Insights

Insta360 X5 review: the 360 cam that made a flat-surf trip unforgettable

November 10, 2025

We took the Insta360 X4 to Fiji chasing surf and found ourselves swimming for hours each day above a living cathedral of coral. The light fell in soft columns, a reef shark slid by with unhurried calm, and a turtle drifted down to the sandy floor like a leaf at dusk. The X4 was with us for all of it, and it reminded us why 360 makes sense in the ocean: you don’t aim—you witness—and choose the story later.

Back home, we got our hands on the new Insta360 X5 and immediately put it to work: Gen longboard skated while we experimented with angles using the Invisible Selfie Stick, then paddled out on her log to see how the X5 handled spray, glare, and movement. Short answer: it’s the best X-series yet, both in and out of the water.

Field notes with the X4

The X4’s headline features—8K 360 capture, 5.7K/60 for smoother motion, robust FlowState stabilization, 360° horizon lock, and those “third-person” Invisible Selfie Stick shots—let us come home with meditative, reframable footage even when the swell didn’t cooperate. In practical terms, its 1/2” sensors, 33-ft native waterproofing, and ~135-minute lab-rated runtime at 5.7K/30 made it easy to stay in the water longer and worry less about batteries.

Color was the one thing we still wanted to push further, especially underwater. That’s where the Insta360 app’s AquaVision really helped, restoring warmth and sand tones that tend to go cyan at depth—handy for a reef where light shifts by the minute. We’re now cutting those Fiji clips into a guided meditation series because the X4 didn’t just record a place; it recorded a feeling.

What’s new in the X5 (and why it matters over water and underwater)

The X5 keeps what made the X4 great and meaningfully upgrades the rest. The big one is imaging: dual 1/1.28” sensors (144% larger area than X4’s 1/2”) paired with a new triple-AI pipeline. In low light, especially toward evening or under heavy cloud, footage looks cleaner and holds highlight detail longer. PureVideo now extends to 360 for calmer noise and wider dynamic range, and the camera remains an 8K/30 360 machine with 5.7K/60 for action and 4K/120 for slow-mo in certain modes.

On the water, the X5 levels up durability and logistics. It’s natively waterproof to 49 ft/15 m (a 50% bump over X4), and the new user-replaceable lens design is a quietly brilliant change for real-world use—scratches happen; now you pop in fresh glass and keep shooting. If you dive deeper, the Invisible Dive Case solves refraction and stitching issues down to 197 ft/60 m.

Battery life is the other killer upgrade: a 2400 mAh pack plus Endurance Mode nets up to a lab-rated 208 minutes at 5.7K/24, with fast charging to 80% in about 20 minutes. In practice, that meant we finished longboard sessions and a surf before the camera tapped out—and we were back to full before coffee went cold.

How it felt to shoot with the X5 on land and in the lineup

For Gen’s longboard skate, the X5 gave us low-angle wheel shots, rider-facing hero frames, and faux-drone passes from a single take. FlowState and 360° horizon lock keep things butter-smooth; the Invisible Selfie Stick effect cleans up the shot; and reframing in the app or Studio makes decisions quick—tap to deep-track your subject, twist the frame to reveal context, or punch-zoom for emphasis. This is why 360 remains a cheat code for small crews.

In the water, audio is usually an afterthought, but the X5’s wind guard and updated noise-handling made our voice notes clearer between sets and when paddling—handy for live impressions without mounting external mics. The grip and quick-mount refinements also made swapping batteries and positions easier with wet hands.

Software, color, and the “shoot first, frame later” flow

The Insta360 app and Studio remain a clear advantage: reframing is intuitive, subject-tracking is reliable, and underwater color is now easier than ever thanks to the latest AquaVision update—choose a profile and the app corrects that green/blue wash without turning skin or sand surreal. For surf and reef footage, it’s a meaningful one-click win.

Generation check: ONE X → X2 → X3 → X4 → X5

ONE X (2018): Made “shoot first, frame later” mainstream with 5.7K 360 and FlowState stabilization. Low-light and waterproofing lagged modern standards, but it set the template.
ONE X2 (2020): Added a touchscreen, better battery, and 10 m waterproofing, making 360 a friendlier daily carry.
X3 (2022): Jumped to dual 1/2” 48 MP sensors, 72 MP stills, and stronger single-lens modes—big for creators who mix 360 with “normal” video.
X4 (2024): Brought 8K 360, 5.7K/60, 33 ft waterproofing, bigger 2290 mAh battery (~135 min at 5.7K/30), and removable lens guards. A true workhorse we trusted in Fiji.
X5 (2025): Dual 1/1.28” sensors, PureVideo in 360, replaceable lenses, 15 m waterproofing, and up to 208-minute endurance. It’s the first X that feels “no-compromises” for both action and ambient storytelling. Independent reviewers call it best-in-class in low light, with smarter durability.

Any caveats?

8K 360 looks gorgeous but demands storage and render headroom. If you’re editing on a travel laptop, plan for proxies or stick to 5.7K/60 for action and lean on PureVideo when light drops. Also, while 15 m waterproofing is excellent for lineups and reefs, deeper diving still benefits from the dedicated case to keep stitching clean. These are natural trade-offs for high-res 360 and, in our testing, well worth it.

Verdict

After an incredible trip with the Insta360 X4 in Fiji—and the hours we spent drifting over that reef—we picked up the Insta360 X5 and found a camera that raises the ceiling in all the ways that matter: cleaner low light, longer battery life, tougher design, and underwater readiness out of the box. Over water, it turned a simple longboard skate into a multi-angle sequence from one take. In the lineup, it stayed compact, sealed, and confident. If you’re on an X2 or X3, the X5 is a no-brainer. From X4, ask how often you shoot in dim light, how much you value replaceable lenses, and whether the bigger battery would change how you plan your sessions. For us, the answer’s yes. And when the next swell lines up, we can’t wait to put the X5 back in the water—this time to bring home the waves, too.