Insta360 One X
Compact camera for 360 VR photos and video
$449.95 From Insta360, insta360.com Features 5.7K video resolution, gyro stabilization, micro SD card slot
Want to shoot 360 ‘virtual reality’ photos and videos? Insta360’s new ONE X is the latest in this field. We checked out the ONE X Camera Bundle, a kit containing everything you need, including monopod and a ‘bullet time’ handle with mini tripod legs.
The ONE X captures everything around it at once, thanks to a pair of fisheye lenses, one each side of the compact body. Just hold it up and press the shutter button to grab a 360 photo or begin a 360 video. This does mean your thumb is prominent at the bottom of the shot, but that’s easy to avoid: simply stick it on the monopod and use the iOS app to control it remotely.
The camera makes its own Wi–Fi hotspot, so you can operate it from another room if you like. This also means you can transfer large videos to an iPhone directly; no need to tether it to your Mac to offload footage. The camera is small enough to slip comfortably into a shirt pocket, so you can poke it into tiny spaces to capture shots that boggle the imagination. It knows which way is up whatever angle you use, even when live–streaming 360 video to YouTube or Facebook. That ‘bullet time’ handle is odd, but it’s also a lot of fun. The monopod connects to its side with the ONE X at the other end, and you twirl it around your head while shooting video. It looks weird, but the results are nothing short of staggering.
The ONE X captures images and video in almost unimaginable ways. And taking HDR and manual control options into account, the quality is easily as good as other regular action cameras such as a GoPro HERO7 Black.
the bottom line. An affordable 360 camera that is lots of fun to use, and delivers excellent results.