360 Camera Reviews

Insta360 Pro 2 review: top 10 features, good news, bad news, what hasn’t changed (updated 11/22/18 with SAMPLE PHOTOS)

Insta360 Pro 2 review
Insta360 Pro 2 review

Here is a hands-on report on Insta360’s new professional 360 camera, the Insta360 Pro 2, including its top 10 features, with both good news, the bad news, and what hasn’t changed.  UPDATE: added sample photos, with photo comparison against the original Insta360 Pro (reviewed here).

Background
Top 10 features
Specifications
Sample photos with comparison vs Insta360 Pro
Sample videos – download stitched and unstitched videos
Disadvantages vs. Insta360 Pro
7 things that haven’t changed
Price and availability; Discount
Comparison

Updated: November 22, 2018 with sample photos
Originally posted August 21, 2018

Here is a review of the Insta360 Pro 2 by director and videographer Philip Bloom:

Background

When Insta360 released the Insta360 Pro (reviewed here) around July 2017, they created a revolution among professional 360 cameras.  The Insta360 Pro was unique in its ease of use and workflow.  I have been using one since launch, and I was surprised at how easy it was to shoot and stitch.  To this day, I still rely on the Insta360 Pro for shooting 3D 360 photos and videos.

However, Insta360 never rests and is always pushing the boundaries.  Here is the Insta360 Pro 2, their newest professional 360 camera, including its top 10 features, plus both the good news and bad news, and what hasn’t changed.

Insta360 Pro 2 beside the original Insta360 Pro
Insta360 Pro 2 beside the original Insta360 Pro

Insta360 Pro 2: Top 10 Features

  1. High resolution 3D 360.  Insta360 Pro 2 can shoot 3D 360 video in high resolution – at 8K 30fps (7680 x 7680).  That is around 44% more resolution than the Insta360 Pro which shot 3D 360 at 6400 x 6400 resolution.  In 8K 2D mode, each of its 6 cameras shoots at a resolution of 3860 x 2880 (25% higher than Cinema 4K) and a bit rate rate of 120mbps.  Check out the sample videos below!

  2. High speed.  The Pro 2 can shoot at 60fps in either 8K mono, or 6.7K 3D (6400 x 6400).  It can also shoot at 120fps in 4K, in either 2D or 3D.  By comparison, the original Pro could shoot 60fps in 4K 3D or 120fps in 4K 2D.

  3. High dynamic range.   Besides an improved sensor with higher dynamic range, the Pro 2 has a new HDR mode for video, at up to 8K 30fps in 2D.  According to Insta360 staff, the HDR mode works by taking 2 shots in quick succession and then blending them.

Insta360 pro 2 hdr video
Insta360 pro 2 hdr video

In addition, for photos, there is now an autoexposure bracket for HDR for up to 9 exposures.  (I don’t know yet if the 9 exposures will be fused automatically.)  The bracketed shots can be in JPG or DNG Raw.

Insta360 claims that the Pro 2’s dynamic range is 12EV, but they did not clarify whether that applies to HDR photos, HDR videos, or standard photos or standard videos.

  1. FlowState stabilization.  Stabilization is an important feature in many consumer 360 cameras but is rarely a feature for professional 360 cameras due in part to the difficulty of stabilizing multiple cameras.  The Pro 2 features FlowState stabilization, Insta360’s advanced stabilization first used in Insta360 One.  (Yes it really works as you’ll see from the sample videos below.)

The stabilization feature also works in 3D.  I saw a stabilized 3D 360 video sample in a headset and it looked stable, while the 3D depth was maintained.  By contrast, the Pro cannot use stabilization for 3D 360 videos.

  1. 8K 3D VR headset viewing.  Until now, VR headsets have maxed out at 4K resolution, with a few exceptions such as Visbit (which requires a subscription).  Pro 2 has a free companion app for iOS and Android to allow viewing of 8K 3D 360 video on Google Cardboard and eventually Samsung Gear VR.  The app appears to use fixed foveated rendering, which means it will render only the portion that the viewer is viewing.

Note: to view videos in Crystal View, the videos have to be converted into proprietary .vrb format in a one-click process using Insta360 Stitcher.  According to Insta360, Insta360 Stitcher can convert any video above 6K into vrb format (not just videos from Insta360 Pro 2).

I tried out their latest prototype and it did look very sharp, although in the prototype I used, the video would break up if I moved my head quickly.  I assume Insta360 will be able to fix this in time for release.

Trying out Insta360 Crystal View
Trying out Insta360 Crystal View.
  1. Farsight Wi-Fi connection.  One of the complaints with the Insta360 Pro is its weak Wi-Fi connection.  The Pro 2 however features extremely long range Wi-Fi, that is claimed to work up to 300 meters.
Farsight + phone(Interface)2
Farsight + phone(Interface)2

Farsight requires a transmitter and a receiver (included with the Pro 2).  The receiver connects to a smartphone or tablet, similar to how drone controllers connect to smartphones.  Besides providing a very long range, the controller also has a realtime signal indicator that shows how strong the signal is. During my visit to Insta360’s headquarters, we tested the Farsight and it was able to maintain a strong connection through several walls of their office.

7.  “No-stitch” workflow.  A few months ago, Insta360 showed their new plug-in for Premiere that allowed users to work with proxy files with Insta360 Pro, so that they could begin editing in Adobe Premiere before stitching it.  After the Premiere project is finished, then the Pro files will be automatically stitched as needed during the rendering.

With the Pro 2, Insta360 takes that one step further by creating a proxy file in realtime.  So you won’t even have to wait for a proxy file to be generated. Besides being faster, using proxy files saves rendering time and improves quality by stitching the video only once.

8.  Live streaming while recording in 8K.  The Pro was unique in being able to live stream while also recording a video (which could be re-stitched for higher quality).  The Pro 2 takes this same ability but allows simultaneous recording of 8K 2D video, or 6.7k 3D video (6400 x 6400).

  1. Fast startup.  One weakness of Insta360 Pro was that it takes a while to startup (about 1 minute).  That’s because it’s pretty much like a PC, with its own graphics card in fact.  The Pro 2 however, cuts startup time to about 15 or 20 seconds, which is a huge improvement.

  2. Built-in GPS.  The Pro had an optional GPS accessory. The Pro 2 has a built-in GPS (one of the two antennas is for GPS).

In addition to the foregoing features, the Pro 2 also has other improvements.  For example, it’s now easier to add an external mic, because it has a 1/4-20 tripod hole, second audio input jack, and second USB port on top of the camera.

Insta360 Pro 2
Insta360 Pro 2

Insta360 Pro 2 Specifications:

Here are the specifications for the Insta360 Pro 2 in comparison with Insta360 Pro, with differences in bold:

Insta360 ProInsta360 Pro2
Lensessix fisheye lenses (200-degrees FOV per lens)six fisheye lenses (200-degrees FOV per lens)
Field of viewfully sphericalfully spherical
Aperturef/2.4f/2.4
Sensorsunspecifiedunspecified
Processorsunspecifiedunspecified
Photo resolution7680 x 7680 (3D 360) or
7680 x 3840 (2D 360)
HDR 3 exposures
in DNG Raw or JPG
7680 x 7680 (3D 360)
7680 x 3840 (2D 360)
HDR up to 9 exposures
in DNG Raw or JPG
Video resolution (3D)6400 x 6400 or 30fps
3840 x 3840 or 60fps
7680 x 7680 at 30fps
6400 x 6400 at 60fps
3840 x 3840 at 120fps
Video resolution (2D)7680 x 3840 at 30fps or
3840 x 1920 at 120fps
7680 x 3840 at 60fps
7680 x 3840 at 30fps (HDR)

3840 x 1920 at 120fps
Live streaming resolution: 3840 x 1920 at 30fps (2D while recording 4K) or
3840 x 3840 at 24fps (3D while recording 4K)
Compatible with YouTube, Facebook, Periscope / Twitter, Weibo
3840 x 1920 at 30fps (2D, while recording 8K) or
3840 x 3840 at 30fps (3D while recording 6K 3D)
Compatible with YouTube, Facebook, Periscope / Twitter, Weibo
Audio6 microphones
Spatial audio support
Mic input on bottom
6 microphones
Spatial audio support
Mic input on top and bottom
Shutter speed:1/8000 to 60 secs (in manual mode)TBA
ISO:100 to 6400100 to 6400
Stabilization:6-axis gyro-based image stabilization9-axis gyro-based image stabilization
Connector:1/4-20 tripod connector1/4-20 tripod connector below and above
Storage:One SD card;
External SSD supported via USB 3.0
Six Micro SD cards + 1 SD card;
External SSD not supported
Waterproof:NoNo
GPS:optional accessorybuilt-in
Connectivity:RJ45 Ethernet interface (for stable cable communication)
USB Type-C (for high speed file transfer)
WiFi (for AP hotspot connection)
HDMI 2.0 Type-D (for the monitoring and output of footage)
RJ45 Ethernet interface (for stable cable communication)
USB Type-C (for high speed file transfer)
WiFi (for AP hotspot connection)
HDMI 2.0 Type-D (for the monitoring and output of footage)
Compatibility:iOS
Android
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Windows
Mac
Dimensions:143mm diameter143mm diameter
Weight:1228g1.55kg
Battery:5000 mAh (75 minutes); battery or AC adapter (can charge while recording)5100 mAh; battery or AC adapter (can charge while recording)
Other features:Intervalometer
Time lapse mode
Live histogram
Live curve adjustment
Live preview (30fps)
VR preview (2D 360)
GPS accessory support
Intervalometer
Time lapse mode
Live histogram
Live curve adjustment
Live preview (30fps)
VR preview (2D 360)

In the 360 camera industry, specs don’t mean much.  Cameras that have lower specs can look better than higher-spec cameras and vice-versa.  So what really matters is how it looks.  That brings us to the sample videos.

 

Insta360 Pro 2 photos:

I compared photos from the Insta360 Pro 2 against the original Insta360 Pro, in both non-HDR and HDR modes.

As expected, the HDR has excellent dynamic range. Unlike some HDR photos, the colors and contrast appear reasonably natural in my opinion, although the wall has a slight greenish tint. Like some HDR photos, the noise in the sky is more obvious than in the non-HDR photo.  It may be possible to use a soften filter to smoothen the sky.

 

Insta360 Pro 2 sample videos:

Insta360 provided these sample videos, in 8K 2D 30fps:

As you can see the image quality is excellent, and a 360 view of the 8K version appears comparable to a decent quality 1080p video from a small sensor camera (e.g. GoPro Hero), in terms of both resolution and dynamic range.

insta360 pro 2 screesnshot
insta360 pro 2 screesnshot

As for the stabilization, you can see it is quite impressive.  The original Insta360 Pro had stabilization as well but it was not very usable.  However, the Insta360 Pro 2’s stabilization is completely on another level.  As you can see in sample #3 and #4, you can see it looks very smooth.  The circumstances weren’t particularly demanding stabilization tests. Nonetheless the demos are quite impressive.  At least for these situations, it appears that the built-in stabilization works well and makes a gimbal unnecessary.  It remains to be seen how well it works in more difficult situations, such as on a drone.

If it is indeed true that the Insta360 Pro 2 does not need a gimbal, that would be a significant benefit for users.  Not only does it save on the cost of a gimbal, but it would also save on the weight (e.g. on a drone) and additional challenges for handling a gimbal.

Here are sample stitched files for downloading.  Here are sample unstitched files.

Disadvantages vs. Insta360 Pro

Price: With all the Insta360 Pro 2’s new features, it’s not surprising that it costs more than the Insta360 Pro, at $4,999.  But that’s pretty much to be expected, so I don’t consider it bad news per se.  The price includes the Farsight transmitter and receiver to allow long-range control of the Insta360 Pro.  The price also includes a 3-month license for Mistika VR, and 3-month subscription to Blend Media’s 360 Stories Pro software.

To put the price into context, the Pro 2 costs substantially less than other 360 cameras in this category, including:
– Kandao Obsidian R (8K 3D 30fps, $7000)
– Kandao Obsidian S (6K 3D 50fps, $7000)
– Z Cam V1 (6K 3D at 60fps or 7K at 30 fps, $8880)
– Z Cam S1 Pro (6K 2D at 30fps, $8880)
Based on specs and the fact that you would be saving on the cost of a gimbal, it appears the Pro 2 appears to be a pretty good value. Of course, ultimately what matters is image quality, so we’ll have to see how they compare.

Workflow: The reason the Insta360 Pro 2 is able to have so much higher image quality is because it uses a higher bitrate of 120mbps per camera.  To record such high bitrates, it uses 7 memory cards — six Micro SD cards and one SD card (to record the proxy file and the stabilization data).  Moreover, the Pro 2 does not support an SSD, unlike the Insta360 Pro.  The workflow is therefore different, compared to the Insta360 Pro, which used only one SD card and had the option to use SSD.

According to Insta360 staff, to stitch with the Insta360 Pro 2, you can copy the files from the Pro 2 (you can do this by connecting a USB cable from the PC to the Pro 2), copying the files automatically or manually.  The files for each Micro SD card will be copied into separate folders on your hard drive.  Fortunately, you don’t have to match the video files manually.  On Insta360 Stitcher, you can open a file, and the Insta360 Stitcher will automatically locate the other files.  On the positive side, you can use the proxy file directly in Adobe Premiere (after installing the plug-in), and you’ll be able to immediately begin editing the Pro 2 video.  When the project is finished, then the Pro 2 video will be stitched during the project rendering process.

7 things that haven’t changed

A number of things have not changed compared to Insta360 Pro:

1. Photo resolution: still the same, although there may be improvements in actual image quality e.g. dynamic range, bit depth.
2. Sensor size: Insta360 says the sensor size hasn’t changed.
3. Minimum stitching distance: the minimum stitching distance hasn’t changed.  Officially still around 2m. But you can see in the sample videos that it is able to stitch at closer distances.
4. Same battery.  If you have an Insta360 Pro, you’ll be able to use its batteries with the Pro 2.
5. Stitching box: one of the features added later to the Pro was the ability to stitch videos in-camera in full resolution, using the camera’s own powerful graphics card.  The Pro 2 has the same capability and the representative I spoke to said it will still need a desktop to initiate the stitching process. (But you can disconnect them after the process has begun).
6.  Fan noise.  It’s still there, along with the option to run without a fan for up to 15 minutes.
7. The original Insta360 Pro:  it will not go away.  It will be sold alongside Pro 2, and will still be supported with updates.

Price and Availability; Discount

Insta360 Pro 2 is available for preorder for $4,999.95 from Insta360 directly, or from B&H Photo.  For orders directly from Insta360, there’s a special offer for 360 Rumors readers: you can get a free extra battery (in addition to the one included with the camera, so 2 batteries total) and free external charger using this link.

The actual release date is expected to be in September.  FYI, last year, orders from B&H were delayed several months compared to orders from Insta360.

Comparison with other 360 cameras

Insta360 said they are confident in the image quality of the Insta360 Pro 2 and will send a unit for testing.  If and when I get it, I will compare it not only with the Insta360 Pro, but also the GoPro Omni, which I ordered last week.  I can also do an indirect comparison with the Obsidian R basd on the footage I shot when I borrowed it last year.  I will continue to update this page so please bookmark it!  You can get automatic notifications of posts from 360 Rumors here.

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Mic Ty

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  • A nice improvement, with many good v.2 stuff (higher quality/resolution all around) (more robust stabilization, connectivity, in-gps), and some let-downs (6-7! SD cards needed, and no SSD, need for PC to start switching in-camera??). Competitive in its pro market. Look forward to Mic’s actual shooting samples!

  • as Always great review Mic! have you tested the new Pro 2 on small spaces ? does it suffer as ver 1.0 from stitching errors if distance is short ?
    Do they state why they removed the SSD ? I read about a ton of people having errors with their Pro 1.0 and SSD’s vs SD Cards.

    • Hi Ed. Minimum stitching distance is same as pro1. I dont know why they removed ssd. In theory, with more cards, there may be fewer writing errors. Maybe…?

  • Hi ! notice that it came with USB Hub, and 7 Micro USB to USB adapters… why ? does it needed to take out MicroSD Cards ? (like the Omni workflow?)

    • You can take out the cards if you want, or connect the pro2 to the PC via usb and it will act like a card reader

  • Does it suffer from the same problems as version 1 (stitching errors) when objects (walls, etc) are with short distance ?

    Any idea of why they deprecated the SSD support ? read about lot of people having problems with InstaPro v1 and their SSD not been recognize, not been available to format, among many others.

  • Mic, geat info!! It will be a while before I could upgrade. Why will insta360 not allow more images for HDR on the original Insta360 Pro?? That is strictly a software/firmware setting they could change. That is the main thing I dislike about the original Pro. Maybe you can put some pressure on them for that 🙂

    • Thanks Tim! I am not sure yet if the 9 shot bracket can be fused by insta360 stitcher. It may require 3rd party hdr software. If insta360 stitcher can fuse them then i agree, it should work for pro1 as well.

      • Mic, I use Photomatix Pro for HDR processing. The only thing I am looking for is multiple shots (ie 5 or 7) so that I can take them 1 stop apart. The fact is I can leave the camera in the same spot and take 2 HDR’s. The first set would be 1 stop. The second set would be 2 Stops apart. Now I keep the first 3 images from set 1, and the 2+/- photos from the second set to give me 5 images for HDR.

        Insta360 could make the IPro 1 so that it would take 5,7, or 9 shots and NOT merge them on camera. But simply take the requested number of shots so that they can be post merged later. If the camera board was unable to merge 7-9 photos (which I am sure it can) then they can make it so that if taking more than 3 images, it will not be merged “In Camera” but rather be a bracketted shot like a regular DSLR camera. Please pass this on to them as that would be nice for the Ver 1 users.

          • Eduardo,
            I use 2. One is a tripod with a simple round ring that I 3d printed to keep the legs in tight and in exact distance from each other. This tripod is an old Carbon fiber tripod I have had for many years and I now only use it for the I360 Pro. The bolt on top of the tripod was too long for the Insta360 Pro base so I 3D printed a “washer/spacer” to alow the camera base to screw on tight.

            I sometimes use my Koolehaoda 299 monopod but it can take a bit to completely get still due to weight of I360 Pro so I prefer the tripod. I actually have the Koolehaoda reversed and have the feet at the large end and attach the camera to the skinny end (opposite of how it was designed). I did that for using my smaller 360 cameras.

            Here is the photo link to both with the Insta360 Pro on them. Hope this helps.

            https://photos.app.goo.gl/mfo8ZU7ZFwLJHEWe9

  • Thank you Michael for that in-depth update. At this stage I won’t be upgrading but will love to see one in action once they are released. I’m guessing that the Titan won’t be coming out any time soon.

  • A little disappointed, the FAN is still there (at least they could place there the fan with better quality (no such huge noise), or using some heat pipes to propagate heat through camera case with its structure change) and lack of SSD support is huge disadvantage (if they will not make it back) as I used to record long events, that need continuous recording and only SSD can handle that – just expected it could put into internal slot :P… and still 8K – at least the size has not changed.
    And I would be more confident if there would be possibility to buy spare lenses and replace them by myself, as my Gear360 (2016) camera has replaceable (can buy on samsung-parts).

    Is it possible to remove safely the stand that is attached to Insta360 Pro?

  • I agree about the SSD… that’s a huge bummer, but I would bet they’ll find a way to get it back in play.

    My biggest question is about the antenna… do those get in the shot at all? I don’t want to do more post work removing bits!

    This is interesting but the only things I really want are the HDR, bitrate and stabilization improvements. My current rig already solves for the wifi and I record audio with a Sennheiser Ambeo because the in-camera mics are not going to cut it (in my opinion). The rest are nice to haves, but I can’t see upgrading right now… even though I do love shiny new toys!

    I’ll keep an eye on the updates and jump in when they fix a few things… because we all know they will and they’ll surprise us with cool stuff as well!

    Thanks for the great read, Mic!

      • Are those antennas removable completely?
        I was planning to buy another two… and this Pro2 isn’t any break news to spend extra 2K$:
        1. the fan still present,
        2. the fan
        3. the fan….. :] ,
        10. not replaceable lenses
        20. no SSD ( could be internally hidden), it is also less expensive to buy one big SSD instead of 6 uSDXC cards with…. 512GB.
        21. so small battery – need external battery powering for continuous 3.5h recordings, without access to AC. – for photo it should be shipped with at least 2 batteries in the box as standard.
        30. No dust and rain proof.
        … others features are nice but not so attractive, if Titan will have also so poor fan and only 10K 2D recording and it will be much lager it also will be disappointed to me.
        I would expect as next step12K for 2D movie, with external modular battery, rain and dust proof, passive heat radiation.

        • I use a 12v external battery pack that works well for long term use.

          I wish someone would design and make a white or light colored wrap for exterior work. No idea why it is black instead of a light color.

          • Tim, could you post you 12V battery setup (battery producer, any link to amazon or other, how connected)?

          • Michael,
            Here you go. I put links to them on Amazon below. I had to buy adapters that would plug into the Insta360 because the I360 is a 2.1 not a 2.5. I normally have my 12v battery velcro strapped to the bottom of the base (instead of sitting on floor). When doing video I use the SSD card and velcro the cable & SSD to the monopod as well.

            Photos
            https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rezza6BBIF3nAX4qg_K95GAkBNeYp-ys

            Battery Cable:
            http://a.co/d/4ulTyA6

            Adapter so it will plug into Insta360 Pro
            http://a.co/d/5EgOdM0

            Battery (will power the I360 for a while 🙂
            http://a.co/d/0HZBPDS

            Hope this helps.

          • Michael, I have posted the links twice for the 12v battery setup. Mic may have to approve the post since it has Amazon and Google drive links??

          • yes if you post any link it is automatically flagged for moderation and needs to be manually approved

          • WOW! Thanks Tim. I will need to check this. I wish I will be able to make setup that would allow to record at least 3.5h. 🙂

          • Michael,
            The battery will not hold you back. Since you can use an external battery you can find one as large as you need for the duration. Mic may have a chart that will show how long you can record for specific SSD sizes (ie 250gb, 500gb and 1TB at various resolutions). I use the 500gb Samsung 840EVO. And I am sure there are many other drives that work just fine. I will find out how long the 500gb SSD drive records and post back.

          • Michael,
            The camera shows 4 hours 24 minutes of record time on the 500gb SSD drive. I have “normal” selected. As far as a battery goes, you could get a 12v SLA (gel/marine) battery and put a voltage regulator on it so that it outputs 12v 5amp to power the Insta360 pro. Something similar to Amazon ASIN B00CNXLDCQ.

            For a battery you could get a 12v 7ah (7 amp hour) battery online for $15-20. This will last WAY longer than the 3.5 hours you need. For example see Amazon ASIN B01708SYEI. Now you just attach the regulator to the battery, and the power cord from Regulator output to Inta360 Pro. If you had a 1TB drive (I guess the Insta360 Pro supports it??), then you could record for 7-8 hours on a 7amp hour battery.

          • Michael,
            I am happy to report that with just the battery pack I linked above and the 500gb SSD I was able to stream to 4 hours 29 minutes and then I started getting low battery Warnings from I360 pro. The SSD was almost full as well so neither the power or the storage space had more than 3-5 minutes left.

            It is worth noting that the battery pack did go completely dead the last party of the recording was only using the internal battery (down to 17% at the 4 hour: 25 min mark).

            I can post pics up to google drive if you want to see them. You should be set 🙂

          • Michael – two corrections as post can’t be edited.
            1) I said stream but should have typed “record”.
            2) Should read “last part of the recording”…

          • Tim, >4h nice news!
            – Was it 8K recording (no streaming), WiFi – ON?
            – You mean it was on your battery solution not the one presented by Mic?

            I use also 512GB SSD. I don’t like the Insta360 supports only ONE SSD (using hub does not help), so when I am on the go and stitch using Insta360 Pro internally there is a problem to output results to other drive, at least if you have any 512GB SDXC card it can do the job (here the camera does not complain about SD card speed).

          • Oh, I mixed the conversation flow.
            I mean you have got the result using that
            TalentCell Rechargeable 72W 132WH 12V/11000mAh battery not the 12v SLA (gel/marine)?

          • Michael,
            The next post will contain the Photo links. I was using the TalentCell Rechargeable 72W 132WH 12V/11000mAh battery is actually linked above with the cables, adapter, etc.

            I was recording in 8k – highest resolution (but NOT streaming),
            Wifi was on and connected to my iPad (see photos).
            Internal stitching was OFF (only recording each of the 6 lens).

            The SSD drive was the 500gb EVO840. So with the setup I tested, there is enough battery power (internal I360 battery + external battery pack) to last right at 4 1/2 hours. The 500gb drive will record 4 1/2 hours (no internal sitching). So they pair up nicely.

            If you needed a longer battery powered record time then you will need a bigger battery like I referenced earlier and a larger SSD drive. I have not tested above a 500gb so not sure of the largest capacity the I360 Pro supports

          • Thanks Tim.
            I have realized that the battery pack TalentCell Rechargeable 72W 132WH 12V/11000mAh is no longer produced by its manufacturer (in such capacity and output current) and those on Amazon are not available in Europe.
            Fortunately someone has shown internals with additional description, so I will try assemble similar by my own, as your results look amazing, as you have described – 4 hours is enough for me 🙂
            It is also very compact opposite to 12v SLA (gel/marine) accumulator.
            What is the tripod you have presented previously on you picture? Is it stable enough outdoor?

            Thank you, once more for setup information and pictures, you have presented.

          • Michael,
            The 12v Talent Cell is still available on Amazon in the US. I am not sure about Amazon distribution in other countries. I purchased this battery back in Feb of this year and it is still on the USA Amazon. Here is the link that I just checked. You just need a battery that delivers 12v – 5amps and the Talent cell delivers up to 6amp so it is good for the I360 Pro.

            http://a.co/d/76EMFh2

  • I know probably 99.9% of people are focusing on the device… but couldn’t not notice the backpack which it seems to be designed to carry a long pole, any clue on this ?

  • It’s kind of alarming that they wouldn’t let you shoot anything with it. What are they hiding? Are there any samples out there shot by somebody other than the Insta360 team yet? Or do we have to wait until these pre-orders start shipping to find out?

    • Hey there Matt. I suspect that the prototype i saw at their LA HQ wasnt a functioning one. I think the vids shot by the guys featured in the vid would be real but i havent seen them… Fwiw insta says they will send a unit for testing but until then i dont know what works and what doesnt…

  • Hey Mic, quick bunch of questions:

    Why this:

    “The price also includes a 3-month license for Mistika VR, and 3-month subscription to Blend Media’s 360 Stories Pro software.”

    As it stands, only the Professional Edition of Mistika can stitch 3D. The Personal Edition doesn’t. That’s a $230 per year (or $23 per month) difference.

    Do you think Mistika VR Personal Edition will support 3D when this launches, or do you think Mistika will lean on the camera having “Pro” in the name (and being a pro-grade camera) in order to justify keeping 3D stitching to the Professional Edition?

    Insta360 has stood firmly on it’s stitching capability (rightfully so). Why are they bringing in other companies to directly compete with one key aspect of their workflow?

    Do you care to speculate on if they’re planning to purchase Mistika (SGO)?

    ——————–

    Big and complex questions, sorry about that. This announcement is big-time.

  • maybe i missed it but does anyone have a chart for recording times for sd cards sizes. 128gb(x6-7?) sd card gives you how many mins at 8K?

    • That is exactly the question I had too. What if you do 8K at 5 fps how long will the 64 gb cards last. Is there a way to get 128 gb cards instead of the packaged 64 gbs cards? Thanks.

  • Nice to see gps now built in.
    Still, looking at those sample photos serves as another reminder of how young this segment is, where 5k$ gives you a tiny bit more, but still not enough detail.
    Maybe next year

  • Is anyone else getting insanely slow transfer speeds out of the insta pro 2?

    I don’t have the fancy 7x card reader so I’m connecting the thing to my computer via usb-c, and it’s saying it’s going to take 4 hours to copy a 15,000 frame timelapse. If I take the cards out individually and copy them with a card reader I can copy them all over in about 7 minutes per card, but that’s super annoying and requires me to babysit the transfers.

    Am I doing something wrong here?

    MBP 2018 USB-c ports, super fast g-tech SSD usb-c drive.

      • Already tried that first with the Ethernet to usb adaptor and it’s significantly slower!!

        I have 6x 64gb cards in the camera, filled about half the cards, plugged in the Ethernet cable, started the one-click transfer via the app, left it transferring while I slept for 6 hours and it only progressed 10%! It’s ABSOLUTELY INSANE how slow it’s transferring.

        When I use a normal card reader I can transfer each card in 7 minutes, but then I have to manually merge all the folders which is super super annoying if I’m shooting tons of clips.

  • Please Please Their After Sales is crap. Their app is difficult to use and their manual is not updated. They do not even bother to update when we have so much difficulty Just to import the footage to mac!!! especially mac users beware! I bought this equipment and totally consider it Trash!
    You know what about they stitching? They ask you to subscribe to 3rd party Mistika! Check out their monthly subscribing fee. Is like purchasing a Mercedes and ask you to get your stirring wheels from Porsche! Those intend to capture apartment units – virtual tours -hahahahaha good luck to you!

    • Hi Hardknoxlee. Sorry to hear that. Have you tried to resell your unit? Check out facebook.com/groups/360buysell . For 360 photos, there are more cost-efficient choices.

  • Did they do any software upgrades in the 2 years since this article was written. Also compare with the smaller obsidian go.

  • Dumb question but he Farsight transmitter and receiver units…..they have DC power adapters. Do those two units have built-in rechargeable batteries? Is that why they have power adapters? Thanks!