insta360
Latest
Insta360 turned a Nerf rocket into a VR camera holder
Insta360 did a pretty impressive job with its portable 4K VR camera, the One, with its handful of unique tricks that barely any rivals had kept up with, especially when it came to stabilization. Well over a year later, the Chinese startup is now back with a follow-up model dubbed One X, which is what it has been teasing over the past two weeks.
Insta360's next VR camera is made to be thrown around
With the Insta360 One marking its first anniversary earlier this month, it's no surprise that the company is preparing a follow-up model to this standalone 4K 360 camera. But first, we have a teaser (as usual). From afar, the first video appears to be yet another sample that shows off "FlowState" video stabilization combined with slow motion and FreeCapture editing, so nothing new in that sense. What actually caught my attention were two brief moments when the camera operator's shadow gave the game away -- that person was throwing the camera, as opposed to waving it around on a selfie stick. Later on, you can also just about see another person holding an upside-down umbrella for catching the camera.
Insta360 Pro 2 captures 8K VR video with stabilization
Back in December, Insta360 managed to prolong the life of its professional VR camera, the aptly-named Insta360 Pro, with a significant firmware upgrade. But of course, since there is only so much that software can do, the company is now bringing us the Insta360 Pro 2 to offer a bigger performance bump, while also aiming to simplify one's VR production workflow. Most notably, this 3.42-pound camera can capture 360 video at up to 8K 3D at 30 fps, and thanks to its new 9-axis gyroscope, it's backed by the company's impressive FlowState stabilization technology, thus offering more creative freedom to users. Another major addition to the kit is the dedicated "Farsight" 5.18GHz video transmission system, which is plugged into the camera via the LAN port, has a 300m range and is said to be a more reliable alternative to the old WiFi for live monitoring on a mobile device; hence the higher price tag -- $5,000 instead of $3,499.
Adobe Premiere makes it easier to edit Insta360 Pro footage
Insta360's more affordable 8K VR camera was made available for pre-orders in 2017, with a major software update in December of that same year that kicked the high-end 360-degree camera's image processing up a notch. The camera got a stamp of approval from Google last year, too, which gives you the power to contribute to the tech giant's Street View mapping with the device. Now Adobe just made editing 360 video captured with the Insta360 Pro much easier with a new plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
Insta360 One update adds 'pro-level' video stabilization
The Insta360 One made quite an impression when it launched about half a year ago, but even with its 4K 360 capture and bullet-time trick, there was always room for improvement. Today, this camera is receiving a major update that adds a much improved "FlowState" video stabilization, along with two new tools that should make fix-frame video editing more intuitive. The company went as far as calling this "pro-level" package a "gimbal killer," and indeed, the official video does show some impressive sample clips, but it wasn't until I tried it myself -- thanks to the help of my dog -- that I was convinced.
Insta360 Nano S does multi-cam video with 4K spherical capture
Before the Pro, One and Air, Insta360 was already known for its relatively affordable 360-degree camera dongle, Nano, which was released for iOS devices since 2016. For CES 2018, the Chinese startup brought out a Nano S, which makes use of the same form factor (so it'll work with existing Nano accessories) but has upgraded guts to capture 4K video and 20-megapixel photos -- a notable jump from 3K video and 4.6-megapixel stills on the previous-generation device. There's also a new matte-black option in addition to the original silver offering, while the microSD card slot remains for standalone camera mode.
Insta360 Pro goes 'V2.0' with image quality boost plus new tools
It's only been half a year since the $3,499 Insta360 Pro VR camera started shipping, but the Chinese company is already offering a "V2.0" release right before the holidays. To be exact, this is actually more about a "major" firmware update with significant improvements on the same hardware, and existing users can already download the beta firmware for a spin (though it's also possible to roll back should something go wrong). Once updated, the device will benefit from much improved image quality, as well as a 12K "Super Resolution" still photo mode, optical flow interpolation for double frame rate output plus a few new professional tools.
Rylo’s 360-degree camera lets you decide what shots you want later
There are quite a few 360-degree cameras on the market now and they cover a range of needs. For professionals and major VR buffs, there's the Samsung 360 Round and for more casual videographers there are a slew of options from companies like Ricoh Theta, Garmin and Samsung. But there's now a growing market for those wanting to shoot high quality 360-degree video and decide later on during editing what images to focus on and what to cut out, minimizing how much effort is required during the actual video-capturing process. For that, there's the GoPro Fusion, the Insta360 and, as of today, the Rylo.
Google gives Insta360 Pro the Street View stamp of approval
You no longer need a Trekker if you want to help capture Street View experiences. Google has certified the Insta360 Pro as the first "Street View auto ready" camera, allowing anybody who owns one to contribute 360-degree images to Google's immersive street-level map. You'll be able to control the camera mounted on top of your car through the Street View app and to upload your footage straight from Insta360's Stitcher software.
Insta360 One is a 4K 360 camera with smart tricks
For those who haven't been following, earlier Insta360 released a montage of cool sample clips to tease its upcoming camera's bullet-time video capability. What baffled me at the time was how those slow-motion shots orbited around a person with his upright arm seemingly holding onto something, except there was no visible string nor selfie stick to suggest that the camera was being swung around. Well, as it turns out, I was wrong, but there's no need to be disappointed -- it actually takes a lot more than just a piece of string to achieve this bullet-time effect.
Insta360's next camera may shoot orbiting video while stationary
If you've tinkered with a consumer 360 camera lately, chances are you have already tried the "round view" or "little planet" viewing mode in the companion app for a good laugh. But what if you could take things to the next level so that rather than spinning a 360 video on a fixed spot, you could actually spin around a subject such as yourself? That's the impression we're getting from an exclusive teaser video provided by Insta360 today.
Insta360's 'affordable' 8K VR camera is up for pre-orders
With the recent VR announcements at Facebook's F8 conference, things are certainly getting a lot more interesting in the 360 content space, especially with the new hardware that can shoot in six degrees of freedom for an unprecedented level of immersion. However, the current wave of professional-grade 360 cameras are still cost-prohibitive for many studios, with the Nokia Ozo asking for $40,000 and the original Facebook Surround reference design costing about $30,000 to build. This is where Insta360 comes in with its $3,499 8K VR camera, the Pro, which is now open for pre-orders ahead of tomorrow's NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Huawei announces a 360-degree VR camera for smartphones (updated)
Huawei is joining the 360-degree camera war. The Chinese electronics company has revealed that it created a 360-degree clip-on for smartphones called Honor VR Camera in collaboration with Insta360 at an event in Beijing. Huawei is keeping its pricing and release date a secret, but it's obviously part of the company's online-focused line. The phonemaker also said the device is capable of 3K photography and seamless livestreaming. Plus, you can capture and share photos and videos as well as do livestreams through its companion app.
