Insta360 X4 Air action camera review: A portable entry into 360-degree filmmaking

Insta360 cameras have been synonymous with the 360-degree action camera segment, with each generation refining the formula till the damn-near-perfect X5 launched last year. Buying one has become a pricey affair—the X5 camera retails at ₹57,990—pushing it out of reach for most enthusiasts and first timers looking to dabble with the shoot-first, frame-later wunderkind.

Enter the X4 Air, a smaller, more portable shooter that builds on the capable X4 with some of the quality-of-life upgrades from the X5 yet comes in at a lower ₹45,990 price point for the standalone X4 Air, or an additional ₹5000 if you want the Starter Bundle with an additional battery and lens cap, plus a 114cm Invisible Selfie Stick that all but disappears when the camera processes the dual-lens, back-to-back fisheye video for the final, sans-stitch-line, 360-degree video.

Now, given the Air moniker, it comes as no surprise that the X4 Air is smaller and lighter, shaving off nearly a fifth of the weight of the X4/X5 to land at 165g—the exact same weight and colour options (black/white) as the iPhone Air, quite the happy coincidence. That difference (~40g) might not seem like much at first but it’s one that is felt instantly when you slip it into your pocket or clip it onto a helmet. Despite the shrunken down design, the X4 Air still feels as solid and well put together in the hand and is waterproof to up to 15m. It also gains the built-in mic wind guard and the replaceable lens system from the X5, the latter allowing you to easily swap out a cracked or scratched lens for a new one, right at home.

One new design element that I, as someone with past experience of Insta360 cameras, appreciated is the switch from the two button (start/stop and toggle between photo/video modes) layout to a single large button under the screen, handier to operate the camera without looking or to start shooting as soon as you pull it out of your pocket.

Getting the camera up and running is easy, with a quick activation and connection setup handled by the feature-packed Insta360 companion app, and while the smaller 2.5-inch touchscreen is responsive, I much preferred the app on the phone screen to preview the scene in higher clarity, check that subjects are in focus, or even to change settings and shooting modes.

Features are on par with the X5 flagship, including Active HDR and Adaptive Tone to rein in highlights and eke out details from shadows, voice and gesture control, and most of the shooting modes (including the vain-sounding vlogger centric Me Mode) that has made the series so popular. Apart from gimbal-like Flow State Stabilization and Horizon Lock (keeps footage level regardless of camera orientation), the X4 Air packs in the new InstaFrame Mode, which records a reframed flat video and a full 360° version simultaneously.

Where Insta360 has managed the size reductions (and the price savings, no doubt) are via the new dual 1/1.8-inch sensors, which are about 40 percent smaller than those on the X5 but a step up from the X4’s 1/2-inch units. Taking the X4 Air out to shoot at some of the evening concerts we’ve been having in Bengaluru this month—aka the Achilles’ Heel of all consumer cameras—footage was clean and detailed, with usable noise levels in darker scenes and well-preserved colours.

On other days, videos captured outdoors impressed with good dynamic range in tricky, high contrast lighting, and the automatic white balance system handles direct sunlight and direct tube light with equal aplomb. Insta360 has refined the camera setup over the years, and colours pop without looking over-processed, and the resulting 8K footage is as well-stitched as one has come to expect from the brand. Where it does lack is high frame rate slow motion, so you’re limited to 6K 50fps, not the 120fps found on the X5, and still photos are capped at 29megapixels (72MP on the X5).

The software ecosystem is the same, so even for those unfamiliar with shooting 360-degrees videos, the app or the Insta360 Studio desktop software make short work of reframing the footage into stuff you can quickly use for sharing.

Unsurprisingly, the smaller dimensions also mean that the X4 Air has the smallest battery (2010 mAh) in Insta360’s 360 camera lineup, which yields battery life of around 80 minutes of 8K 30 frames per second video, or a little under 100 minutes if you’re willing to drop the resolution and frame rate to 6K@24fps. If you’re looking to go longer, you may want to consider the Starter Bundle, although charging speeds are fast enough, going from empty to 80% in just over half an hour, and a full charge requiring an hour.

In All, the X4 Air is a good option for casual users and entry level creators who want to dip their feet into 360-degree videos, and need a product that’s light on the pocket, both literally and figuratively, without giving up too much of the functionality that made the series a force to contend with in the action camera space. For creators who value spontaneity over spec bragging, the X4 Air hits a sweet spot - a camera you’ll actually carry, and therefore actually use. It’s just that buying the X4 Air is still a pricey proposition for most, and the costs all add up to within striking distance of the X5 the moment you have thrown in compatible accessories. That’s the conundrum - save a bit of cash for the X5 mini and budget for accessories, or go all in for the flagship?