Insta360 X5 Satin White Limited Edition Review: The best 360 camera on the market but there’s a catch
Abhinav Fating Published 🇷🇺 🇫🇷 ...
A popular 360° camera manufacturer, Insta360, introduced the original X5 variant earlier this year. After that, it got a new aesthetic look, which the company called the X5 BMW Motorrad Edition. Fast forward to today, the brand’s X5 360° action camera is now also available in a Satin White color option.
The company’s latest iteration comes with noteworthy upgrades over last year’s X4. For example, the X5 brings a new replaceable lens design, a dedicated PureVideo low-light mode, a new microphone windscreen cover, improved battery life and video quality, and a bigger sensor than before.
It’s been three weeks since I’ve been testing the Insta360 X5 360° action camera to see how well it performs and whether it holds its ground against the competition, like DJI’s recently announced Osmo 360 action camera. Plus, is the X5 worth upgrading over the X4 or X3? Read on in our in-depth review to find answers to the questions.
Pros
Cons
Insta360 X5: Design and Build
Let’s start with the design. The Insta360 X5 looks quite fresh and bold in a Satin White colorway. This time around, the brand makes significant changes in the overall design of the X5. The first noticeable change is the new 3D angular facelift and a large irregular hexagon-shaped microphone windscreen cover. The other outwardly obvious change to the body of the X5 is the battery slot and USB-C port repositioning. This means owners of the X4 can no longer use existing batteries and cases with the X5.
Unlike the X4, the Insta360 X5 now has replaceable lenses, meaning one can use the camera without lens covers to maximize video quality. The original lenses already feel quite sturdy, and they won't break easily. Fortunately, I haven’t broken mine yet, but replacing them is a very easy-peasy task. You just have to follow some simple steps mentioned in the replacement kit guide, and you’re done. Insta360 has also added my favorite magnetic mounting system at the bottom of the X5, which is the same system found on the company’s Ace Pro action cameras.
Dimensionally, the X5 is almost similar to the last-generation model, measuring 46 × 124.5 × 26.2 mm (1.8 × 4.9 × 1 in). However, it’s 3 grams lighter than before, weighing around 200 grams (7.01 oz). The action camera is waterproof out of the box to 15 m (49 ft) without a diving case and has an operating temperature range of -4° to 104 °F (-20 to 40 °C). All sides of the device are covered by a rubberized texture, which offers a solid in-hand grip even without a selfie stick. What remains the same is the 2.5-inch touchscreen and two physical camera control buttons positioned below the touchscreen.
The build quality of the X5 is pretty solid, and it can easily handle normal-height drops. Overall, I felt the Insta360 X5’s candy-bar-like design to be very practical, which makes it easy to grip while shooting.
Insta360 X5: New hardware upgrades makes the X5 more versatile
Besides the Insta360 X5’s new stylish angular design, the action camera now features one 1/1.28-inch sensor and two lenses, a step up from the 1/2-inch sensors of the X4. This might be one of the significant reasons for X4 owners to upgrade to the X5. But there’s a catch: despite boasting larger sensors than before, the video specs haven’t changed at all; you can only record videos at a maximum of 8K 30 fps. However, the larger sensors do add more detail to the footage. I’ll talk more about it in the performance section.
The battery life is the most important factor when it comes to the action camera, and the company has also improved the battery life of the X5. Insta360 claims that the device can last up to 185 minutes (up from 135 minutes of the X4) in Endurance mode, and it also supports USB-C fast charging, which fills the battery up to 80% in just 20 minutes of charge. Plus, Insta360 also offers a new 2,800 mAh endurance battery suitable for heavy users. The few other notable additions include a built-in wind guard for clearer audio and triple AI chips for a major boost in computing power.
There are also two new video modes here, PureVideo and InstaFrame. The former uses AI technology to further enhance the overall video quality in low-light conditions, while the latter simultaneously shoots an auto-framed flat video alongside a full 360° video. More about video modes in the performance section.
Like the X4, there is a wide range of mounts available for the X5 as well, including cycling mounts and vertical-horizontal mounts, chest mounts, backpack mounts, and more.
Insta360 X5: Performance
Speaking of the X5’s camera capabilities, the new 1/1.28 sensors are capable of capturing footage at 8K 30/25/24 frames per second and photos at up to 72 MP (11,904 x 5,952 pixels). No doubt, the Insta360 has packed bigger lenses, but what irks me is that the camera has the same video specs as its predecessor. Though it offers more detailed footage than the X4. I spent almost three weeks with the Insta360 X5, taking it around town, biking, walking, and trekking, and guess what? I used the action camera without the lens guards all the time just to capture the best possible footage.
I shot the content in 360° and single-lens mode at 8k 30 fps during hiking, and the results were simply amazing. As you can see in the above video, the X5 managed to capture greenery and skies with great detail without overpowering the colors. I loved how the X5 produced richer sky tones while retaining nice contrast. Overall, I’m quite satisfied with the output of the X5; it was sharp, fluid, and colorful when shooting in daylight. What I liked the most about the X5 is its ability to produce natural-looking colors directly from the camera.
No doubt, the Insta360 X5 works amazingly well in broad daylight or under well-lit conditions, but what about the low-light conditions? Well, I did try the X5 in low-light conditions, and one thing I noticed is that there’s a remarkable video quality shift compared to the X4, thanks to PureVideo mode, which debuted on the Insta360 Ace Pro. I did shoot a few videos using X5’s PureVideo mode, and the camera performed admirably during low-light scenarios. The content it produces is pretty amazing—detailed and sharp—it manages to cut the noise in the shadows and doesn’t wash out the highlights.
Another improvement to sound quality in the X5 is Insta360’s new built-in microphone windscreen cover. I tested the X5 360 camera extensively while riding my bike and the sound results impressed me a lot. I did hear more of the sound of the engine and tires on gravel and less of the wind. However, despite having a windscreen cover, you still get considerable wind noise once you hit above 30 mph. For those who want clear sound while riding, I would suggest using an external mic for better audio results.
Stabilization? I hardly even thought about the video stabilization while shooting. I’m quite impressed by the FlowState stabilization system in the X5. For reference, it’s way better than its immediate rival Osmo 360’s RockSteady Stabilization system. The X5’s footage, by comparison, is buttery smooth even in action-packed moments.
The 2.5-inch touchscreen is responsive, and the swipe-based interface is quite easy to use. I didn’t face any issues while navigating. One can easily access different shooting modes (360 video, PureVideo, Timelapse, InstaFrame, Bullet Time, and more), tweak camera functions, and change resolution settings and frame rate options. Like videos, images coming out of the X5 are also fantastic and filled with details.
Of course, the Insta360 X5 is certainly not without its limitations. During my testing, I did notice some occasional stitching issues. For those who don’t know, what is stitching? It’s the point in the video where both the front and back cameras meet.
Insta360 X5: Battery Life
The battery capacity of the X5 is bigger than before, featuring a 2,400 mAh battery, a step up from the 2,290 mAh of the X4. The company promises up to 185 minutes of video recording when using Endurance mode (5.7k 24 fps) with Active HDR turned off, a step up from 135 minutes with the X4.
During my testing period, I mostly shot the content in 8K 30 fps, and the X5 offers me around 85 minutes of battery life. Despite the battery upgrade on the X5, I also noticed heating issues while shooting in 8K. The good news is that the action camera now charges faster compared to the X4 via USB-C. It took over 30 minutes to fully charge the device, and it took just over 21 minutes to hit the 80% mark.
Insta360 X5: Software
Insta360 offers its in-house Insta360 mobile editor app (available on both iOS and Android) and the Insta360 Studio for PC to further edit the captured 360 footage. I did use the app for editing; it has a very user-friendly interface and offers dozens of tools, from choosing the exact angle (rear view, front view, Mega View 95°, and custom view), aspect ratio, and AI auto reframing to deep tracking, GPS overlay, and more.
This time around, Insta360 has also added support for I-Log video recording, which is great for users who want to do their own color post-processing. Unfortunately, you can’t shoot 8K log video. The I-Log support is limited to only 5.7K video resolution. Insta360 has also introduced a new video mode called InstaFrame Mode. With the camera in InstaFrame mode, you can simultaneously shoot an autoframed flat video alongside a full 360° video.
This mode gives you options to choose the perspective (front view, 360 view, rear view, and custom view), but note that this camera mode is limited to 5.7K 30 fps and offers framed output at 1080p. Honestly, I simply don’t understand this mode. Why would I use this mode when I can do the very same thing by simply shooting a normal 360° video and editing it in the Insta360 app to choose the view of my liking and have 4K output?
Another thing I liked most about the Insta360 editor app is the AI Auto Edit feature. You just have to upload your favorite clips, and AI auto-edit will automatically do edits while picking main video highlights and adding transitions and music. However, this is good for beginners, but if you want the best results from this camera, then you need to put time into learning to edit.
No doubt, the Insta360 editing app offers a range of features, templates, and tools, but there’s a learning curve in order to truly unlock the X5’s full potential.
Insta360 X5: Alternatives
Yes, there is an alternative to the Insta360 X5, and it comes from the house of DJI. The slightly cheaper DJI Osmo 360 is a great 360 camera and a good alternative to the X5. It offers a maximum resolution at 8K 50 fps, 105 GB of built-in storage, more flexible 10-bit color, D-Log M support, DJI ecosystem compatibility, and dual 1/1.1-inch square sensors. This 360 camera is best for those on a budget and who don’t care much about stabilization, internal audio, and non-user-replaceable lenses.
Final Thoughts
The Insta360 X5 is a fantastic 360 action camera that checks all the boxes, from high-resolution video recording support, a new user-replaceable lens design, a rugged build, and a range of video shooting modes to a longer battery life, excellent mic and wind reduction, fantastic easy-to-use software, and I-Log support.
Features aside, it produces a highly detailed, natural-looking, stunning 360 video with top-notch internal audio quality. If you’re into the action camera market and budget isn’t a thing for you, then the Insta360 X5 is one of the best action cameras you can buy.
Is it worth upgrading from X4? The answer is no, because there are no significant reasons to upgrade to the X5. However, if you are an X3 or earlier model owner, the X5 is a solid upgrade for you. What you get is a longer battery life, an improved processor, the best build quality, and a wide range of new shooting modes and features.
Price and Availability
The Insta360 X5 Satin White Limited Edition Standard bundle retails at $675.99, and interested buyers can snag the action camera via Insta360’s official store and Amazon. The latest iteration costs $116 more compared to the last generation model. The company also offers multiple bundle options, including the Get-Set bundle, the Essentials bundle, and the Starters bundle, which are priced at $715, $789.99, and $739.99, respectively.
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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