The Insta360 Air is a 360-degree camera that is designed to be very easy to use. It can be attached to your phone, and you can use the app to control it. The quality of the images and videos is very good, and it is a great option for people who want to start making 360-degree videos.
In this blog, we will give you a complete review of Insta360 Air so that you can see what it is all about.
Table of Contents
Insta360 Air Review
Table could not be displayed.Design
The design of the Insta360 Air is both eye-catching and functional, making it a unique and highly useful camera. The small sphere shape of the device is both distinctive and highly portable, with the camera measuring just 1.5 inches in diameter and weighing less than an ounce.
The two lenses on opposite ends of the sphere are designed to capture 360-degree images and videos, making it possible to create highly immersive content that truly puts viewers in the center of the action.
The plastic shell of the camera is available in a range of colors, including black, white, pink, and yellow, making it easy to choose a design that suits your personal style. The raised rim around the lenses helps to protect them from scratches and damage, while the included silicone carrying case provides additional protection when the camera is being transported.
One of the most useful design features of the Insta360 Air is the adjustable, rigid USB cable that comes with the camera. This allows users to position the camera to best suit their surroundings, making it possible to capture high-quality 360-degree footage from a range of different angles. The camera can also be used with both Android phones and computers, making it a highly versatile tool for creating a wide range of different types of content.
Software Support
The Air is compatible with Android devices running version 5.1.1 (Lollipop) or higher. You can download the Insta360 Air app from Google Play for free. The splash screen displays a gallery of content taken with the Air. There is also a camera icon at the bottom right.
The camera control screen is accessible by clicking the camera icon. The view from the dual lenses will live on your smartphone’s screen. You can scroll, take photos, or record video clips and stream to YouTube and Facebook. For every minute of footage, it takes approximately two minutes to convert the video into an uploadable format.
It works well and offers Instagram-style filters that you can apply to images or videos. A Sketch filter can be used to make all 360 content look like an aha music video. One complaint: the default orientation of the app is upside down.
This makes sense when you are recording video using the USB port. It is possible to change the orientation of your phone by going into settings. This will allow you to trim and share clips as normal. However, I would love to see the switch happen seamlessly based on how your phone is held.
Your phone provides power for the Air. It’s easy to charge the Air with one hand. It is very power-hungry. I started with a fully charged smartphone, streamed some test footage to Facebook, and converted a few clips to MP4 to be able to embed them in my review.
After connecting the camera to my Galaxy S6, the battery dropped from 100 percent down to 50% in just 20 minutes. When the camera is in use, the phone can also heat up quite a bit.
Livestream
The Insta360 Air’s live streaming capabilities are one of its standout features, allowing users to share their 360-degree footage in real-time with friends, family, or an audience on social media platforms. Whether it’s a special event, a behind-the-scenes look, or just a fun activity, live streaming with the Insta360 Air is a great way to engage with others and share experiences in a unique way.
The process of live streaming with the Insta360 Air is straightforward and user-friendly. Once the camera is connected to the smartphone and the Insta360 app is launched, users can choose to stream directly to Facebook, YouTube, or other social media platforms that support 360-degree content.
The app provides a range of options for controlling the camera’s settings, including resolution, frame rate, and exposure, ensuring that the live stream looks as good as possible.
One of the benefits of live streaming with the Insta360 Air is that viewers can fully immerse themselves in the experience, using their smartphones or VR headsets to explore the 360-degree environment in real time. This makes for a more engaging and interactive viewing experience and can help to create a sense of connection and community among viewers.
Livestreaming with the Insta360 Air is also a great way to expand one’s reach and build a following on social media. By sharing unique and engaging 360-degree content, users can attract new followers and connect with audiences who are interested in their niche or area of expertise.
Stabilization
The Insta360 Air is a highly capable camera that offers impressive stabilization features, making it an excellent choice for capturing smooth and stable footage. When shooting a 360-degree video, stability is of utmost importance, as any shakiness or instability can lead to viewers feeling disoriented or dizzy.
With its advanced stabilization software and built-in gyroscope, the Insta360 Air is able to compensate for camera movement and keep the footage steady and smooth.
One of the key features of the Insta360 Air’s stabilization is its use of advanced image processing technology. This technology allows the camera to analyze the movement of the camera in real time and make adjustments to the footage to compensate for any unwanted motion.
Additionally, the camera’s built-in gyroscope provides accurate data on the camera’s movement, which is then used to further stabilize the footage. The end result is smooth and seamless footage that looks polished and professional.
The Insta360 Air also offers a range of stabilization modes that are designed to suit different shooting scenarios. For example, the “lock mode” keeps the camera facing in one direction, which is useful for capturing stationary shots or for filming in a fixed position.
The “flow state mode“, on the other hand, uses advanced algorithms to smooth out footage and eliminate unwanted motion, making it ideal for filming on the move or in dynamic environments.
Video and Image Quality
The Insta360 Air is a compact 360-degree camera that offers a range of features for capturing both video and still images. While the camera’s video capabilities may not be as advanced as some standalone 360 cameras, it still offers decent video quality with a resolution of 1,920 by 996 at 30 frames per second. However, the resulting footage can appear soft and lack fine details, particularly when capturing distant subjects.
One of the major limitations of the Insta360 Air’s video quality is the stretching and mapping of pixels onto a virtual globe. This can result in lost details and blurry images, especially in low-light conditions. However, the camera does offer durability in its stitching capabilities, which helps to maintain smooth and seamless footage even in challenging environments.
Another feature of the Insta360 Air is its live streaming capabilities, which allow users to stream 360-degree footage directly to social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook.
While this feature is undoubtedly convenient, it is important to note that the resulting footage can appear even softer than recorded video due to compression. The compressed footage is only 2Mbps, while the 8.4Mbps recorded video is, which can result in blurry and artifact-laden footage.
When it comes to still images, the Insta360 Air offers a resolution of 4.5MP (3.008 by 1.504), which is slightly better than its video capabilities. However, the image quality may not be on par with modern smartphones, and the resulting images can resemble those of older phone models with limited pixel support.
360 Photos
The Insta360 Air is a compact and affordable 360 camera that is capable of capturing impressive 360-degree photos. The resolution of the images is 3008 x 1504, which may not be the highest in the market but is still good enough for most purposes, especially when sharing on social media platforms.
The camera is designed to capture images that look great on small mobile and tablet screens, which is perfect for sharing with friends and family on social media.
One of the strengths of the Insta360 Air’s 360 photos is the quality of the images. The photos are bright, colorful, and sharp, making them stand out from the crowd.
Additionally, the stitching line, which is the point at which the two 360 images are joined, is not noticeable, which makes the photos look seamless and natural. This is particularly important for 360 photos, where any errors in stitching can be very noticeable.
While the Insta360 Air is best suited for outdoor use during daylight, it performs admirably indoors as well. There is very little loss of quality indoors, and the camera can capture some impressive shots, especially in well-lit environments. However, it is important to note that the camera is not designed for low-light conditions, and the image quality may suffer in such situations.
Insta360 Air Performance
Insta360 Air is simple and has a camera mode as well as a playback mode. Camera mode allows you to tweak a few settings, such as exposure compensation. But simplicity is the keyword here. Simply point and shoot. The Air’s twin cameras capture footage and photos, and then the app stitches them together.
It does this quite well. You can see the joins easily if you look closely, but it will be nearly impossible to produce an auto-stitched panoramic picture. I can’t fault the Air’s work here.
What about the quality of the videos and stills? They’re acceptable for a product of this price, but not exceptional.
Images with high contrast will show purple fringing; images with wide dynamic ranges will have parts that are under-or overexposed or both; strong light sources can cause a lot of flares, and there is a general lack of sharpness. The Air can be used indoors or at night to produce noise and grain that will ruin your photos and video.
The Air and its app offer a variety of sharing options, including live 360-degree broadcasts via YouTube and Facebook. Although it was difficult to get our 360-degree videos from our HTC 10, once they were imported into Insta360 Studio (a free editor available for Mac and PC), the conversion into YouTube-friendly MP4s took only a few minutes.
Battery Life
The Insta360 Air is a popular and compact camera that offers 360-degree capture and live-streaming capabilities. While the camera has many features and benefits, one of its drawbacks is its limited battery life. The camera’s battery is small, and it can only last for about an hour of continuous use. This can be a significant limitation for those who plan on using the camera for extended periods.
The battery life of the Insta360 Air can be affected by a number of factors. The camera is constantly working on stitching together the images from its dual lenses, which can be demanding on the battery. Additionally, using features such as live-streaming or Wi-Fi connectivity can drain the battery even faster.
To help conserve battery life, the camera has a power-saving mode that can be activated when not in use. This mode will dim the camera’s LED indicator light and turn off Wi-Fi connectivity to help save power. However, this may not be enough to extend the battery life significantly.
Compatibility
The Insta360 Air is specifically designed for Android smartphones and is not compatible with iOS devices. This is a significant drawback for those who use iPhones as their primary device.
However, for Android users, the Insta360 Air offers seamless compatibility with a variety of Android smartphones. It is compatible with most Android phones that support OTG (On-The-Go) function and has Android 5.1 or later. This means that it can be used with many popular Android phones from brands such as Samsung, LG, Google, and more.
In terms of connecting the Insta360 Air to your Android device, it is a simple process. The camera has a retractable connector that plugs directly into the USB Type-C or micro USB port on your phone. Once connected, the camera will launch the Insta360 Air app automatically, and you can start capturing 360-degree content.
The app itself is easy to use and offers a range of features to enhance your 360-degree experience, including live streaming, video editing, and sharing options. The app also allows you to control the camera remotely, adjust the exposure settings, and switch between photo and video modes.
Overall, the Insta360 Air’s compatibility with Android devices is a significant selling point, making it an accessible and user-friendly option for Android users who are looking to capture and share 360-degree content on their smartphones.
You can check out other Insta360 reviews:
- Insta360 Nano Review 2023: Best Choice For You
- Insta360 Review 2023: Best Choice For You
- Insta360 One X2 Review 2023: Best Choice For You
Conclusion
The Insta360 Air is a great device for capturing 360-degree photos and videos. Its small size and easy-to-use controls make it a great option for anyone looking to get into 360-degree photography. The Air’s image quality is also excellent, making it a great choice for capturing memories or sharing with friends and family. Overall, the Insta360 Air is a great option for anyone looking for an easy-to-use 360-degree camera.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
