{"id":29024,"date":"2023-08-09T08:00:58","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T15:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.podfeet.com\/blog\/?p=29024"},"modified":"2023-08-12T13:03:13","modified_gmt":"2023-08-12T20:03:13","slug":"insta360-x3-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.podfeet.com\/blog\/2023\/08\/insta360-x3-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Insta360 X3 Action Cam Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Insta360
Insta360 X3 Portable Action Camera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hi, this is Husband Steve with a review of the Insta360 X3 Action Camera. A few months ago, our good friend Pat Dengler showed us her new spherical camera, the Insta360 X3, and after seeing its capabilities, I knew I wanted one.<\/p>\n

Being the thoughtful wife she is, Allison kindly bought me one as a gift. Her one condition was that I write a review of the camera to make sure I really learned how to use it. Insta360 cameras come in a few models and the latest is the X3. To simplify things, in this review going forward, I\u2019ll refer to the camera simply as the X3.<\/p>\n

360 Caveat<\/h3>\n

Before I begin, I have to mention one item that, as an engineer, bothers me about the name \u201c360\u201d used for these types of cameras. The field of view for 360 cameras is actually 4-pi steradians – meaning the captured image covers a full sphere including top and bottom, not just a 360-deg cylinder as the name implies. But we\u2019ll just stay with the 360 naming convention here since it\u2019s generally accepted terminology.<\/p>\n

Overview<\/h3>\n

My first 360 camera was a Ricoh Theta V from a few years ago. I learned the basics of 360 photography and videography with the Theta and I thought the camera was well-engineered. However, the X3 stands well above the Theta in many respects.<\/p>\n

\"Theta
Side-by-side View of Ricoh Theta V vs Insta360 X3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Overall, I really like the X3 for its style, controls, and functionality. The X3 is relatively small, measuring 4.5\u201d tall x 1.8\u201d wide x 1.3\u201d thick, including the hemispherical lenses which bulge out quite a bit from the body. It weighs 180 g which is about 6.3 ounces.<\/p>\n

\"X3
X3 is Very Compact and Fits Comfortably in the Hand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The camera body is nice to the touch with rounded edges and sides that are slightly ridged for a more sure grip. The rear face has a crisp 2.3\u201d display which is super bright – bright enough for use in direct sunlight.<\/p>\n

\"2.3
X3’s 2.3″ Display is Crisp and Bright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Prominent on the camera are the dual-fisheye F1.9 lenses. The X3 seamlessly stitches the two lenses’ output and creates a cohesive spherical view for both photos and videos.<\/p>\n

\"X3
X3 Lenses Bulge Out from Camera Body<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the bottom of the camera is a standard 1\/4×20 screw mount allowing it to be attached to most camera mounts and tripods. When mounted to a selfie stick or any long narrow support, the X3 has enough coverage from the two separate lenses to automatically remove the camera and stick from the image. This results in 360 photos and videos from a perspective that appears to be floating in mid-air, not supported by anything – a pretty cool effect.<\/p>\n

The camera comes with a removable, rechargeable 1800 mAh battery that supports 81 minutes of continuous video recording. You can fully charge the battery from zero in about 90 minutes using a standard USB-C cable.<\/p>\n

\"Battery
X3 Battery & Charging Port Open From Side of Camera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The X3 has onboard storage but also supports a micro SD card for additional storage and for offloading photos and videos more quickly.<\/p>\n

To eliminate shakes and jitters and provide very good motion-stabilized images, the X3 uses gyroscopes and advanced algorithms. Since the camera has a full 360 deg view, the image perspective is held in the same direction regardless of how you move, rotate, or reorient the camera.<\/p>\n

Other Key Features<\/p>\n

Some of the other key features of the X3 are:<\/p>\n