ZDNET's key takeaways The Insta360 X5 delivers fantastic image quality and retails for $549.
The improved waterproof and build quality are useful upgrades.
I just wish the lens didn't scratch as easily. View now at Amazon
For Amazon Prime Day, you can save $30 on the Insta360 X5, bringing the new price down to $519.
Almost exactly a year later, the team at Insta360 is back with its latest 360-degree camera: the X5. I previously tested the X4 during a college campus visit with my family and was blown away by how easy it was to use, not to mention the impressive image quality. It was so good that I considered it one of the best vlogging cameras you could buy in 2024.
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So, the question is: how does Insta360 raise the bar with the X5?
The Insta360 X5 is a 360-degree camera system that allows for not only 360-degree video and photos, but also standard imagery in high resolution. Photos can be captured in up to 72 megapixels. Video can be captured up to UHD/4K resolution with higher frame rates reserved for HD or 2.7K resolution. The kicker with X5 is the ability to not only shoot 360-degree footage or flat footage, but now you can shoot either simultaneously, due to great onboard processing.
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I didn't have much negative feedback regarding the X4, so I doubted the X5 would be any different. The build quality continues to be top-notch with Insta360, as you get a form factor that's comfortable in hand in portrait mode, landscape mode, or on a tripod mount. The weather sealing is outstanding, offering waterproofing up to 15 meters.
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