Insta360 X3 review: The action cam for creative people

When the term “action cam” comes up, GoPro probably comes to mind first. But there are many other manufacturers. Insta360 is one of those that is also popular with my closer circle of acquaintances as part of my Urbex hobby. I was allowed to take a close look at the new Insta360 X3 and would like to explain to you here why I became a friend of the camera.

Take a look at the specs of the camera, where the better image sensors (½ inch) stand out in a direct comparison with the previous model. Also, the 2.29-inch tempered glass touchscreen is larger than before and allows not only media/recording viewing, but also navigating in 360° mode and swipe functions like switching to quick settings.

The camera sits in a robust body with a pleasant weight, which is easy to grip thanks to its rubber coating. Everything is installed perfectly, the gap dimensions are perfect and flaps for the battery slot (the SD slot is also installed underneath) or the USB-C connection are watertight. According to the manufacturer, water depths of up to 10 m can be searched for with the camera. At least in heavy rain or even in the sink, the camera didn’t hesitate. But I didn’t want to go any further for my test.

The display sits on the “back” turned towards the user, although this cannot be said to be quite accurate with a 360° camera. After all, the camera has the same lenses on both sides with the same image sensor behind them. In addition to the microphone holes, there are also buttons for recording start/stop, camera switching, quick button and the power button on the camera. Quick recording can also be set up so that all you have to do is press the record button and the camera will immediately start and start recording.

Up to 5 of your own shortcuts can be assigned to the quick button

The X3 is an action cam for creative people. You have the option of taking 5.7K 360° recordings, you can take pictures up to 72 MP in size, you can take 8K time-lapse recordings or switch to the single-camera view and record 4K videos there. There are also all sorts of additional functions such as the I mode, which can be interesting for vloggers. During the recording, the user is recorded in the center, no matter where the camera is held. Or you can use the bullet-time effect, where you twirl the camera in a circle above your head. The view also stays centered on you. The recording then shows the whole thing in slow motion. The X3 even allows you to record bullet-time videos in 4K and 120 fps and 3K with 180 fps. ActiveHDR is also supported for recording.

The scope of delivery includes a selfie stick which, thanks to the camera’s software, magically appears invisible in the recordings, which enables creative ideas. For example, I found the variant in which you hold the stick with the camera over your shoulder and move forwards very interesting. The recording is strongly reminiscent of 3rd person games like GTA.

During recording, the improved FlowState stabilization helps ensure that the videos hardly show any shaking. A direction lock function can also be switched on, in which the recording consistently points in the same direction. For example, I use a chest strap with a holder for the X3, which I use for a 360° shot, but can later look straight ahead using the Direction Lock. Both functions can be deactivated or activated in the app, mobile or on the computer (also macOS). The 360° horizon lock, which keeps the horizon level even if you turn the camera completely upside down, is really nice. Many other cams close at 45° at the latest.

Keyword reframing. This is the most important feature of the X3 in my opinion (although of course it’s not the only camera that can be reframed afterwards), because I can start a 360° recording in 5.7K and later decide which part of the picture I want to show in the video. In this way, one and the same video can be displayed from different perspectives. For example, once in the perspective that shows me as a user and then in the perspective that shows what I have in front of me. In addition, the videos in the mobile apps can be adapted in no time at all for formats such as TikTok or Instagram. Graphic changes are also possible. This is how you can SkySwap For example, thanks to AI, the sky can be masked and artfully changed.

Then I can use the X3 as a dash cam, provided the car mount is used. So it offers the function of loop recording, recording and overwriting the memory with the ongoing recording until I finish. It only saves the last few minutes at a set interval. Thanks to 360°, you can reframe afterwards and save the dashcam video accordingly.

According to the manufacturer, the camera’s 1,800 mAh battery lasts for around 81 minutes with 5.7K 360° recording at 30 frames per second. I could confirm that in my test. The charging time is almost an hour and a half. In my case, there are always two power banks at the start, since 80 minutes for videos on the go is not always enough. Thanks to the ¼ inch tripod thread, the X3 can be attached to any standard tripod.

I currently prefer to edit the recordings on the desktop, here I set perspectives, zooms like the Tiny Planet view and more and save the video in a desired resolution and bit rate. An important feature when reframing is the Deep Track 2.0 function. This allows objects or people to be fixed in the video so that they are anchored in the center of the image for a desired period of time.

Mobile, the camera either connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth or you use a USB-C-to-USB-C cable and clamp it directly to your Android phone. In the spec sheet above you can see that the camera is not compatible with every device. With insufficient performance it can happen that some functions do not work at all or only with errors. Check before you buy whether your smartphone is suitable.

I wrote at the beginning that several microphones are installed in the X3. I have to admit that I did not expect such a good sound, since the camera was not always held directly in front of or next to me in my recordings, but was also held on the stick almost 1.5 to 2 m away from me. That makes recording actually more fun.

Below: a video compilation various shots and features that are possible with the camera. The swinging of the X3 overhead is not meant to be bullet time here, but rather a drone-like shot moving around me:

Is there something to complain about? Yes, but little. One is the price. Almost 540 euros are not necessarily cheap for an action cam and the provider still has various bundles ready for different target groups:

The other is the familiarization time, which one needs to understand all the recording functions of the X3. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that those in the camera are not exactly explained ideally. This is where the app helps. Rather, one is initially overwhelmed by the range of functions. If you just want to go out and take single-sensor shots with the X3, you’ll be satisfied quickly. However, the 360° mode is the highlight of the X3 and, in connection with the later reframing, is difficult to surpass in my opinion.

As soon as the surroundings get darker, the recordings suffer, regardless of the mode. The AI ​​features won’t help later. So if you film a lot in darker environments, you should provide external light with a flashlight, LED panel or the like. In daylight and in illuminated surroundings, the X3 takes very good pictures. The editing program does the rest later.

In any case, I think it’s great how extensively the Insta360 X3 can be used and that the software is not just off the shelf, but really useful.

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