Insta360 X5 Review: Refined, Robust, Ready To Be The Best

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The Insta360 x5 is the latest in what has become established at the dominant line of consumer level 360 cameras. Its predecessor, the X4, is a device I praised for finally delivering 8K footage, which is something I'd long considered an essential upgrade in 360 cameras. They need to capture as much resolution as possible to realize their exciting potential, both to deliver immersive VR experiences, and as a powerful tool for traditional horizontal and vertical format content. The X5 takes everything that made the X4 such an excellent camera and adds key upgrades that give the X5 the potential of being yet another revolutionary step up compared to its predecessor.

Those upgrades range from eye-catching alterations of the aesthetic design, to major durability and waterproofing improvements. Insta360 have even managed to cram a larger image sensor into this little camera, which has major implications for video quality on top of the 8K recording capability inherited from its predecessor. Insta360 provided the X5 for this review.

One thing that never fails to make me excited to test a new camera is when it boasts a significantly larger sensor than its predecessor, and such is the case with the Insta360 X5. The X5 features a 1/1.28" sensor, which is much larger than the 1/2" sensor found in last year's Insta360 X4. This means that the pixels themselves are larger in the X5 than the X4, leading to a serious boost to image quality, particularly when it comes to low light and high dynamic range scenarios. 

The 13.5 stops of dynamic range in the X5 mean that you are far less likely to run into situations with blown out highlights or crushed shadows. This really showed its merit on the ski slopes, where the bright sun and reflective snow contrast so harshly with the inky shadows of the trees.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Additionally, the X5 now features a 5nm AI chip, dual Pro Imaging chips, and a new algorithm, which enables greatly enhanced performance in low light when shooting in the dedicated PureVideo mode. These upgrades also enable Active HDR at up to 5.7K 60fps. Still photos also look fantastic, and a new built-in wind guard and improved audio algorithms greatly enhance the audio recording capabilities of the camera. For vloggers, this makes the X5 an extraordinarily compelling all-in-one system.

Improved battery life is another benefit of this new camera, and I was able to accomplish long recording sessions without needing to swap out for a fresh battery. In endurance mode, the X5 is rated for 185 minutes of battery life. Additionally, it now only takes 20 minutes to charge to 80% capacity, and the X5 now handles heat dissipation better as well.

While Insta360's flagship action cameras have all been reasonably rugged and waterproof, those protruding glass lenses are an unavoidable weak point that's hard not to worry about scratching. However, The Insta360 X5 may be the first 360 camera which you can actually treat as an action camera and use in extreme situations without fear. The first reason for this is that they're using a tougher kind of glass for the lens, and I definitely put this to the test on the ski slope. The Insta360 X5 survived a number of accidents; from wipeouts while skiing through the dingweeds, to clanging against the metal hoop of the chairlift, the X5 survived it all without a scratch. It's genuinely impressive after all the abuse I put this camera through during testing that it never suffered any noticeable harm.

However, if you do manage to damage the lens on the Insta360 X5, perhaps the greatest new thing about this camera is that the lenses are user replaceable. If you've been at all involved in the 360 camera community, you know what a huge deal this is. It means that with the X5, accidents which would otherwise have turned the camera into E-waste are now perfectly recoverable. While I was not able to carry out the procedure during my time testing the camera for review, the process does not look too technically difficult. 

Waterproofing has also been upgraded with the X5. The camera is now rated to IP68 standard, meaning that it can be used down to 49 feet underwater. It's no exaggeration to say that this is indeed the toughest 360 camera out there.

Insta360 has long offered arguably the best companion software for their cameras compared to other manufacturers both within the action camera space, and indeed the wider camera market. It's quick and easy to connect your smartphone to the X5 to access your footage, whereas usually companion software is clunky and slow. I love to be able to quickly edit photos and videos on my phone, but with many cameras it's just too much of a hassle. Not so with the Insta360 X5, where it takes just a few minutes to connect the camera to the app, download a 360 photo, manipulate it as desired, and export a still image ready to share.

Video editing is a similarly superlative story, particularly via the desktop application, and Insta360 also offers an Adobe Premiere Pro plugin so that you can edit your 360 footage directly in Premiere Pro. I personally prefer to edit Insta360 video footage in the standalone Insta360 desktop software, and then import it into Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, but I also love having the option to use the plugin as well. Insta360 Studio has been significantly upgraded, and is now so efficient that I can now have high resolution clips exporting while I simultaneously edit the next clip. Insta360 has honed their software to the point where I no longer view the extra effort of editing 360 footage as the hassle it once was. It's genuinely great to use.

The only thing I don't like here is that you do have to activate the X5 through the app before use. However, I almost didn't even notice this activation process because it's so easy to connect to the app, and the app is so well designed and useful.

The Standard Edition bundle of the Insta360 X5 will set you back $549, which is $50 more than the X4 was at launch (and at time of writing, the X4 is discounted to $424 on BestBuy). However, though kind of pricey, the X5 is still worth it, considering how significant of an upgrade it is. You can save a few bucks by opting for the recently discounted refresh of the GoPro Hero Max, but the X5 is so far ahead of that camera that you're probably better off opting for the X5. There are a number of other competitors in the 360 camera space, such as Ricoh, but Insta360 has iterated and innovated so rapidly that it's hard to see how anyone could keep up.

Really, if you're in the market for a new 360 camera, the X5 is the only good choice unless you can get a steep discount on the X4. If you're considering upgrading from an older model, then rest assured that it will be a significant upgrade. Even the X3, which is just a few years old, seems long in the tooth next to the impressive capabilities of the X5. If you already own an X4, then it's a slightly trickier question, as the X4 can do a lot of what the X5 can do (such as 8K video), but if your budget allows, I think you'll be happy with the improvements the X5 makes over the X4.

The basic $549 Standard Edition is fairly barebones in what's included. With that you get a USB-C cable, protective pouch, and lens cloth. If you want more accessories with the camera, the Essential Bundle will set you back $659, and includes an extra battery, utility fast charge case, 114cm invisible selfie stick, standard lens guards, lens cap, and a carry case.

Insta360 provided the Essential Bundle, as well as a few other accessories for testing, and I'd say it's a worthwhile set of accessories, particularly if you don't already own a selfie stick or appropriate carrying case. However, I did run into problems with the standard lens guards, which have a tendency to fall off, and I actually lost one my first time using them on the X5. They aren't included in the Standard Edition because of the improvements Insta360 has made to durability and repairability, and based on my experience with the X5 that genuinely seems to be the case.

As for other accessories, the extra long Extended Edition selfie stick is excellent for capturing drone-like footage and the Bullet Time Selfie Stick 2.0 are both excellent, and can achieve some really dramatic shots. I particularly love the Extended Edition selfie stick as it offers a way to capture photos and video with an aerial perspective in places where that would otherwise be impossible.

It's great to see that Insta360 isn't resting on its laurels, having already delivered a fantastic 360 camera last year, and have moved forward with significant and innovative upgrades in the Insta360 X5. We've got better image quality from a new, larger sensor, better battery life, and perhaps most significantly of all a major step forward in terms of durability and repairability. I can't stress enough how impressed I am by the punishment this camera is able to take without issue, and having user replaceable lenses greatly expands the appeal of owning a 360 camera. I've seen a lot of 360 camera owners over the years grieving on social media over scratched lenses, and it's wonderful that such disasters have now essentially been rendered a thing of the past.

There's really not much I can fault the X5 for beyond its regrettable price increase, and while there is the issue I ran into with the lens protectors, that's hardly a strike against the camera now that I've found it doesn't really even need them anymore. The truth is that the Insta360 X5 is by far the best 360 camera on the market right now.

The Insta360 X5 is available starting at $549 from Insta360's store on Amazon right now.