This came out recently:
I have been out shooting some video for my Des Moines in VR project, and will report back if I run into any snags with this latest update.
Insta360 X5 firmware 1.0.10 released
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Category Archives: Virtual Reality
Experimenting with Insta360 timelapse…
A feature I have only played with a few times (on any camera) is timelapse. The first time I did it with an Insta360 camera was when I got my first one – a ONE X2 – and tested it while visiting Universal Studios Florida. While having a meal, I let the camera run . This video is on my Park Hopping YouTube channel:
Later, when I upgraded to an X3, I stuck it on the top of my car with a magnet mount and just let it record the sky.
I did a few tests like this, and they are somewhere on my Sub-Etha Software YouTube channel.
By the time I had an X4, I think I only used this feature one time — and that was just a few weeks ago. I let it record while folks where leaving Silver Dollar City at the end of the day. That video is posted on my DisneyFans.com/ParkHopping.com Facebook page, I think.
And that was the end of my experiments with timelapse…
But recently, I saw an interesting “day to night” timelapse posted by Best360:
This motivated me to began experimenting again. I used an external battery pack handle, attached to the top of my tripod, and set up my camera to record from 7:30pm until it was dark at 8:30pm.
My first attempt failed. Apparently I did not hit the button properly…
My second attempt went much better, but at the end of the timelapse, everything was still pretty bright due to the new X5 producing a brighter image. I am unsure if the camera is doing something to change modes as it gets dark — I just used the “Timelapse” mode and let it do whatever it wanted to do.
My third attempt I ran from 7:30pm to 9pm. It was even more dark, but you can see it still does not look dark in the timelapse:
It is an interesting feature, but quite boring unless you actually reframe it to pan the video and give it a bit more motion.
Have you done much with this mode? If you know of a good use for it, leave a comment.
Until next time…
DJI Osmo 360 camera?
Rumors and leaks of the DJI 360 camera are in full swing on the following Twitter account:
Check it out and see photos of the prototype and quick start guide.
Insta360 X5 firmware 1.0.6 released
Versions have been coming out rapidly lately. I just noticed they have a 1.0.6 listed on the website:
What’s next for consumer 360 cameras?
I have had a variety of 360 camera systems since I first purchased one in 2005. My first Insta360 camera was the ONE X2 which was released in October 2020. Next came the X3 in September 2022, then the X4 in April 2024. Now, with the release of the X5 in April 2025, many are wondering why they have gone from “every two years” to “every year.”
Online camera ramblers(tm) suggest it is due to the impending release of 360 cameras from competitors DJI and GoPro.
However, if you search for “GoPro bankrupt” you will find many (many!) videos talking about the impending end of that company. Here is one that was posted to YouTube about a week ago:
…however, you should be aware that the above video is sponsored by Insta360, and videos about the “impending bankruptcy” of GoPro have been showing up the past few years.
Still, a new 360 camera from a well-stablished camera company would get my attention. I’d certainly switch to it if it were better than what I am using.
The same goes for DJI which has slowly been becoming a camera (and wireless microphone) company as much as it is a drone company.
Competition is good, and there is as much praise for the DJI microphone and camera offerings as there is for their drones (i.e. “flying cameras”).
And I find it sad that RICOH, which was one of the first affordable consumer 360 cameras, doesn’t seem to ever pop up in 360 camera discussions any more.
What do you think will be “the next big thing?” Leave a comment…
Selling my X4 and tons of accessories
UPDATE: Sold for $400. Congrats to the buyer! You got a great deal!
It has been only a year since I picked up my Insta360 X4, but now that I have a new X5, I am getting rid of all my X4 gear. This includes the X4, three batteries total, quick charger, dive case, lens covers, lens guards, several carrying cases, mix wind muffs, and more — some of these items never got used. I really expected the X4 to be around for two years before the replacement model came out ;-)
The X4 by itself is $424 on Amazon, but you can buy my whole kit for less than that right now if you want, or bid and try to get it cheaper:
Insta360 X5 low light performance
Here are some raw footage clips of the Insta360 X5 camera recorded at night. For the test, I had my X4 recording in 8K 30fps Video mode, and put the X5 in 8K 30fps PureVideo mode.
One surprising thing was that even the preview screen looks much brighter on the X5:
Here are the results:
As you can see, the X5 produces a significantly brighter image. But, freeze frame along the way and you will see it still suffers from graininess and image blur when recording in low light levels.
And since the X5 has a slightly larger image sensor, I wanted to do a comparison that I did not see in any of the pre-release YouTuber videos. For this test, I set both the X4 and X5 in normal 8K 30fps Video mode (NOT using PureVideo on the X5). I was surprised at how much brighter the X5 video is even in “normal” Video mode:
There may be a few more short tests I want to complete before selling off my X4 gear, so keep checking this site.
If you have any specific things you want to see tested, leave a comment. If I have time, I will try to do them.
Until next time…
Insta360 X5 charging LED…
The Insta360 X5 charging LED glows amber/orange instead of red. This is different from earlier models. It is difficult to tell in this photo, but it is quite different when looking at it directly.
Also, the “PureVideo” low light mode may be garbage. I did some tests tonight and while it is definitely brighter, it still needs alot of light to avoid the image becoming a grainy, blurry mess. I’ll have some demo videos to share, soon. (Better than not having it, of course, but it does not look like it will solve my #1 issue with these 360 cameras — low light performance.)
Insta360 X5 firmware 1.0.2 released
“It seems like only yesterday” I was unboxing my X5 and connecting to it for the first time. Then, it prompted me to upgrade to version 1.0.0.
Today, it is prompting me to upgrade to version 1.0.2.
This makes me wonder what I missed in 1.0.1 ;-)
insta360 X5 new menu system
When the X4 was released, it brought a nicely revamped menu system. The X5 does the same, which means — currently — some of the Insta360 tutorial videos (such as how to pair the GPS Action Remote) are useless since they show menu options that do not exist on the X5.
Here are the top level menus.
Screen 1
There are far, far fewer icons on the X5. Currently, you get six, then some new larger buttons.
Screen 2
Swiping to the next screen shows some more large “buttons.” This reminds me of the control panels found on smartphones.
Screen 3
The third screen also uses the “big button” style. Bluetooth is where you go for Remotes (no dedicated button) as well as pairing microphones, for example.
Audio settings
The audio settings has some new options — including one none of the pre-release YouTubers knew about: Dual-track radio. Insta360 released a small wireless microphone, and apparently the X5 will let you sync two microphones to the camera. Was this possible with earlier X cameras?
There are more small changes, but I’ll let the YouTubers do the 55 minute deep-dive videos on the menu system ;-)
More to come…