The Insta360 X4, a tough 8K, 360-degree action camera loved by travelers and creators, has just hit an all-time low price of $340 — that’s a hearty 32% discount from its original $499 launch tag and well below the lineup-topping $550 flagship. Price trackers like Keepa and CamelCamelCamel don’t indicate a lower historical price for the base kit, making this one of those rare deals where “all-time low” actually rings true.
Why this 8K 360 camera is still a smart purchase
For creators, though, the big draw is 8K 360 capture at 30fps: that’s a resolution of 7680 by 3840 pixels across a full sphere. That extra-large canvas allows you to recrop later for ultra-sharp 4K exports, pick your angle after the fact and publish multiple edits from a single take. It amounts to shooting everything at once, then picking your shot in post.
Insta360’s FlowState stabilization and 360 Horizon Lock let you leave your gimbal at home, an important consideration when mountain biking or skiing, even when sprinting through the city. The invisible selfie-stick effect is still the party trick that works to sell the footage — the camera algorithmically scrubs from your clips everything but you and your surroundings, giving your perspective a drone’s-eye view with no drone.
The X4 is waterproof to 10 meters without a case, dual 1/2-inch sensors form the foundation and a mature software stack supports the device. The Insta360 mobile app and Studio desktop software offer Auto Frame, Deep Track subject tracking and easy reframing to 16:9, 9:16 or square. For fast and easy social sharing, you are perfectly centered in frame while the camera auto captures the world around you, so forget the selfie stick.
How it compares with the newer X5 model on features
The newest X5 takes low-light performance and processing power even further, and also adds convenient features such as advanced video modes and more waterproofing. But their cornerstone spec, the one that matters most to most people — 8K 360 at 30fps or high-frame-rate 5.7K modes — appears on the X4 for $210 less. In bright to moderately lit scenes, the X4’s detail and dynamic range is still within shouting distance (particularly if you’re delivering for social HLS platforms where compression is very aggressive).
For a lot of buyers, that math is hard to argue with: spend less, retain the headline features and pocket the savings for some fast microSD cards or spare batteries, or accessories like premium lens guards and an all-metal selfie stick.
In real life, those “extras” have more of a day-to-day impact on your shooting than fringe features you never talk about later.
Real-world performance and practical use cases
Adventure vloggers, real-estate walk-through makers and coaches analyzing movement all rely on 360 capture for the same reason: You don’t want to miss a moment. If a mountain biker descends into frame behind you, or you hear someone say something unintelligible as they drop down in front of the lens, you can pan to it at will later without needing reshoots. Sports analysts and instructors love outputting multiple “camera angles” from a single session.
Battery life is good for a 360 rig in this category, with the X4 going longer than two hours in normal 5.7K (in manufacturer tests). One or two spares are still a good idea for cold-weather and all-day shoots. Heat management is much improved over earlier generations when shooting high-resolution, but long 8K sessions are still aided by airflow and segmenting takes.
And if you also need traditional “flat” footage, the X4 is capable of capturing stabilized wide-angle video in its single-lens mode without the 360 workflow. It won’t duplicate a big sensor camera for cinematic depth of field, but for action and travel it does provide sharp results in a burner that’s fire-safe.
What you need to know before shooting in 8K
Storage and workflow are a huge part of an 8K 360 video production process. Be sure to use UHS-I V30 (or higher) microSD cards from trusted manufacturers to stop dropped frames. You will need to offload to an SSD and edit with proxies if your laptop can’t handle spherical footage. The good news: reframing in the Insta360 app and NLE plugins have made leaps to be much more efficient, allowing even mid-range machines to cut deliverables without a hitch.
Mind your lenses. The 360 glass is intentionally exposed, so lens guards are cheap insurance, and a microfiber cloth is mandatory. Little smudges feel huge in the 360 — a level of detail that professional creators emphasize more than any spec sheet.
Who shouldn’t get this 8K 360 action camera deal
Those purchasing a 360 for the first time who are looking for maximum flexibility, action-sports shooters seeking the smoothest shots with horizon lock included and travel creators in search of that invisible selfie stick effect will get the most bang for their buck here. If you shoot mostly in low light, or demand all the latest pro options, it’s still the flagship that’s right for you. (For everyone else, the X4 is the rare downsale that substantially drops the price barrier to 8K 360 without meaningful compromises where they matter.)
Considering how often creator gear takes minor refreshes, you’d be wise to lock in the X4 at its lowest price ever. The footage is solid, the software is gussied up, and as for the ecosystem of mounts and accessories: No one comes close to matching it — exactly what you want when capturing a shot that only happens once.
