When I purchased my first action camera 15 years ago, it featured the ability to shoot 1080p video at 30 frames per second and 720p video at 60 fps and was considered a ground-breaking piece of equipment. In the ensuing years, the capabilities of action cameras have grown at an outstanding pace with must have features such as image stabilization, slow motion and time lapse modes, low light capabilities and increased resolution to 4K and beyond, just to name a few.
In preparing for a recent ride to the Arctic Circle, I reached out to the team at Motovan to discuss camera options to capture video during this adventure. Their immediate response was the Insta360 X4. Featuring the ability to film 360-degree video in 8K resolution (8K at 30 frames per second, 5.7K at 60 fps and 4k at 100fps) as well as still images in 72MP, combined with 135 minutes of battery life, removeable lens guards and a durable waterproof design, this was definitely the camera for our trip.
While 360-degree video has been available in consumer level action cameras for many years, the arrival of the Insta360 X4 Motorcycle Bundle on my doorstep marked my first foray into this exciting new form of video capture and I can tell you right up front, I am not going back. Having access to 360 degrees of video capture opens up an entirely new realm of filming and creativity that would be impossible to give up.
Removing the camera from the box, you can’t help but wonder how the Insta360 team has managed to pack so many features and capabilities into this small (12.3 x 4.6 x 3.7 centimetres), lightweight (203 grams) package. Knowing that the intended use of the camera would expose it to a variety of elements and reading that the two camera lenses were not replaceable, I installed the included lens guards and headed out for a ride to give the Insta360 a try.
Installing the included micro SD card and choosing the clamp mount from the variety of options included in the motorcycle bundle, I was quickly able to secure the camera to handlebar of my dual sport bike and take it for a quick ride to capture some test footage. With the camera sitting within reach on the left-hand side of the handlebar, it was surprisingly easy to turn on the power and start recording. While most of the setup and editing functions are accessed through the camera’s 2.5-inch touch screen, the power switch, mode selection – in addition to the three speeds of 360 video capture, the camera also features multiple time lapse options, looping, still photos and even a dash cam setting – and start/stop recording are implemented using buttons that you are able to activate even when wearing motorcycle gloves.
Back at my desk I initially reviewed my first Insta360 video using the camera’s built in 2.5-inch screen and immediately saw the potential of 360-degree video, moving it not only to every side but also up to a view of the sky and then down to the ground. Loading the Insta360 app onto my smartphone provided access to more editing features including the use of keyframes to control the viewpoint of the camera as well as a “dewarping” function that eliminates the fisheye look that often accompanies the wide-angle lenses that make the 360-degree capture possible. Overall, my initial impression of the editing function is that it is very user friendly, and you can even have the built in AI function suggest edits. Another feature that proved to be valuable in the editing software is the ability to capture any point in time as a jpeg image with the simple touch of an icon.
Next up for this test of the Insta360 X4 was a trip to the racetrack. Using one of the included adapters I was able to secure the camera to a mount on the bike’s tank that had previously been used to hold a GoPro camera. Once again the quality of the high-resolution footage and the ability to move through the various angle and perspectives was game changing, but the biggest thing from this test was the impact of the horizon lock which eliminates the swaying horizon that results from using a traditional fixed point action camera on a static mount, and provides a more accurate reflection of the motion of the motorcycle, rider and surrounding riders and landscape.
All this resolution and 360-degree capture means that you are going to need a serious memory card (the Motorcycle Bundle comes complete with a 128GB micro SD card). Not only do the full files take up a lot of space (when filming at 8K 30fps, a 128GB card will hold approximately 80 minutes of footage) but also require a premium card micro SD card with a minimum V30 speed rating (V30 indicates a minimum write speed of 30 MB per second). The camera will function with a lesser card but it definitely limits performance. I ended up using a slower card for a day during our Arctic Circle adventure and while it worked, it did lead to significant delays and repeated freezing of the camera. The free Insta360 Studio allows you to edit 360 video on your computer and also take advantage of the Insta360+ cloud service which offers various subscription levels. I signed up for the Pro level which provides 1 Terra Byte of storage at a cost around $11 per month (based on an annual subscription). While the service is great and works seamlessly with the Insta360 Studio, during our time in Canada’s north, poor internet access made it impossible to upload files to the cloud service, once again reinforcing the need to have good quality micro SD cards on hand.
Listed on the Motovan website with an MSRP of $719.99, the Insta360 X4 Motorcycle Bundle is not cheap, but considering its features and capabilities, aspiring amateur film makers and riding enthusiasts looking to document their travels will be hard pressed to find a better solution. Its rugged exterior and waterproof construction easily survived a trip through some of the Canada’s roughest terrain while providing crisp high resolution 360-degree footage that even the most experienced video editor will find exhilarating.
Of course, a perfect example of how quickly technology is advancing is the fact that by the time I am writing this review of the Insta360 X4 camera, the company has already launched the updated X5 version. Offering a larger sensor and improved low light performance as well as extended battery life and replaceable lenses among other improved features, the X5 is the new pinnacle of 360-degree consumer video cameras, however with an MSRP of $889.99 for the motorcycle bundle, you may want to take advantage of the more affordable X4 model which will likely meet the needs of most users for many years to come.
Whichever model you choose, you will not be disappointed.
For more information visit www.motovan.com.
Insta360 X4 Motorcycle Bundle
MSRP: $719.99
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