Insta360’s first 8K camera comes with a removable lens guard

Insta360 has launched its latest 360-degree action camera, the X4. The most obvious upgrade that the $500 camera offers over its predecessor, the X3, is the ability to shoot video in 8K at 30 frames per second. That extra boost in resolution and detail may come in handy for watching action videos on anything larger than your phone, panning around 360-degree footage on platforms like YouTube or cropping out a perspective you like from a 360-degree recording. It also includes a new 2,290mAh battery rated for 75 minutes of 8K footage and 135 minutes of 5.7K footage.

The X4 supports recording 5.7K at 60 frames per second as well as 4K at 100 frames per second (the X3 was limited to 5.7K at 30fps and 4K at 60 fps). Similar to older models, there’s a mode that lets you shoot out of a single lens if you don’t want to shoot 360-degree video. (This will be 4K at 60 frames per second.)

The X4 has a larger touchscreen than its predecessor, at 2.5 inches, and is made of scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass.

Just like the X3, the X4 can shoot 72-megapixel stills. The new camera also has Me Mode, which shoots a 180-degree video that conveniently hides your selfie stick. Unlike the X3, the X4’s Me Mode is also available in 4K and 2.7K.

The camera’s removable lens guard could be a game-changer for shooting in harsher weather and environments, giving the fragile lens an extra degree of protection. Unlike what some users have experienced with stick-on lenses for the X3, the company claims their removable lens guard won’t mess with the 360 stitching process.

But as far as completely new features and improvements, the $500 X4 camera may leave something to be desired. In the episode of Full Frame below, Becca Farsace digs into what the X4’s relatively short list of new offerings means for the X line overall. If you already own the X3, is there reason enough to shell out the extra $100 for an upgrade? And has Insta360 finally peaked with its newest camera?