![[images/11 Mistakes EVERY Insta360 X4 Beginner Makes.webp]] # 11 Mistakes EVERY Insta360 X4 Beginner Makes [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvAalL0cVu4) · MountMedia · 2024-08-24 · 9:42. Written from the creator's English subtitles and chapters. ## Outline - **0:00 – Intro.** Werner reads typical viewer comments: their X4 footage "just doesn't look like the footage on your channel" and often has a lot of noise. Because these comments keep coming, he made a beginner's tutorial on the secrets of good 360 shots and the 11 most common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them. - **0:31 – Mistake 1: Clips are far too long (chapter "Long Clips").** Beginners hit record while cycling or skiing and let the camera roll, sometimes forgetting to stop. Long clips fill the SD card quickly (especially at 8K), few people want to watch them, and reframing them or finding the good part is tedious. Fix: shoot more deliberately, spot interesting moments, and time shorter clips so you don't miss key action. This makes editing and reframing much easier. - **1:12 – Mistake 2: Ignoring lens stitching (chapter "Lens Stitching").** The X4 has two separate cameras whose images are stitched into one 360 image, and the seam can be visible depending on the scene and lighting, which lowers image quality. Fix: when filming yourself, point one of the two lenses at you so the camera's edge (the stitch side) isn't facing your subject, and don't rotate the camera during the recording. ![[images/11 Mistakes EVERY Insta360 X4 Beginner Makes-t0140.webp]] - **1:59 – Mistake 3: No camera movement.** The X4 supports two kinds of movement: real physical camera moves while shooting, and framing changes added in post when reframing. Both matter and can be combined. Add even a simple forward move during the shot, then use keyframes in post for extra dynamism. Because keyframing can be fiddly, the latest Insta360 app update added a range of preset movements you can apply quickly (shown in his update video). Links to creative-movement idea videos are in the description. ![[images/11 Mistakes EVERY Insta360 X4 Beginner Makes-t0235.webp]] - **3:03 – Mistake 4: Using only the smartphone app.** Many beginners copy files to the phone, do a quick reframe and share. That's fine, and the phone app is the better choice for AI effects and auto-edit features. The desktop app, though, offers more precision (bigger screen), more control, and above all **ProRes export**. ProRes is almost lossless, while phone exports compress 360 footage further. Use the phone for quick automatic effects and the desktop for the best image quality. - **3:59 – Mistake 5: Not organising your files (chapter "Organize").** Dumping recordings onto a drive without a system means you won't find them later, and X4 files are large and in an odd format. Werner reframes everything soon after shooting and saves it in a dedicated folder. He names files by the mount and activity (e.g. "skiing with pole") and names folders by activity, optionally with the date, so you can quickly find skiing, biking or surfing clips. Keep the original source files only for very special shots to save storage. ![[images/11 Mistakes EVERY Insta360 X4 Beginner Makes-t0430.webp]] - **4:52 – Mistake 6: Always using the same mount (chapter "Mounts").** Most people use only a pole. It is the ideal 360 mount because it disappears from the shot, but other mounts unlock the camera's creative potential and let you film yourself hands-free while cycling, skiing and more. He points to his detailed X4 mounts and accessories video, which shows footage from each Insta360 mount, because viewers keep asking how he got particular shots. ![[images/11 Mistakes EVERY Insta360 X4 Beginner Makes-t0510.webp]] - **5:42 – Mistake 7: Sticking with default settings (chapter "Settings").** The X4 default is 5.7K at 30 fps, which is not the best possible setting, and no single setting suits every situation. There are better choices for low light, natural landscapes, classic action and underwater. The advanced shooting settings (swipe in from the right edge to the left) also improve image quality. He recommends his detailed X4 settings and features tutorial for beginners. - **6:26 – Mistake 8: Only shooting in video mode (chapter "Shooting modes").** The X4 has many shooting modes that benefit from the 360 image and the invisible-selfie-stick effect: HyperLapse and TimeLapse, the **PureShot** format for high-quality 360 photos, and **Bullet Time** for a fun effect. Keep experimenting, because having fun is what the X4 is all about. - **7:01 – Mistake 9: Expecting the X4 to be perfect in every situation (chapter "Low light").** Werner counts this and the next two as probably the biggest mistakes when the X4 is someone's first 360 camera. It is fantastic for creative, immersive outdoor shots in good light, plus action, vlogging and travel. But the extreme wide angle and small sensors have limits. Insta360 slightly improved low light over the X3, yet the X4 is not ideal in low light, including indoors, and often shows noise. The best results come outdoors in daylight, ideally in sunshine with a blue sky. - **7:53 – Mistake 10: Ignoring the environment and compression (chapter "Compression").** Small sensors and the wide angle keep almost everything in focus, which is great for an action camera, but they also capture thousands of tiny details (think of a forest). Compression to keep file sizes down struggles with many similar fine details and lowers quality, and social media uploads compress the footage again. Open landscapes suit the X4 much better than dense forests, and few people take this into account. ![[images/11 Mistakes EVERY Insta360 X4 Beginner Makes-t0815.webp]] - **8:42 – Mistake 11: Not filming and testing enough (chapter "Conclusion").** After 10 typical mistakes, Werner stresses that no tutorial can replace personal experience. Many beginners test too little and don't film enough. Take the X4 with you whenever something might be worth capturing and try as much as possible to learn what you like and what works best for you. - **9:18 – Recommended tutorials and outro.** He has put together a list of X4 tutorials in the description for faster progress. Like for feedback, and more Insta360 X4 videos are coming. ## Things mentioned ### Cameras - Insta360 X4 (primary subject; dual-lens 360 camera, small sensors, extreme wide angle) - Insta360 X3 (predecessor; X4 low light slightly improved over it) ### Features, modes and settings - Lens stitching and the stitch line; pointing a lens at the subject - Physical camera movement vs reframing with keyframes in post - Preset reframing movements added in a recent Insta360 app update - 8K recording (fills SD cards quickly) - Default setting 5.7K at 30 fps; situation-specific settings (low light, nature, action, underwater) - Advanced shooting settings (swipe from the right edge) - Shooting modes: Video, HyperLapse, TimeLapse, PureShot 360 photos, Bullet Time - Invisible selfie stick effect - Compression artifacts in detail-dense scenes and from social media uploads ### Software - Insta360 mobile app (AI effects, auto-edit, quick reframing) - Insta360 desktop app (Insta360 Studio): precise reframing, ProRes export - Apple ProRes (near-lossless export format) - File and folder naming by mount, activity and date ### Mounts and accessories - Selfie stick / pole (the most common mount; disappears from the shot) - Other Insta360 mounts and accessories for hands-free biking, skiing and more - SD card storage ### Related MountMedia videos (from the description) - Insta360 X4 Ultimate Beginner's Tutorial: https://youtu.be/16al_FBC490 - Insta360 X4 The BEST Mounts & Accessories: https://youtu.be/jxjqmnBdxkQ - Insta360 X4 The BEST LOW LIGHT Settings: https://youtu.be/h4zJwsdAQMU (see [[Good Insta360 X4 Footage in Low Light Yes Here's how]]) - Insta360 X4 The Absolute Best Settings: https://youtu.be/pJBUchWCTEk (see [[Insta360 X4 The Absolute Best Settings]]) - Insta360 X4 The Ultimate Underwater Tutorial: https://youtu.be/J3JVqFvWyQ8 - BIG Update with NEW Features for the Insta360 App, X4 and Ace Pro: https://youtu.be/9IsvC3J3xvI - Tips and tricks videos also linked in the description: 9 epic Insta360 X4 tricks, 7 CREATIVE tricks with INSTA360 X4 in SPRING, 9 powerful Insta360 X4 ideas, Top 10 Cool Shots with the Insta360 X4 ### Purchase options - Insta360 X4 (15% off and free Action Selfie Stick; first 30 purchases get a free gift, via affiliate link): https://www.insta360.com/sal/x4?utm_term=INRNHMF - Insta360 Accessories: https://store.insta360.com/accessory?utm_term=INRNHMF - Audiio music used in the video: https://audiio.com/pricing?oid=1&affid=606 ## Bios - **Werner Plank** is the creator and host of MountMedia, a YouTube channel based in Austria that makes in-depth reviews, comparisons and tutorials for 360 and action cameras, especially Insta360, DJI and GoPro, often filmed while skiing, biking and hiking in the mountains. He can be reached at [email protected] and on Instagram as @werner.plank. - **Insta360 X4** is Insta360's 2024 flagship consumer 360 camera with dual ultra-wide lenses, up to 8K 360 video, single-lens modes, FlowState stabilisation, and modes like HyperLapse, TimeLapse, PureShot and Bullet Time. It shines outdoors in good light but is limited in low light by its small sensors. - **Insta360** is the Shenzhen-based camera maker behind the X-series 360 cameras, the Ace Pro and GO action cameras, and the Insta360 mobile and desktop (Studio) editing apps.