3 things you need to know about the Insta360 One X2

We know 360˚ cameras have been a thing for a while now, but the Insta360 One X2 may have sent the opposition to the naughty corner.

Insta360’s latest is being touted as ‘like having a film crew in your pocket’ and while that might be an issue with current social distancing rules, the comparison makes sense when you delve into the detail. This is a camera built for catching the action from every imaginable angle, and the Bullet Time feature alone will have your Instagram feed looking like a trailer from The Matrix.

1) All angles are covered

As well as 360˚ videos with a maximum 5.7k resolution, the waterproof One X2 includes a Steady Cam feature, InstaPano for panoramas, and MultiView for split-screen shots. Dolly Zoom sets up catwalk-style content, while Stop Motion mix, Clone Trail and Shadow Clone reproduce body shots in seconds to create airborne footage Zion Williamson would be proud of.

In a spooky premonition of the world in 2020, Ghost Town can clear the streets of people in your shot, flipping 360˚ time-lapses and instantly removing them. You can lock the horizon, follow a moving subject, or chronicle your own antics using the invisible selfie stick (the only good kind), to capture cinematic perspectives that might have previously required a drone.

And with six-axis stabilisation, four mics, a touchscreen display and voice controls for barking orders at a pretend ‘best boy’ round of the One X2’s package.

2) The AI-powered editing give you loads of flexibility

The One X2 doesn’t shortchange you in post production either, with AI-powered editing via the Insta360 Shot Lab app meaning you don’t have to point or pick a favourite angle while shooting. Simply select one during your edit or let the camera create epic cuts.

How is the even possible? Auto Frame combs every inch of your 360˚ footage and reframes the shot to find the best highlights. A TimeShift hyperlapse feature adjusts the playback speed while reframing your shot in any direction (or let AI do the work), while Bullet Time 3.0 slows down the centre of the action for a spot of Hollywood drama.

3) It’s a deep sea diver

Swimming with the fishes comes naturally to the One X2. It’s IPX8 waterproof-rated to depths of 33ft, but nab an additional Dive Case and the bar is set at a GoPro-equalling 148ft – same depth as the world’s deepest swimming pool, DeepSpot in Poland if you were wondering.