Insta360 releases X5 - should you/I get it?

[Neal]

I've seen the barrage of videos touting the X5 on release day. While they certainly make things look good, I fell for this the last time with the X4 and as you can tell, I'm not overly impressed with the insta360's. I first got the X2 and was not thrilled with the quality of the video yet it provides a unique way to create videos and edit. Then I saw the release barrage for the X4 and figured I'd upgrade. It certainly has improvements but the overall video quality still does not compare to my GoPro cameras which I much prefer for quality video. I use the X4 more of an investigative tool such as watching my tailwheel when working to resolve a tailwheel shimmy issue or debriefing my landing technique as I watch back videos more for my own use than YouTube. It again can provide different perspectives but the quality even with their touted 8K is still disappointing, IMHO.

One other downside that I hear is going to be resolved in a firmware update, not sure if it's only for the X5 or if this will go back to prior cameras is the exposing of the time code (date/time embedding in the video). This comes in handy such as with GoPro editing to sync multiple cameras to produce videos using multi-cam, etc. as I use in DaVinci Resolve. That is a good selling point so I'll wait and see when that comes out and if my X4 will gain that feature. But I've refrained from jumping on the X5 train as I'm simply not impressed with the insta360 "360" cams.

Anyone else have opinions to share? If you're using an insta360 camera, which one are you using, are you considering the X5, how has it worked for you?

Insta360 X5 - Flagship 8K 360º Action Camera - All Day, All Angles

Shoot immersive 8K 360° video. Stunning image quality day and night. 1/1.28 sensors & fast Triple AI Chip. Replaceable lenses, built-in wind guard & 3hr runtime.

www.insta360.com

 

[Cubonaut875]

Some of the quality issues can be resolved in exporting the 2D video from the 3D. I think the key is to not use your phone for the export and to use the Insta 360 studio on your desktop computer. Don't import to any third party software to do the 360 edit on.

 

[Neal]

I use the insta360 studio from the SD card. I do the edits/keyframes, etc. then export it in 4K and bring it into DaVinci Resolve.

Yeah, I ordered a damn X5 this morning after watching your video. You're fault. Now you have to order one.

Got mine from Amazon. Will be here tomorrow.

First bug slide, now an X5. What's next?

 

[Neal]

The other problem, of many, is I typically fly late in low light and the X4 and prior doesn't seem to handle that well, x5 is supposed to improve that. I'm sure it's probably a combination of settings, post editing lack of knowledge etc.

Oh, and I got your carbon fiber pole too, I'm near broke now!

 

[Cubonaut875]

Yeah, I just ordered the X5 too. Weather if finally getting better around here, hopefully I can get out more.

 

[Neal]

I used to use the pole to get the insta360 forward and went to just mounting it downward facing under my strut which seems to be fine. I'll go back to trying the pole option. I too, like you mentioned in your video, tried the camera on the aft side of the wing. I even got a mount to put my older x2 on the lift ring above the cockpit but I was concerned if that came off for some reason and went through the tail, that would be bad so I never flew with it that way. My luck....

But now I'll have an x2, x4, and x5, I need to look at bringing another into play, maybe an aft mounted insta360 such as on the lift ring on aft right side of the fuselage where I've hung a GoPro before looking forward.

 

[Neal]

@Cubonaut875 not sure if you have the GPS remote. It makes things so much easier to start/stop the camera(s).

Amazon.com

 

[Cubonaut875]

Yeah, I just ordered the X5 too. Weather if finally getting better around here, hopefully I can get out more. Interesting, Insta 360 camera's are manufactured in Shenzhen, China. I would think that the supply chain would be drying up shortly, and our $500.00 camera will be a $1500.00 camera shortly.

 

[Cubonaut875]

I should definitely get the GPS remote as the phone app is not reliable with regards to the GPS.

 

[Neal]

I should definitely get the GPS remote as the phone app is not reliable with regards to the GPS.

If the phone would auto connect to the device by Wi-Fi without interaction I'd be okay with that but it doesn't. I get the "join..." prompt and it's just a pain. I have this GPS remove mounted to the rail just aft of the flap handle so I just reach up and turn it on or off as needed. You can also wear it like a watch but I don't. Still trying to find a good place to mount it but it works great regardless.

 

[Cubonaut875]

I've definitely have that problem with the WiFi connection and it dropping the WiFi connection. Do the gauges show up in the edited 2D and does it export with the gauges?

 

[Neal]

You can show or hide those gauges.