screen for menu navigation and video preview.

It expands usability thanks to a 2.2-inch touch screen, USB-C charging port, a function mode button, and a start/stop recording control.

The Insta360 GO 3S’s beauty is its minuscule size and its ability to be worn with the included Magnet Pendant for around-the-neck mounting.

The GO 3S’s power management is supported by a 1270mAh battery that grants up to 38 minutes of action recording. However, if you pair the camera capsule with the Action Pod, the recording time jumps to 140 minutes.

Given its size, the GO 3S features built-in media storage and cannot be used with an external storage medium, even with the Action Pod.

When it comes to purchasing the Insta360 GO 3S, you have the option to grab it in Arctic White or Midnight Black with either 128GB or 64GB internal storage.

The Insta360 GO 3S is incredibly powerful and feature-packed for its size and portability.

Insta360 Evo (Best for VR)

This a pretty unique device. It’s a 360-degree camera that also doubles as a 180-degree 3D camera.

It shoots 18-megapixel photos and 5.7K video at 30fps, and 4K video at 30 or 50fps, so it’s going to give you the high-quality imagery and footage that the other cameras in this list will.

The truly special thing about the camera, though, is how it enables you to make 3D, VR footage.

The device is basically a folded box. Folded up it’s a 360 camera, and folded out flat, it’s a 180-degree camera, with the lenses spaced out the width of your eyes.

Insta360, with this device, found a way to make image stabilization, previously only possible with the 360-degree camera, available to the 180-degree camera. That’s a game-changer for making VR videos.

Eliminating camera shake means that when you watch the footage back using a VR headset, you really feel like it’s you who is doing whatever is happening in there.

And you don’t necessarily need an expensive VR headset to watch that footage. Get yourself a relatively inexpensive Holoframe (a special 3D viewing transparent phone cover), and watch that footage straight from your phone.

What Is a 360° Camera?

A 360-degree camera is simply a camera which has front-facing and rear-facing 180-degree cameras.

Together, they capture everything all around, all at once.

360-degree cameras are becoming extremely popular.

There’s no better way to fully immerse a viewer in action than by giving them a 360-degree point of view.

Not only that, with exponential increases in the power and capabilities of these cameras and their editing apps, the control users have over the framing and look of the final footage is pretty much endless.

360-degree cameras have been used for a while in professional settings, such as in the cinema, commercial videography, and the tech industry, for example, Google’s Street View.

More recently, as advances in technology have allowed the devices to shrink to the size of your average human’s pocket, Joe Public has been able to get in on the action.

How Does an Insta360 Camera Work?

Without getting too technical, it’s a stitch-up.

The two lenses, front and rear, record a full 180 degrees each, and when plopped together, like the two halves of an eggshell, they blend seamlessly to create an immersive, 360-degree image.

It’s a kind of magic.

But it’s not all about the camera. Insta360 is known for its in-app editing suite. This is where, using the dazzling variety of creative tools they give you, you can take your 360-degree video to the next level.

What Is a 360° Camera Used for?

These cameras are particularly good for video, and specifically, immersive experiences.

For extreme sports enthusiasts, one use is recording yourself skiing down a mountain, or climbing along a mountain ridge. Anyone who sees it will watch the experience from your POV.

They’re also used in the real estate business for shooting interiors. An easy way for people to get a good look at the property.

And Google Street View? Also made with 360-degree cameras.

Frequently Asked Questions about Insta360 Cameras

Which Insta360 camera is the best?

Of course, this depends on what you need it for.

If you specifically want to make 3D footage for VR, then the best one for you is the Evo.

If you’d like something with interchangeable, modular parts, then you can go for the One RS or the 1-Inch 360 Edition.

Not doing anything too extreme or for particularly long? Get the Go 2.

For everything else, the best option is to choose between the flagship X4 and the trusty One X2.

Are 360 degree cameras any good?

They do what they do, and they do it well.

But I suppose the question really is ‘Are 360-degree cameras good for me?’ And that, only you know.

They’re best for shooting videos that immerse the viewer in the action or scene. They’re less useful for stills photography as that is more focused on points of interest rather than capturing everything everywhere all at once.

Which is the latest Insta 360 camera?

The latest model is the Insta360 X4, released in April 2024.

What is the most powerful Insta360 camera?

That’d be the beefy Insta360 One RS. Beefy as in powerful, not chunky.

This bad boy is co-engineered with Leica and has interchangeable lenses and two one-inch CMOS sensors, which give you incredible dynamic range.

With it, you can capture 6K video footage and 21 megapixel still photographs.

Also, using AI, you can turn on the HDR capabilities of those massive sensors and bring out crazy details even in low-light conditions.

Like I said: beefy.

Are the Insta360 cameras better than GoPro?

They’re different.

GoPro is a household name, so when people think of action cameras they tend to think of GoPro. But Insta360 has carved out a strong niche for itself in the action camera market.

Both brands make very high-quality products with a range of specifications to suit pretty much every kind of user.

GoPro does have its own 360-degree offering, the GoPro Max, but Insta360 specialise in 360-degree cameras across the range.

So I guess it’s not about which is better, more about which brand better suits your needs. And if you’re looking specifically for a 360-degree camera, it’s probably a good idea to go with the company that specialises in them.

Final Words

So there you have it. I hope after reading this article you can see that Insta360 have a pretty comprehensive range of action cameras for you to choose from.

There’s something for everyone. From consumers who want something small, light and for simple uses, to those who want to make cinema quality, immersive footage, or video specifically for VR headsets.

Insta360 have managed to corner this growing part of the market with devices that offer great image and audio quality, and at different price points that make the cameras available to anyone.

And 360-degree cameras aren’t all about the tiny planet effect anymore (although that’s still fun). Insta360 doesn’t only give you the camera, but also the powerful editing suite that will make your 360-degree experience second to none.

Editor’s Choice

Insta360 X4

Does everything you could want from a 360 camera in a compact body with great battery life.