![[images/Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months Still Great.webp]] # Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months: Still Great? [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx0UQLzoDVc) · MountMedia · 2024-11-22 · 11:21. Written from YouTube's English captions and the creator's chapters. ## Outline - **0:00 – Insta360 X4 Review after 6 months.** After a weekend of ski test shots with all the new action cameras (a ski comparison video is coming), Werner realized the X4's strengths and weaknesses more clearly. After six months and hundreds of shots, would he still recommend it? He lays out what he sees as the 10 decisive strengths and 5 weaknesses. - **0:31 – Strength 1: Reframing.** The obvious one, shared by every 360 camera: shoot once and choose the framing in post. You can also play shots back as full 360, but few people do; the real value is pressing record without worrying and knowing you can fix the framing later. ![[images/Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months Still Great-t0040.webp]] - **1:01 – Strength 2: Extremely wide field of view.** The X4's standard reframed FOV is significantly wider than a conventional action camera such as a GoPro or DJI Action 5 Pro, giving a very immersive look and making it easy to get everything important in frame. Single-lens mode is also wider than other action cameras; it shoots traditional non-360 footage at up to 4K60, and in good light it is hard to tell apart from a conventional action camera, which makes the X4 versatile. - **1:56 – Weakness 1: Low light.** Like any 360 camera it has two fairly small sensors. Werner has a low-light tutorial for getting decent results, but optimum quality only comes in daylight and very good light. Not a big problem for his action use, but travelers looking for an all-purpose camera should think about it. - **2:34 – Strength 3: Stabilization.** The X4 outperforms every action camera here, helped by its very wide FOV (wider view looks more stable). His Shorts comparing it with the Action 5 and Hero 13 drew "this video is fake" comments because viewers couldn't believe how much smoother the X4 was. ![[images/Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months Still Great-t0250.webp]] - **3:19 – Strength 4: Invisible selfie stick.** In 360 shots the stick is removed automatically with no extra editing; the X4 implements it especially well and the attachment point is barely visible. Any normal stick works as long as the camera is mounted straight. Several brands (and Insta360 with the Ace Pro / Ace Pro 2) now offer app-based stick removal for traditional footage, but that is applied in post like a Photoshop edit, can show artifacts, and is usually only available at low resolution for short clips, so it doesn't compare. ![[images/Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months Still Great-t0325.webp]] - **4:30 – Weakness 2: Resolution after reframing.** The X4 shoots up to 8K and image quality has improved, but reframing is effectively cropping the 360 image, so exports end up around 2.7K. Fine for phones and social media, more noticeable on big screens. 8K is limited to 30 fps; 60 fps needs a lower resolution, where the gap grows. Together with low light, he calls this the biggest weakness of the X4 and of basically every 360 camera. - **5:30 – Strength 5: Creative possibilities.** Reframing plus the invisible selfie stick enables shots a conventional camera can't do: freely choose the angle and use keyframes to change framing during a shot. If you already own a classic action camera, even an older one, a 360 camera adds far more than a new action cam with slightly better image quality. For him this is the X4's greatest strength. - **6:19 – Strength 6: Mounts and accessories.** Insta360's many high-quality mounts make the X4 versatile, with options for nearly every sport, including the new ski pole mount that disappears from the shot. He points to his best X4 mounts and accessories video. ![[images/Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months Still Great-t0630.webp]] - **6:49 – Weakness 3: Editing every shot.** The flip side of the creative strength: every 360 shot has to be edited and reframed. Single-lens mode helps, but the X4's strengths only show in 360. With practice reframing is quick, including in the phone app, but he understands people who find it cumbersome. - **7:15 – Strength 7: The Insta360 app.** Simple, fast, and stable. Instead of keyframes you can select a subject and let automatic tracking follow it; many shots in this video were made that way. It also lets you adjust distortion as well as angle, and Insta360 keeps adding reframing features such as predefined movements. ![[images/Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months Still Great-t0730.webp]] - **7:57 – Strength 8: Creative effects.** The app offers many X4-specific effects: change the sky, add AI-generated effects, simulate a drone shot, and more. Some are gimmicks, but creative users can make really cool clips. - **8:21 – Weakness 4: Size and weight.** Image quality improved a lot over the X3, but the X4 is heavier and larger than the X3 and than most action cameras. It is most noticeable on a helmet, and the elongated shape suits a pole better than a helmet mount. Werner isn't a fan of helmet mounting, but that depends on your use. - **9:02 – Strength 9: Body and build quality.** Comfortable to hold, high-quality finish, good buttons, and a large, responsive, easy-to-use display. Nothing wrong with the build. ![[images/Insta360 X4 Updated Review After 6 Months Still Great-t0910.webp]] - **9:20 – Strength 10: Reliability.** In six months, no overheating (though the mountains help), no crashes he can remember, a replaceable battery, and battery life that is reasonable for most purposes. He notes reliability isn't a given in the action camera market. - **9:49 – Weakness 5: Slow motion.** As someone who uses it mainly as an action camera, he misses a high-quality slow-motion mode. At 5.7K the top frame rate is 60 fps, enough for about 40% slow motion at reasonable quality. Really slow footage needs 100 fps at 4K, which cuts image quality further, so he'd only use it in special cases. - **10:20 – Price and Special Offer.** As an exclusive Black Friday deal the X4 was $425, and the description link adds a bullet time kit worth $65: an invisible selfie stick plus a bullet time tripod handle that also works as a mini tripod. (The description was later updated to a holiday deal running until January 2.) - **10:43 – Should you still buy the X4?** Even after six months he says it's an absolutely great camera. What he loves most is the endless possibilities of reframing, the invisible selfie stick, and the easy app. Better low-light performance and a smaller body would be welcome. He points to his X4 vs X3 comparison and full-feature tutorials and promises more X4 videos. ## Things mentioned ### Cameras - Insta360 X4 (reviewed) - Insta360 X3 (lighter and smaller; X4 has better image quality) - GoPro Hero 13 - DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro - Insta360 Ace Pro and Ace Pro 2 (app-based selfie stick removal for traditional footage) ### Products and accessories - Insta360 invisible selfie stick (any straight-mounted normal stick also works) - Insta360 ski pole mount (new) - Insta360 bullet time kit: invisible selfie stick plus bullet time tripod handle (doubles as a mini tripod) - Helmet mounts (X4 shape and weight less suited) - Replaceable X4 battery ### Software and features - 360 reframing with keyframes and adjustable distortion - Automatic subject tracking in the Insta360 app - Predefined reframing movements - Creative effects: sky replacement, AI-generated effects, simulated drone shot - Single-lens mode, up to 4K60 - 8K30 360 recording; reframed exports around 2.7K - 5.7K60 (about 40% slow motion) and 4K100 slow motion - Invisible selfie stick effect vs post-processed stick removal on non-360 cameras ### Announcements / related videos - Upcoming ski and snowboard action camera comparison (later published as THIS Is The Best Action Camera For Skiing and Snowboarding) - MountMedia Shorts comparing X4 stabilization with Action 5 and Hero 13 - Insta360 X4 vs X3 - Insta360 X4 Low Light Tutorial - Insta360 X4 Beginner Mistakes - Insta360 X4 Full Beginner Tutorial - Insta360 X4 The Best Accessories ### Purchase options - Insta360 X4 Black Friday deal at $425 with a free bullet time kit worth $65 (in the video) - Description (updated): holiday deal until January 2, X4 at 15% off plus a free bullet time kit via affiliate link - Insta360 accessories at 10% off via affiliate link - Audiio music licensing, promo code SAVE70 for 70% off ## Bios - **Werner Plank** is the creator and host of MountMedia, an Austrian-based YouTube channel focused on in-depth reviews, comparisons and tutorials for 360 and action cameras, especially Insta360, DJI and GoPro, often filmed in the mountains.