![[images/Insta360 X5 vs X4 Worth the Upgrade.webp]] # Insta360 X5 vs X4: Worth the Upgrade? [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyoey-0yL4k) · MountMedia · 2025-04-24 · 13:20. Written from YouTube's English captions and the creator's chapters. ## Outline - **0:00 – Which should you buy?** Werner sets out to show what the X5 shares with the X4, how it differs, and whether it's worth upgrading, or which to buy if you don't own a 360 camera yet, since the X4 is still a great camera and now cheaper. - **0:33 – Design, size and weight.** The two look the same, with identical size, weight and button layout. Only the USB door has moved, and the surface loses its grooves for a design closer to the Thermo Grip Cover. These changes make room for new microphones and a new front windguard. Size and weight shouldn't factor into the choice. ![[images/Insta360 X5 vs X4 Worth the Upgrade-t0040.webp]] - **1:06 – Water resistance.** The X5 is waterproof to 15 m without a dive case, versus 10 m for the X4. - **1:16 – The replaceable lens cover.** Protruding lenses are a 360 camera's weak point, and lens guards can hurt image quality and cause flares. On the X5 you can replace a damaged lens cover yourself with a lens replacement kit, as on a GoPro or the Ace Pro 2; the X4 must be sent in for repair. He calls this one of the X5's most important advantages. ![[images/Insta360 X5 vs X4 Worth the Upgrade-t0150.webp]] - **2:02 – Display and shooting modes.** The screens appear identical, and both have a very similar interface and almost the same shooting modes. - **2:19 – Image quality.** Inside, the X5 has newer, faster processors and much larger 1/1.28-inch sensors versus the X4's 1/2-inch. He argues sensor size helps color, detail, dynamic range and noise, not just low light. In good light (8K30 standard mode, not HDR) the X5 has slightly more contrast and saturation, visibly better dynamic range when the sun is in frame, and cleaner, less noisy footage, though not clearly more detail. He stresses these differences are subtle at first glance. ![[images/Insta360 X5 vs X4 Worth the Upgrade-t0300.webp]] - **4:08 – Slow motion.** The X5 reaches 120 fps versus the X4's 100 fps, which matters to him because he edits at 30 fps and can now slow footage to 25% instead of 33%. Both drop to 4K for slow motion, and after reframing the resolution falls further, so the larger sensors matter even more; the X5's slow motion looks very good. - **4:57 – HDR.** On the X4 Active HDR is a separate mode; on the X5 HDR is built into normal video mode and on by default, though it can be turned off. Both need 5.7K for HDR, so shooting 8K disables it on the X5. The X5 shows a little less noise in shadows and can shoot HDR at up to 5.7K60 versus 30 fps on the X4. Because standard-mode dynamic range improved so much, he expects to shoot 8K30 and skip HDR. - **5:52 – Color profiles and the new LOG profile.** Both offer Standard, Vivid and Flat; only the X5 adds LOG, available in 5.7K but not 8K, and he believes it is 8-bit rather than 10-bit. He doesn't think the good-light differences alone justify an upgrade. - **6:24 – Low light.** The crucial difference: the X5's new PureVideo low-light mode works without dropping resolution, even in 8K, while the X4 needs 5.7K for its best low-light results. The X4 keeps up in moderate light, but as it gets darker its slower shutter worsens stabilization and loses detail with motion blur. All shots used default settings. He recommends the X5 for anyone who shoots indoors now and then. ![[images/Insta360 X5 vs X4 Worth the Upgrade-t0700.webp]] - **7:32 – The new InstaFrame mode.** The X5 records both a normal 360 clip (up to 5.7K+) and an automatically reframed flat clip (1080p), with you centered or a framing you choose beforehand, much like Me mode. The low-resolution flat clip suits social media. - **8:23 – Single-lens mode.** In good light the gap may be even larger here: the X5 shows much more detail, better-exposed faces in backlight and more vibrant color, coming close to a current action camera. A comparison against conventional action cameras is promised. ![[images/Insta360 X5 vs X4 Worth the Upgrade-t0845.webp]] - **9:08 – Audio.** An external mic is still best for vlogging, but the X5's new windguard cuts wind noise noticeably and removes background noise much better in a side-by-side test. - **9:45 – Battery life and overheating.** The X5 battery is 2400 mAh versus 2290 mAh. In 8K30 the X5 ran 1 h 27 min versus 1 h 12 min for the X4. The X5's new Endurance Mode (5.7K only) recorded 5.7K30 for 3 hours in his test, versus a 135-minute maximum on the X4, and fast charging reaches 80% in about 20 minutes. He's never had overheating issues with the X4 in his mountain, on-the-move use; in a 22 °C office the X5 shot 1 h 19 min before overheating versus 1 h 4 min for the X4, and neither overheated at 5.7K. - **11:32 – Extra features.** Twist to Shoot starts and stops recording by twisting the camera back and forth twice on a selfie stick (shown on the 114 cm Invisible Selfie Stick). The redesigned app presents clips more clearly and can reframe a whole clip to a chosen view like selfie with one tap, as if Deep Track were applied throughout; these app changes also apply to the X4. - **12:21 – Price and verdict.** The X5 costs $550 and the X4 is $120 less; links in the description include a free gift, and early X5 buyers get a $35 lens replacement kit. He would choose the X5 for its better sensor, low-light performance, audio and replaceable lens cover; whether to upgrade depends on how much those improvements matter to you. A detailed X5 tutorial is coming. ## Things mentioned ### Cameras - **Insta360 X5**: new 360 camera with 1/1.28-inch sensors, PureVideo, InstaFrame, LOG, 120 fps slow motion, 15 m waterproofing and a user-replaceable lens cover; $550 - **Insta360 X4**: predecessor with 1/2-inch sensors, 10 m waterproofing and Active HDR; $120 cheaper than the X5 - **GoPro** and **Insta360 Ace Pro 2**: cited as cameras that already allow self-replacement of lens covers ### Accessories - Insta360 X5 Lens Replacement Kit (worth $35, free for early buyers through his link) - Lens guards - Thermo Grip Cover - Insta360 114 cm Invisible Selfie Stick - X5 battery (2400 mAh) and X4 battery (2290 mAh) ### Software and features - PureVideo low-light mode - InstaFrame mode (360 clip plus auto-reframed flat clip), compared to Me mode - HDR built into X5 video mode vs Active HDR mode on the X4 - Standard, Vivid, Flat and new LOG color profiles - Single-lens mode - Endurance Mode and fast charging - Twist to Shoot - Redesigned Insta360 app with one-tap reframing and Deep Track ### Purchase options - Insta360 X5 (free Lens Replacement Kit for the first 20 purchases): https://bit.ly/MountMedia-Insta360X5 - Insta360 X4 (with free selfie stick): https://www.insta360.com/sal/x4?utm_term=INRNHMF - Insta360 X5 accessories: https://store.insta360.com/accessory?utm_term=INRNHMF - Insta360+ cloud storage: https://www.insta360.com/sal/insta360plus?utm_term=INRNHMF - Audiio music licensing used in the video (promo code SAVE70): https://audiio.com/pricing?oid=1&affid=606 ## Bios - **Werner Plank** runs MountMedia, a YouTube channel of camera tests, comparisons and tutorials focused on 360 and action cameras, filmed largely in the mountains where he lives. He narrates this comparison. - **Insta360** makes the X5 and X4 360 cameras compared here, along with the Ace Pro 2 and accessories mentioned. - **GoPro** is the action camera maker cited for its user-replaceable lens covers.