Insta360 x 4

Insta360 X4

A Revolutionary Action Camera or just another fad

The Insta360 X4 has quickly gained recognition in the action camera market, providing remarkable features and versatility. Whether you are an adventure seeker, a content maker, or just someone looking to capture high-quality experiences, the X4 intends to cater to your requirements. But does it actually deliver on its promises? Let's take a closer look.

Design and Build Quality

The Insta360 X4 catches the eye with its stylish and compact design. It is lightweight yet feels robust, making it easy to use while remaining durable for outdoor activities. The construction quality is impressive, and it is waterproof up to 10 meters, allowing you to use it confidently during water-related pursuits.

Display and Interface

The X4 is equipped with a 2.29-inch touchscreen that is both responsive and easy to use. Even in bright sunlight, the display remains clear, giving you a great view of your shots. The interface is straightforward, making it simple to navigate through settings, playback, and modes. You can also control the camera remotely using the Insta360 app, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

Camera Performance and Features

The Insta360 X4 is aimed primarily at 360-degree shooting and boasts a 48MP lens with 8K video resolution, ensuring vivid and detailed footage. However, if you are not familiar with Insta cameras, you might find the results somewhat underwhelming. While it captures everything in your surroundings and effectively removes the selfie stick from view, the overall performance might not live up to your expectations. Its low-light performance is surprisingly lacking for a camera released in 2025. To fully utilize this camera's capabilities, it requires a commitment to learning how to use it properly, which may not appeal to everyone, especially when high-quality smartphone results are readily available. I have discovered that using manual settings to adjust shutter speed and ISO is crucial for achieving the best footage, as the automatic mode often falls short. It is recommended to film subjects that are about 10 feet away, as anything further can lead to blurry and pixelated images. Although my initial experience was not very satisfying, I am dedicated to enhancing my skills and creating more engaging videos for social media.

One of the standout aspects of the X4 is its ability to capture 360 degrees, providing a completely immersive experience that traditional cameras cannot offer. The camera also features various modes such as time-lapse, slow-motion, and hyperlapse, allowing for creative experimentation with different filming styles. The FlowState Stabilisation system is decent but does not stand out as exceptional.

Battery Life

The Insta360 X4 comes with an 1800mAh battery that provides decent performance. You can expect around 60 to 90 minutes of continuous recording, depending on your settings. While its battery life might not be the longest on the market, it is adequate for most short to medium shoots. For longer filming sessions, it's a good idea to carry an extra battery or a power bank.

App and Editing Features

Insta360's app has always been a strong feature, and the X4 upholds this reputation. It streamlines the editing experience, particularly for users familiar with the app, and offers numerous tutorials for guidance. The app includes preset templates for quick edits along with more detailed manual options for those looking to explore their creativity. A notable feature is the Auto Frame function, which automatically detects the best angles to help you create polished videos with minimal effort, provided your footage is of decent quality. However, the results can sometimes be inconsistent. For those looking to share their content quickly, the app simplifies the process of uploading videos directly to social media, enhancing the content creation workflow.

Video and picture quality

The video quality for platforms like TikTok and YouTube is satisfactory, but when editing on a larger, professional screen such as the Apple Studio Display, it may not fulfill the higher expectations of some creators. The footage appears fine on smaller displays, but the shortcomings in sharpness and noise control are more apparent on larger, high-resolution monitors.

The X4 is capable of shooting in 8K resolution and performs well for quick, social media-ready content. However, its quality may not hold up during extensive desktop editing. As you work on a larger display, concerns about the camera's compression and 360-degree footage arise. The footage seems optimized for quick sharing and viewing on smaller screens, but for more intricate editing or achieving a polished, cinematic appearance, it may fall short in terms of dynamic range and detail compared to higher-end equipment.

It is also crucial to consider how your editing skills relate to the camera's capabilities. The Insta360 X4 is designed for ease of use, making it ideal for beginners and casual creators. However, to fully leverage the camera's potential, a solid understanding of editing techniques is essential. If you are not familiar with editing 360-degree content, the footage might not turn out as refined as you expect. Nevertheless, when executed well, the X4's content can look impressive and polished. Viewing sample footage online confirms this, but achieving that level of quality likely requires a bit more effort.

Pros:

• 360-Degree Capture: One of the top consumer-grade 360-degree cameras.
• Decent Image and Video Quality: 48MP photos and 8K video that deliver a satisfactory performance, not great for 2025
• Satifactory Stabilisation: Smooths out most intense movements.
• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive touchscreen and mobile app controls.
• Durable and Compact: Ready for outdoor use and waterproof.

Cons:

• Battery Life: Could be improved for longer recording sessions.
• Price: It’s on the pricier side compared to other action cameras.
• Low-light performance: is a challenge for action cameras, and while this is common, it is important for companies to excel in this aspect.
• Auto mode: does not offer excellent picture quality

Conclusion

The Insta360 X4 is notable as one of the few action cameras that provides 360-degree imaging and decent image quality, especially for users willing to invest time in learning the app and editing software. The stabilization features are impressive, but mastering this camera requires additional practice. It is a dependable choice for those wanting to create immersive content, particularly for travel, adventures, or social media. However, a selfie stick is necessary to use the camera effectively, which may be seen as inconvenient or less fashionable. Additionally, the battery life could be better, and this camera may not suit those looking for a simple, low-effort video recording option.

My Concern

When I bought the Insta360 X4 in the UK, it was shipped from Worcester, and the return address was also in the UK. However, when I tried to return it, I was informed that I needed to send the product back to China. This was particularly difficult due to the lithium battery, which is classified as hazardous and limits my shipping options. I believe that Insta360 knows about this situation and is using it as a strategy to complicate returns. This feels like a deliberate attempt to make returning products harder. I find this behavior disappointing. Additionally, it seems that only a year after this average camera was released, Insta360 is launching an updated version on 22 April 2025, which frustrates me because I wanted to return mine, but faced obstacles from the company.