Insta360 has today announced the latest in its line of 360° action cameras. The new X5 camera will retail for £519.99 in the UK (€589.99, $549.99), and it shoots in resolutions up to 8K. Insta360 claims it’s “the smartest, toughest 360° camera ever made”. So what’s new?

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The X5 follows the form factor of its predecessors, with a chunky body sporting a lens at the top on each side to capture a full 360° image. A lot has changed though. From a practical point of view perhaps the most welcome update is that the two lens domes are now replaceable. Because they stand proud of the body – and need to in order to get a full 360° image – the lenses are susceptible to damage. For example, from a heavy-handed cyclist throwing them into a frame bag that also contains a sharp-edged multitool. Not that we’d have any first-hand experience, of course.

2025 Insta360 X5 Action Camera - lens guard fitted.jpg
2025 Insta360 X5 Action Camera - lens guard fitted (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

Anyway, Insta360 has used a new, more durable, glass for the lens but the fact that it can now be replaced is a big plus. Lens guards are also available for an extra level of protection.

Insta360 X5 camera - Front & Back
Insta360 X5 camera - Front & Back (Image Credit: Insta360)

Inside the camera Insta360 is using new 1/1.28” sensors nearly half as big again as the ones used in the X4. That has allowed a new maximum resolution of 8K, up from 5.7K, at up to 30 frames per second. The camera is actually sampling down from a full resolution of 11K, so 8K isn’t pushing the limits of the sensors, and you can also use the X5 in single-lens mode and shoot standard footage in resolutions up to 4K. Active HDR shooting is available up to 5.7K/60fps for more detail in sunny conditions.

2025 Insta360 X5 Action Camera - in hand screen on.jpg
2025 Insta360 X5 Action Camera - in hand screen on (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

The bigger sensors can capture more light, and Insta360 is making big play of the low-light performance of the X5, an area where action cameras generally struggle but Insta360 is already leading the field with the Ace Pro 2. That camera has a dual-AI chip system to remove noise and improve image quality in low light but the X5 goes one better, with a triple-AI setup which Insta360claims offers “a dramatic leap in image quality across all resolutions”. 

Insta360 X5 camera - Road Cycling
Insta360 X5 camera - Road Cycling (Image Credit: Insta360)

One of the downsides of shooting in 360 is that there’s a fair bit of work to do in post to get your final video. For the X5 Insta360 has added a new mode called InstaFrame, where the camera produces two files. One is the full 360° file that you can edit to your heart’s content in the Insta360 app, or your editor of choice on desktop. The other is a flat file, ready to share; you can choose either a constant direction or a selfie view that keeps you in frame.

There are plenty of other updates too. A magnetic mounting system has been added so it’s easier to swap the X5 between mounts. The microphone has an added windguard, which should be good news for cycling, and there’s also going to be a wireless companion mic for the first time. The 2400mAh battery can be fast-charged from flat to 80% in 20 minutes, or “the time it takes to finish a cup of coffee”, according to Insta360, which is some pretty pedestrian coffee drinking around these parts. The X5 is IP68 waterproof out of the box to 15m, and there’s a dive case if that’s not deep enough; hopefully it will be for cycling unless you get it really wrong

2025 Insta360 X5 Action Camera - accessories.jpg
2025 Insta360 X5 Action Camera - accessories (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

The Insta360 X5 is available to order from today, and it costs £519.99 in the UK, or £609.99 for the Essentials pack which includes an extra battery, a utility fast charge case, a 114cm invisible selfie stick, a set of standard lens guards, a lens cap and a carry case. There is a big ecosystem of accessories too, including a seatpost mount for the selfie stick which allows you to get a drone-like follow shot, and a number of out-front mounts for riding too. We’ve got an X5 in the office for review, so stay tuned for our thoughts as soon as we’ve put it through its paces.

https://store.insta360.com/

Insta360 X5 full specs

 

Sensor Size 1/1.28″
Lens Aperture F2.0
Focal Length 6mm
360º Video Resolution Video Mode:
8K: 7680×3840@30/25/24fps
5.7K+: 5760×2880@30/25/24fps
5.7K: 5760×2880@60/50/48/30/25/24fps
4K: 3840×1920@120/100/60/50/48/30/25/24fps

InstaFrame Mode:
5.7K+: 30/25/24
5.7K: 30/25/24
1080p: 30/25/24

PureVideo:
8K: 7680×3840@30/25/24fps
5.7K: 30/25/24
4K: 30/25/24

Single-Lens Video Resolution Video Mode:
4K: 3840×2160@60/50/30/25/24fps
2.7K: 2720×1536@60/50/30/25/24fps
1080p: 1920×1080@120/100/60/50/30/25/24fps

FreeFrame Video:
4K: 3840×3840@30/25/24fps
2.7K: 2720×1536@60/50/30/25/24fps
1080p: 1920×1080@60/50/30/25/24fps

Me Mode:
4K: 3840×2160@30/25/24fps
2.7K: 2720×1536@120/100/60/50/30/25/24fps
1080p: 1920×1080@120/100/60/50/30/25/24fps

Photo Resolution Approx. 72MP (11904×5952)
Approx. 18MP (5888×2944)
Video Format 360°: INSV
Single-Lens: MP4
Photo Format INSP (can export via mobile app or Studio desktop software)
DNG
Video Modes 360°: Video (built-in Active HDR), PureVideo, InstaFrame, Timelapse, TimeShift, Bullet Time, Loop Recording, Road Mode

Single-Lens: Video, Freeframe Video, Me Mode, Loop Recording

Photo Modes Photo (optional HDR), Interval, Starlapse, Burst
Color Profiles Vivid, Standard, Flat, I-Log
Video Coding H.264, H.265
Max. Video Bitrate 180Mbps
Exposure Value ±4EV
ISO Range 100–6400
Shutter Speed Photo: 1/8000 – 120s
Video: 1/8000 – to the limit of frames per second
White Balance 2000K-10000K
Audio Modes · Auto Wind Noise Reduction (two strengths)
· Voice Enhancement
· Stereo
· 360° Audio
Audio Format 48 kHz, 16bit, AAC
Weight 200g
Dimensions (W x H x D) 46×124.5×38.2mm
MicroSD Card UHS-I V30 speed class or higher
Microphones 4
Battery Capacity 2400mAh
Charging Time 80% in 20 mins (9V 2A)
100% in 35 mins (9V 2A)
Run Time 8K30fps: 88 mins
5.7K30fps: 135 mins
5.7K24fps Endurance Mode: 185 mins

*Tested in a lab environment.

Operating Temperature -4°F to 104°F (-20℃ to 40℃)
Waterproof 15 m
Bluetooth BLE 5.2
Wi-Fi 802.11a/n/ac
USB USB-C 3.0
Gyroscope 6-axis gyroscope
Mounting Point 1/4″
Quick Release
Color Black