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At the end of April, Insta360 relatively quietly dropped their newest action cam, the AI-powered Insta360 X5. We've been big fans of Insta360's past cameras here at POWDER, especially as ultra-portable content cams for capturing POV, follow-cam, and even interview footage. The new X5 promised better everything: higher resolution, more stable footage, longer battery life, faster processing speed, and an improved interface both on the camera and in the new mobile app, and I eagerly put it to the test this spring, bringing it along on spring resort days and deep into the backcountry.
In short, this camera is a marked improvement on older versions of Insta360's products, and I was truly impressed with the 8K video and still photo quality, overall ease of use, and the new editing software. However, after a few weeks of testing it in the field, there was one issue that I just couldn't really learn to live with for everyday use as a POV camera. Read on to learn more.
Full Insta360 X5 Camera Specs:
- Sensor Size: 1/1.28"
- Lens Aperture: f/2.0
- Focal Length: 6mm
- Video Resolution: up to 8K - 7680x3840@30/25/24fps (5K @ 60fps and 4K @ 120fps)
- Photo Resolution: up to 72MP
- ISO Range: 100-6400
- Shutter Speed: 1/8000 - 120s (photo) and 1/8000 - fps limit (video)
- Weight: 200g
- Battery Capacity: 2400 mAh (USB-C charge)
- Dimensions: 46x124.5x38.2mm
- Storage: MicroSD
Insta360 X5 Features
Like the older Insta360 X-series cameras, the new X5 is a one-stop-shop for on-mountain content creation needs. It can be used in any sort of situation where a wide-angle camera is necessary, whether its capturing POV footage, chasing your friends with a follow-cam, recording selfie videos, or even using the extended camera pole to capture third-person style shots. With one-button operation (and even voice commands), the new camera is about as easy to use as it gets.
The best part of a 360-style camera is that you never have to think about framing shots again. Just stick the camera generally where you want it, and let it do all the work. The old adage, "just fix it in post," really takes on a new meaning here, as you can re-frame shots at will while editing them after the fact.
The new camera's battery life is also remarkable, thanks to the removable 2400mAh Li-ion battery. This thing will last you all day, and then some.
Without going too in-depth on the camera specs, I can say that the image quality is remarkably good, and far eclipses anything you'll ever need to make really good social media videos. The AI-powered internals boost low-light sensitivity and color range, making every shot look beautiful, no matter the outside lighting.
How I Tested The Insta360 X5 Camera
I've owned and tested a huge variety of POV and 360 cameras ever since the original GoPro HD Hero came out in 2010. Let's just say that things have come a long way. This spring, I brought the new Insta360 X5 along on numerous ski adventures in all kinds of weather, including warm bluebird days chasing backcountry corn in the Tetons, and a trip to chase a storm and ski some of Colorado's highest 14ers this May.
Setting up the camera out of the box took about 20 minutes. First, I needed to update the Insta360 mobile app on my phone, and re-sync it with the new camera. That prompted an on-camera firmware update, which took just a few minutes and happened entirely wirelessly. Then, I was able to power on the camera and toggle through various recording settings. I ultimately settled on the suggested profile for winter sports: 5.7k resolution at 60fps with active HDR turned on.
I tested the included thread-on lens covers for the camera, but found that those might be better suited for mountain biking, or other sports where there's mud and dirt flying around. I ran into lens fogging issues once with these, but that was likely due to user error with the lens cover not being threaded on fully. They are nice to have for extra protection, but I found them to be a bit unnecessary for skiing.
The huge touchscreen on the camera makes it really easy to change settings on the fly and review shots in the field.
In the field, I tested the camera using both a GoPro-style helmet mount and the extendable selfie pole, which I also attached vertically to my backpack to capture overhead "third-person" style shots, something I learned from steep-skiing mastermind Vivian Bruchez. I think that overhead angle works quite well for technical skiing, offering a more immersive view than traditional helmet-mount POV footage.
I was not able to test other mounts for the camera, namely the chest mount, which I think might remedy the main issue I had with the camera.
Finally, the new Insta360 mobile app makes editing the 360-degree video files the camera produces REALLY easy. It's much easier to use and significantly faster than the previous versions of the app. I found it incredibly intuitive to use, but there's also dozens of how-to features built directly into the app to help you get the most out of your footage.
What I Didn't Like About The Insta360 X5
Call me a creature of habit. As someone who's been using POV cameras for over a decade, I immediately went to clip my new camera into my stick helmet mount. I like how easy this type of mount makes clipping on and removing a camera. Of course, the new Insta360 X5 is compatible with this type of mount, but I found it much too heavy to be comfortable!
At nearly 250 grams with the lens covers and mount (almost 100 grams heavier than a new GoPro Hero 13 or the older Insta360 X3 that I have been using), the X5 might be too heavy to use as an on-helmet camera, especially given how tall it is. The fact that the added weight creates additional leverage on my helmet was a significant drawback, leading to a bobblehead-like feeling. I found the weight to be immediately noticeable, especially with lighter-weight ski touring helmets. I had to really cinch down my helmet straps prevent everything from flopping around. Perhaps I need to spend more time in the gym for neck day?
Is this a dealbreaker? No, especially given the truly excellent video footage and superior ease of use. I'm convinced that the weight it will be hardly noticeable for many users, especially if you're using a chest or pole mount instead of a stick-on helmet mount. It's just something to be aware of.
Who Is the Insta360 X5 Best For?
Like all of Insta360's cameras, the new X5 is the perfect camera for everyone from casual "for-fun" filmers to professional content creators looking for the ultimate performance out of a 360 camera. If you're looking to capture stunning footage of yourself or your buddies skiing, grab one of these!
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