Action & 360 cameras
Insta360 X4 or X5: which 360 to rent, and at what price
A 360 camera is not chosen like a classic camera: you film everything, and you frame it afterwards. What matters is the material you collect during editing – and the peace and quiet during filming.
The real difference, in euros
We praise both, and it's the comparison that no spec sheet makes. Over a single day, the difference is €2.08 – enough to quickly conclude that X5 costs almost nothing more. Over two weeks, it is €49.42, because the two scales do not decrease at the same rate.
| Rental duration | Insta360 X4 | Insta360 X5 | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | €46.60 | €48.68 | €2.08 |
| 3 days | €54.59 | €74.68 | €20.09 |
| 7 days | €69.08 | €105.04 | €35.96 |
| 14 days | €90.98 | €140.40 | €49.42 |
| Security deposit | €100 | €150 | €50 |
These amounts are total rental prices, breakage and theft insurance included: these are not daily rates to be multiplied. The excess is added at the time of ordering and returns within five working days after checking the equipment upon return. For one week, you must therefore plan for €169.08 of movement on the account with the X4 and €255.04 with the X5 — of which €100 and €150 return.
The practical reading is in one sentence: over a weekend, the question of price hardly arises, and you have to choose based on the image; over two weeks of travel, the difference becomes a real budget line, and you have to choose based on usage. The rest of this article is for that purpose.
What the 360 format changes
If you've never used one: two lenses film the front and the back simultaneously, and the application joins the two images into a complete sphere. You no longer point the camera, you put it down; framing becomes an editing decision, in which you choose where to look in each moment.
From this arise some uses that nothing else covers as well.
- Reframing after the fact: you follow a moving subject as if you had placed several cameras.
- The invisible pole: the handle disappears from the image, which gives shots that look like they were taken by a drone, and allows you to film yourself.
- Renderings impossible otherwise: the “small planet” view, the fluid transitions from one objective to another.
- Immersive visits: a serious argument for real estate and tourism.
The table, line by line
22 comparable characteristics, of which 16 differ and 6 are identical. The values in bold are those which separate the two devices.
| Characteristic | Rental Insta360 - X4 | Rental Insta360 - X5 |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | 360 camera | 360 camera |
| Sensors | Two 1/2-inch CMOS sensors — f/1.9 | Dual 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensors — f/2.0 |
| Photo resolution | 72 MP (11904 × 5952) | 72 MP (11904 × 5952) |
| Max video | 8K in 360° (7680 × 3840) at 30 fps | 8K in 360° (7680 × 3840) at 30 fps |
| Slow motion | 4K in 360° at 100 fps | 4K in 360° at 120 fps |
| Active HDR | Dedicated mode — resolution not published by Insta360 | 5.7K at 60 fps, integrated into video mode |
| Low light mode | Not available | PureVideo — up to 8K at 30 fps in 360°, up to 4K at 30 fps in single lens |
| Stabilization | FlowState with 360° horizon lock | FlowState with 360° horizon lock |
| Waterproofing | Waterproof up to 10 m without housing, 50 m with diving housing | Waterproof up to 15 m without housing, 60 m with diving housing |
| Goals | Removable lens caps; the lenses themselves are not user replaceable | User replaceable — official replacement lens kit |
| Autonomy | 135 min in 5.7K at 30 fps, 75 min in 8K at 30 fps | 135 min in 5.7K at 30 fps, 93 min in 8K at 30 fps, up to 208 min in Endurance mode |
| Fast charging | 80% in 38 mins, 100% in 55 mins | 80% in 20 min, 100% in 35 min with PD 30 W charger |
| Weight | 203 g | 200 g |
| Processor | 5nm AI chip | Triple AI chip — two Pro imaging chips and one 5nm AI chip |
| Max video bitrate | 200 Mb/s | 180 Mb/s |
| Single-lens mode | 4K (3840 × 2160) at 60 fps | 4K (3840 × 2160) at 60 fps |
| Storage | UHS-I V30 microSD card, up to 1TB recommended | UHS-I microSD card V30 or higher |
| Screen | 2.5-inch touchscreen, Corning Gorilla Glass | Touchscreen — 440 × 696 px (diagonal not published by Insta360) |
| Connections | USB-C 3.0 and Bluetooth 5.2 | USB-C 3.0 and Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 46 × 123.6 × 37.6mm | 46 × 124.5 × 38.2mm |
| Microphones | 4 microphones — automatic and active wind noise reduction, stereo, Direction Focus | Automatic wind noise reduction (two levels), voice enhancement, stereo, 360° audio, built-in wind shield |
| Battery | 2290mAh | 2400mAh |
Who is the Insta360 X4 for?
The X4 is more than enough for travel, vlogging and sports. Its definition already exceeds what a phone screen or an online video renders. It's the camera of the creator who publishes on TikTok or YouTube and of the weekend with friends: the 360 format without unnecessary complexity, and without paying for a margin that you won't use.
See the file and availability of Insta360 X4
Who is the Insta360 X5 for?
The X5 gives more scope for cropping and is more tolerant when the light drops. Its lenses are also designed to withstand shocks – a real subject on a 360, whose lenses protrude. This is the model to take for a real estate visit, an immersive capture delivered to a client, or any shoot where the image must hold up in varied conditions.
See the file and availability of Insta360 X5
What the table doesn't say
If you already know you're going to crop tight, or shoot at dusk, take X5. For everything else, the X4 does the job. And in both cases: protect the lenses, it is the primary cause of breakage on this type of device.
Still hesitant? Rent them over two different weekends: this is the only way to compare in your real shooting conditions, and it costs much less than making the wrong purchase.
The equipment is shipped the day before by Chronopost everywhere in France, or to be collected in Lyon.