Insta360 x3 or x4 or GoPro Max 360?

[Itsabeachthing]

Just got back from a liveaboard in the Exumas where one of the guys had a Insta360 x3 with dive housing and invisible selfie stick. All I can say is WOW! We were all amazed by the quality and 360 views we saw of the dives we just were on, often seeing the shark, turtle, corals etc that we may have missed looking the opposite direction, but the Insta360 recorded. Not a huge camera person but I do like to record dives here and there, especially when collecting research data for scientists, Reef Check, documenting Coral health, fish counts, etc. I loved the way you can just do your dives without stopping and taking pictures while it records everything for you, giving a bigger picture view of general dive site health. Software/video uploads for the Insta360 also seemed easy to use/do.

So my question is do I buy the Insta360 x3 which has a lot of non brand accessories available or do i splurge on the newly released x4 with longer battery and 8k or is the GoPro Max 360 the way to go? Appreciate the feedback.

 

[Manatee Diver]

The GoPro Max is almost five years old at this point, while the Insta 360 X4 is only a few months old and the X3 is going on 18 months. The X4 is a no brainer, with the X3 if you get a good deal.

Per their last earnings call GoPro is releasing an updated Max sometime this year. So if you are willing to wait you can see the reviews and pick which one works best for you.

 

[the_jaguar]

Isn't the Insta360 Ace Pro supposed to be ideal for underwater photo/videography, especially with it bigger sensor, AI based color correction, etc

 

[Itsabeachthing]

Isn't the Insta360 Ace Pro supposed to be ideal for underwater photo/videography, especially with it bigger sensor, AI based color correction, etc

My coworker got one but its not a 360 view - its a great camera for sure but only i believe its only forward shooting/wide angle, can flip but doesnt shoot 360 (has the insta 360 brand name but not 360 shooting-fits other needs like better stability go pro). Im looking for a camera that records a 360 view without thinking about it while diving as thats better for science data capture (seeing things as you dive even when even the diver doesn't see it).

Thank you though for the recs - always good to hear different perspectives.

 

[bpodbielski]

Just got back from a liveaboard in the Exumas where one of the guys had a Insta360 x3 with dive housing and invisible selfie stick. All I can say is WOW! We were all amazed by the quality and 360 views we saw of the dives we just were on, often seeing the shark, turtle, corals etc that we may have missed looking the opposite direction, but the Insta360 recorded. Not a huge camera person but I do like to record dives here and there, especially when collecting research data for scientists, Reef Check, documenting Coral health, fish counts, etc. I loved the way you can just do your dives without stopping and taking pictures while it records everything for you, giving a bigger picture view of general dive site health. Software/video uploads for the Insta360 also seemed easy to use/do.

So my question is do I buy the Insta360 x3 which has a lot of non brand accessories available or do i splurge on the newly released x4 with longer battery and 8k or is the GoPro Max 360 the way to go? Appreciate the feedback.

I am planning on picking up the X4 before my next dive trip. All of my research was pointing to the X3 over the GP Max, so the X4 is a no brainer.

I am thinking about setting it up as seen in this video though: