Game changer, stunning footage from the insta360 X3 with the just released updated dive housing

[Volleyball]

Just used it yesterday for the first time while diving in the Catalina CA Kelp Forests. All you do is hold it out in front of you during the entire dive. Once done, you go into the free software which is available on your phone or a laptop and you can edit it as you'd like but there is an "auto" option and that's what I used here. I fully understand these kinds of video will make the pros cringe as it's geared towards constantly re-panning/re-framing. The software does all the color correction, panning, rotating, etc, yet there is a manual mode if you'd prefer to do the editing all yourself.

For those who don't know, the camera has been out for about a year and did have a dive housing, but it didn't work in 360 mode. They just released a new dive case version with corresponding software that now works in 360 mode. The whole kit with 10% sales tax cost $590 + (if you don't already have one) $30 for a half gig microSD

 

[Johnoly]

.. with corresponding software

Nice vid! A couple of questions about post-production..........
* Is the editing done on your phone or a laptop or uploaded online 1st
* Is the software 'cumbersome' to use when trimming & placing short clips like your video ?
* How is the color correction & stabilization fixing ?
* The frame rate looks smooth in your vid,,what is it? (ie 30/60/120fps)
* Any "dislikes" yet ?

I've seen topside 360, but not this version U/W. Thanks for posting it !!

 

[Rick Brant]

What are we looking at here? You have a 360 view but are panning it around so that it fits in a regular video? Heavy fisheye look to the images in general but in some cases that is not a problem.

 

[Volleyball]

Nice vid! A couple of questions about post-production..........
* Is the editing done on your phone or a laptop or uploaded online 1st
* Is the software 'cumbersome' to use when trimming & placing short clips like your video ?
* How is the color correction & stabilization fixing ?
* The frame rate looks smooth in your vid,,what is it? (ie 30/60/120fps)
* Any "dislikes" yet ?

I've seen topside 360, but not this version U/W. Thanks for posting it !!

The free insta360 software can be used on your phone or laptop, it has an "auto" mode, all the panning/rotations, cropping, stabilization, and color corrections were done in the software; in this case my phone. I don't think many would find the software cumbersome, there are some youtube videos online showing the software. Rez and FR were 5.7K / 30fps. I merged "auto" two videos together and deleted 30 seconds of the footage in order to get it to 60 seconds

 

[Volleyball]

What are we looking at here? You have a 360 view but are panning it around so that it fits in a regular video? Heavy fisheye look to the images in general but in some cases that is not a problem.

I simply held the 360 camera in front of me and in the software pressed "auto", this is what it came up with. Full disclosure, I did merge two clips together and removed about 30 seconds of the auto footage to reduce the video duration

 

[Sure Squintsalot]

There's a fine line between compelling and gimmicky.

 

[Still Kicking]

There's a fine line between compelling and gimmicky.

This one definitely crossed it.

 

[Gone for diving]

I like it,
but have to be careful not to get to dizzy

Is the nice clear water effect. Something I can use in our not so clear water?

 

[SATurner]

I looked at this camera awhile back and passed it by due to the poor stitching at the bottom of the original underwater case. Since this appears to have been addressed, it might be worth another look.

It also sounds like the software has advanced.

Being able to pick when you are "panned" toward self vs forwards might create some unique "what the wildlife saw" type perspectives if desired. It would also allow one to compare actual body position vs perceived.

When these types of cameras are used on motorcycles, it seems like a drone is pacing the motorcycle.

A unique perspective that could as said earlier compelling or gimmicky.

 

[Volleyball]

I like it,
but have to be careful not to get to dizzy

Is the nice clear water effect. Something I can use in our not so clear water?

I don't have a ton of footage/experience but it did improve some of my footage some of which had low viz