Insta360 Link Is An AI-Powered 4K Webcam That Physically Moves To Keep You In Frame

Insta360 is no stranger to tiny cameras, but the new Insta360 Link is a tiny camera with a trick that isn't related to being small: it's actually a 4K webcam that uses AI to automatically adjust and keep you in the frame as you move. Sound familiar? Automatic subject tracking has grown in popularity and is now close to being a standard feature on high-end webcams, the market for which exploded over the past couple of years due to the sudden pandemic transition to remote working arrangements. 

In fact, Apple offers this functionality on several of its newest iPad and Mac products, and it calls it Center Stage. The idea is that you can walk around while on a video call — such as while teaching a class remotely — and the camera will automatically track your location so that you don't have to adjust the device manually. This can also prove useful when you're, for example, cooking while on a video call, making it possible for the viewer to see you while you walk around the kitchen. What does Insta360's new model offer?

The Link offers 4K Ultra HD video capture at up to 30 frames per second, though Insta360 notes there are other resolutions and frame rates to choose from. As well, the model packs a 1/2-inch sensor that the company says allows the camera to capture more detail and better handle low-light environments. Additionally, the Link also offers other more nuanced camera settings like white balance, brightness, and exposure. An HDR mode is also available to automatically adjust highlight and shadow balance, while Phase Detection Auto Focus should keep you from appearing blurry.

Of course, it's the AI tracking that Insta360 is particularly proud of, which uses the Link's 3-axis gimbal lens to keep subjects centered in the frame (and in focus) no matter how much they might move around. And if you're too far away to adjust settings from your computer, it also supports gesture control. So you can use your hands to tell the Link to start tracking, change focus, and so on from anywhere in the room, as long as you're on camera. There's even a DeskView mode, which not only shifts the camera down to display what's on your desk, but also uses algorithms to adjust the perspective so that whatever you're viewing won't be distorted by the camera angle.

You can order a Link directly from Insta360 right now, either as a standalone for $299 or with a tripod kit for $328. A standalone Link includes the camera itself, four whiteboard recognition markers (to help the camera recognize and enhance whiteboards), a USB-C cable, and an adapter. The tripod kit includes all of that, plus what looks to be a mini 2-in-1 tripod, which can be extended up to 14-inches and act as a desk mount.