Here are 22 tips and tricks to get the most out of your Insta360 One X (reviewed here), presented by me and my friend Shanil Kawol (How to Make a Video):
Here are more details about these tips:
1. Avoiding blur.
One of the most common questions I get about the One X is about it being “blurry.” Actually, what users are seeing is motion blur. In low light conditions, Insta360 One X defaults to a slow shutter speed — as slow as 1/30 for video — in order to use a lower ISO to reduce noise. However, with a slower shutter speed, there is more motion blur from camera movement (especially if you rotate the camera).
To avoid blur, go to the in-camera video settings and use Shutter: Fast instead of Shutter: Auto, or set shutter speed manually to 1/60 or 1/125. This will result in increased noise but to me that is less of an issue than motion blur. If the camera is stationary, then you can switch it back to 1/30. In any case, you should do your best to minimize camera movement in low light.
2. Removing the Insta360 watermark and removing the dark cloud.
By default, Insta360 One X will apply an overlay to the nadir that looks like a dark cloud, to disguise any stitching errors in the nadir. it was useful for older Insta360 cameras but is unnecessary on the One X. To remove the black cloud at the bottom of your video, go to the One X app settings, switch nadir logo to none.
Insta360 One X will also add a watermark to overcapture / freecapture / fixframe videos. To turn off the “Shot on Insta360 One X” watermark, go to settings on the One X app and turn Official Watermark off.
3. Setting the date and time.
Whenever you remove the battery or the battery runs out, the time and date will be reset to January 1, 2018 or December 31, 2017. To set the time and date, simply connect the One X to your phone wirelessly or via cable. The One X will sync its clock to your phone.
4. Extending battery life.
The One X’s battery life is somewhat short at around 45 mins. of real-world usage, and even less in very cold weather. You can extend your battery life by keeping a USB powerbank in my bag and connecting your One X in between shots. I also recommend getting a spare battery and the fast external charger.
5. Extend battery life further by turning off Wi-Fi.
Another way to save battery life is to turn off the One X’s Wi-Fi signal, which normally remains on even when the camera is on standby. To turn it off, go to the in-camera settings menu and change Wireless: On to Wireless: Auto. On iOS, the app can still connect to the One X automatically via Bluetooth, and reactivate the Wi-Fi remotely. On Android, you’ll need to change settings back to Wireless: On to use the smartphone app. If you don’t want to keep changing the Wireless settings, you can also remove the battery but remember to set the date and time.
6. Protect the lens.
360 cameras such as the One X have fisheye lenses that protrude from the body. Never, ever lay down the One X (or any 360 camera) on a hard surface, which can scratch the lens. Even seemingly minor scratches will appear as increased glare on your photos and videos. You can also keep it clean by using the included neoprene pouch which can also effectively wipe the lens as you remove the camera from the case.
7. Avoid the stitch line.
The One X’s stitching is not totally seamless for video, so you should avoid facing the stitch line toward important subject (the stitch line is the area where the lenses meet, which are the sides of the camera, for dual-lens 360 cameras such as the One X).
8. Avoiding inconsistent exposures.
You may see that sometimes, your photos or videos look brighter on one side. This is often due to glare. To minimize glare, aim the stitch line toward the brightest light source .
9. Extending dynamic range with HDR Video.
You can increase the dynamic range of the One X using HDR Video mode, which I believe uses Sony’s DOL-HDR (digital overlap high dynamic range) technology. The One X will take two different exposures (one normal exposure, and one underexposure) and combine them in order to capture a wider dynamic range. Because the exposures are not completely simultaneous, camera movements in HDR Video mode can show ghosting. Therefore this mode is best used when the One X is on a tripod.
10. Third person view.
One of the most useful features of the One X is being able to capture a third person view. To use this feature, simply use the One X with a monopod or selfie stick that is slim enough to fit between the lenses of the One X, such as the Insta360 2nd-generation invisible selfie stick. The selfie stick or monopod will appear invisible, creating the illusion of an invisible flying camera.
11. Aim the front of the One X.
It is often said that 360 cameras such as the One X have no front or back because they capture a fully spherical view. Actually, all 360 cameras have a front side, and whatever is facing the “front” of the camera will be the first object visible in the 360 video. For stabilized 360 cameras, the view will also often be stabilized toward the front of the camera. It is therefore useful to be aware of the front of the camera, which in the case of the One X is the side with the LED display.
12. Editing without keyframes
On the One X, you can create overcapture videos and pan the video electronically via keyframing. However, if you are in a hurry, you can avoid keyframing by point the front of the One X to your subject. In post processing, turn on the Direction Hold option. The resulting video will show whatever the One X is pointing at, without the need to keyframe.
You may be wondering if this technique defeats the purpose of using a 360 camera. No it does not. First, you’ll still have incredible stabilization, beyond what is possible for any non-360 camera. Second, you can capture a third person view, which is also impossible for a non-360 camera.
13. How to save videos on the One X.
When editing on the One X app, you can save your edits by pressing back from time to time.
14. Frozen app or camera
After you record a very long video, it may take several seconds for the camera to write the video to the memory card, and it may appear frozen. Just give it up to a minute to save the video. If it’s still frozen, then remove the battery and reinstall it.
The One X app may also freeze occasionally. Simply close and reopen the app.
15. Snapshots
16. Turning a 360 video into a 360 photo
You can get a 360 photo from your 360 videos with Insta360 Studio for One X (tutorial here). On the upper right corner, switch to equirectangular view (rectangle icon) and then press the camera icon near the play button. You can directly upload this equirectangular screenshot to sites such as Kuula.co to view it as a 360 photo. For sites such as Facebook which require 360 metadata, use Exif Fixer to add 360 metadata.
17. Better colors.
There are two ways to get better colors on the One X. The first way is to use manual white balance, which will keep the color temperature constant from scene to scene, which looks more professional. To do this, use manual exposure mode, and in the settings you’ll see white balance as an option. Instead of AWB (auto white balance), choose a white balance that looks most neutral.
Another way to get better colors is to turn off log mode unless you will apply a LUT (lookup table) in postprocessing. You can download the official LUT for One X here.
18. Easy way to remove the Micro SD card.
In my tests, I found that using a USB 3.0 Micro SD Card reader was the fastest way to transfer files to my hard drive. However, the Micro SD slot on the One X is very deep-set, and it is difficult to remove when you have short fingernails. An easy way to remove them is to use another Micro SD card to push the Micro SD card in the camera. If you don’t have an extra Micro SD card with you, you can press the farthest edge of the Micro SD card, which is a little easier to push.
19. Time saving tip when downloading videos
Even while downloading videos from the One X to your phone, you can shoot a video at the same time. You don’t have to wait for the video to finish downloading.
20. Faster rendering
You can render videos faster on your phone by turning off the power saving mode on your phone. Some phones also have a Performance Mode, which may also accelerate the rendering speed.
21. No-stitch editing
You can edit overcapture videos without stitching them first using either the One X app, Insta360 Studio for One X (version 3.2.1) or Adobe Premiere. Here’s a tutorial for Insta360 Studio for One X;
Here is a tutorial for Premiere:
22. Avoid accidents
Avoid accidents by using a counterweight. When using the Insta360 One X outdoors on a tripod, there is a chance that it can be toppled by a gust of wind or by a passerby, which could destroy the lens. You can reduce the chance of this happening by using a counterweight, such as an ankle weight.
Do you have any other tips for using the One X? Share yours in the comments below!
Thanks for Tip #1 it really helps me out – but by the way … I had none of these blurry effects in my GoPro Fusion.
is this a Software related Problem ? I have a feeling this comes from flow state, when turning off it is better
Hi Michael. Fusion is less susceptible because it automatically uses a higher shutter speed. Turning flowstate on or off will not change the amount of motion blur.
Best regards,
Mic
Hi Mic,
The One X seemed to be always waiting for the “Power ON” signal/command from the app. Though this is good if we want to power ON the camera using our phone but I think it will drain the battery.
1) Will this eventually drain the battery if I leave the One X unused for a period of time (e.g. 2 weeks or more)?
2) Is there a way to turn off this “standby” mode totally?
Any way to set the startup default mode to video?
There is a workaround. If you turn on Quick Capture (in the in-camera settings), then pressing the shutter while the camera is off will automatically turn on the camera and have it begin recording video.
Do you notice a shutter when moving the camera around? Not a blue but a shutter like on a shaky selfie stick? And that was while using the one the one x comes with.
No. Try to tighten the invisible selfie stick to avoid shakiness
Mic you are always so good for all your informations. I’ve got a question about the one x. Is it better to always use hdr for photos or the use of manual settings is a better way to shoot! And I did’n know that we can take photos from our previously recorded video. That’s help.
Thanks a lot and have a good day.
Thanks Steve. When it is bright, hdr is a good idea. In low light or when it is not bright, it is better to use standard mode
Hi Mic, is there some tips & tricks to make Insta One X default storage on Android phone’s external micro sd card ? cuz the file soo BIG to fit on internal phone storage.
hi sorry i dont think it has that option yet
This is my problem too.. I have a 64gb internal storage which is nearly full and I want to all my files go directly to my external sd card. I did two 15 minutes video and boom, my phone gets full. I want to move the files but it’s in the app and there’s no option. I hope they figure something out.
Hi John. You can copy the files from your phone to sd card using My Files or something similar. they are under insta360onex/galleryOriginal/video. Be careful to transfer both files for each 5.7k video file
What is a cheap way to protect the camera lens from scratches? I intend to use the Insta 360 while snowboarding, but I’m worried by falling over and scratching the lens: I’m not willing to throw 500+€ in the bin for one single fall on the board….
Hi Roberto. The new Venture Case is coming in about a month. Or you can use the Dive Case but there will be an oval in the nadir.
Hi Mic,
I found each time when I took 360 picture without connecting smart phone the pictures appeared too dark. I know there are ways adjusting the iso and exposure etc using the smart phone, but it will be time consuming to connect the phone every time when I want to take a picture. Is there any way to change the default exposure setting so that I can take brighter pictures when I just switch on the One x? Thanks in advance for your advice.
Jack
hi Jack. Sorry the exposure settings on One X are not ‘sticky’. if you turn it off, the settings will go back to default. One workaround is to use HDR photo mode. Then choose the bright exposure.
Can i mute a video while editing? I don’t want any sound at all.
Hi Doug. You can do that with a video editor. But insta360 studio can’t change the soundtrack
Thanks for the tips. After I leave the camera on and it shuts off by itself, I am not able to turn the camera on unless I remove and replace the battery. Is this normal?
Hmm No that is not normal. I suggest calling insta tech support
I am new to 360 cameras, I want to buy the 360 one x.
Can you tell me what are some essential accessories to have and what brands?
I will be taking my car around North America, will drive to Key West and all the way to the arctic ocean at Inuvik, NWT, Canada as well as Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. I will also drive back down through the west coast and into Mexico.
I am thinking about having my gopro mounted on the inside windshield to do some time lapse video and a 360 camera mounted on the roof when driving through scenic areas like the Canadian Rockies. I will also want the 360 camera for short hikes I will be doing in the northwest.
Any advice to help get me started with any accessories I could use on this trip would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Wade
Hi Wade. The One X will be awesome for your trip! I recommend these accessories:
– invisible selfie stick: the most essential accessory. Get it free with the One X here: http://bit.ly/onexdiscount
– all-purpose tripod: so your One X can be used standalone https://store.insta360.com/product/all_purpose_tripod
– venture case to protect your One X from water, rocks, etc. https://store.insta360.com/product/Venture_Case
– extended selfie stick: for cinematic drone-like shots https://store.insta360.com/product/Extended_Edition_Selfie_Stick
– bullet time handle: if you want to do bullet time shots https://store.insta360.com/product/bullet_time_handle
– suction mount: triple is most secure, although maybe you can get by with a double or single https://amzn.to/2K0IPxZ
Also you may be interested in this video where I show how you can get a 3rd person view shot of your car: https://360rumors.com/bushman-monopod-review/
If you have any questions, pls. let me know!
Best regards,
Mic
I haven’t been able to figure out how to convert my videos into time lapses in the desktop software. Is there an edit drop-down that I am missing somewhere that allows me to control speed?
Hi Stephen. The desktop app doesn’t have hyperlapse yet. They said they will add it in the future.
Thanks for the tips. I shot video in Bullet Time (by mistake) in the dive case at 5.7K/30. When I view the footage in the phone app, the perspective is from the bottom of lens instead of the sides. I am unable to turn the “view” of the camera. Can this be changed? How do I get usable footage out of this? The desktop app is no longer available on the Insta360 website. Could it be fixed in a different application?
Contact Insta360 tech support. They can convert your video into standard 360 video. BTW the desktop app is still there (it’s called insta360 studio 2019).
Mic:
I use the one x on my small two seater airplane. It sits out on a strut. I can not figure out how to keep it connected. It is in standby when I get in the plane, but when I want to start a video (say 20 minutes after take off) it has disconnected and the wifi does not show up on my phone. Is there a way to set the time out to never?
Hi. I have 3 important questions:
how to turn on and off your insta 360 throu phone or remote?
how I can change disk for storage in my phone insta 360 app?
why I can’t do my own YouTube online translation through my insta 360?
Hi John, sorry you cannot remotely turn off Insta360 One X. On iPhone, there used to be a feature that can remotely turn it on, but for some reason they disabled it.
Dear Mike or other helpful Insta One X user
I think I have solved this. Please skip to the last paragraph should anyone be so kind as to read.
I had a problem uploading my first 360 video to YouTube. My workflow was
1) Transfer both files insv from camera to PC
2) Use the PC “360 editing software” to export to an .mp4 file (I just clicked on “Export,” I did not change any settings)
https://www.insta360.com/download/insta360-onex?locale=en-us
3) Use the Google/YouTube provided app to add 360 metadata (again, I did not change any settings
just clicked add metadata)
https://github.com/google/spatial-media/releases/tag/v2.1
4) Upload to YouTube (that took 12 hours!)
5) “Processing of the video failed. Please make sure you are uploading a supported file type.”
(No This YouTube video jump to 4:58
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHmX5gschyE
Recommends using VLC to find the codec information and says that audio sample rates above 41000 cause problems. Could that be the issue? No. )
Aha This YouTube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuvHgpQ3LRA
points out that I probably should have checked “spherical” in the Gogole Spatial Media Metadata Injector” whereas I did not click anything, just “Inject Metadata.” I will try that. I will know in another 12 hours:-)
Hi Tim. After clicking on Export from Insta360 Studio 2019, you can upload the exported file directly to YouTube. No need for the metadata injector tool.
Dear Mr. Ty
With regard to the comment that I posted this morning (similar to the below), I don’t think that there is any need to approve it. I think that my mistake was just that i did not use the “filename_inserted.mp4” file but thought that the metadata would be inserted in the original file and uploaded that. Silly.
Dear Mike or other helpful Insta One X user
I had a problem uploading my first 360 video to YouTube. My workflow was
1) Transfer both files insv from camera to PC
2) Use the PC “360 editing software” to export to an .mp4 file (I just clicked on “Export,” I did not change any settings)
https://www.insta360.com/download/insta360-onex?locale=en-us
3) Use the Google/YouTube provided app to add 360 metadata (again, I did not change any settings
just clicked add metadata)
https://github.com/google/spatial-media/releases/tag/v2.1
4) Upload to YouTube (that took 12 hours!)
5) “Processing of the video failed. Please make sure you are uploading a supported file type.”
(This YouTube video jump to 4:58
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHmX5gschyE&w=640&h=360]
Recommends using VLC to find the codec information and says that audio sample rates above 41000 cause problems. Could that be the issue? No)
(Did I forget to click on “spherical” when using the Metadata isertion app? No. Spherical is checked automatically)
Tim
Hi
Does anyone know how to remove the Insta360 oneX extended selfie stick shadow in 360 video, the camera is changing position relative to the subject so not in the same part of the frame?
Thanks
Hi Des. Pls align the camera with the selfie stick. https://youtu.be/jimV0HWEc1c
Hi Mic,
When I tried using the option quick capture to record videos, they come out unstabilized and the flowstate seems not to work even though it’s says on when checked video settings. If recording in the normal way there is no issue with flowstate. Any idea?
Thanks
A.A
Thanks for these tips and your great reporting about the Insta 360 One X and other cameras.
How would I know how much space is free in my micro SD card within the Insta 360 One X? I will be for 5 weeks in Africa, with only an Ipad and no notebook.
Cheers, Ralf
Thanks Ralf. You can see it in the app settings under Storage. It is also when you turn on your One X (it will tell you how much space is left).
Mic- I have some insta one x video files that show only one half of the image (like a large black dot in the middle of the image), at the same time, the 360 scrolling does not work. Can previously shot files become corrupted like this somehow?
Thanks for all your help
Michael Cotten
Hi Michael. Did you get both files? Each 5.7K file has two files. You must not rename them. they must be in the same directory.
If I renamed the file can I change it back or change the other file to match?
I guess you should change it back. If you want to experiment, make a copy of the file and put it in a separate folder.
Hey Mic!
Is there any way to get the photo and video to save to the SD card on an Android Phone instead of internal memory. Most linked devices do this or at least have an option to.
Hi Franki! Sorry they don’t have that feature. I’ll request it.
Others may still need it, I don’t anymore. Was so frustrated I went out and bought a OnePlus 7pro with 256gb . So, now I don’t have to worry about it. I was due for a phone upgrade anyway. 🙂
Hi
Can i move insta360 one x 360 picture or video rotating my phone i cannot find option for that, only click and drag
Yes that is called Viewfinder mode. when you are viewing a video hold down the screen and you will see one of the options is viewfinder.
Hi there, your tips are incredibly useful and have helped me in numerous ways. Your delivery style is also concise but easily understandable. Thank you for sharing your knowledge – appreciated.
Cheers from Steve in South Africa – and Insta Fan.
Thank you very much Steve! 😀 More tutorials coming — stay tuned!
Hello there. I need help how can I record videos and save as fix frame without having my video clips rotating around in circles slowly by itself? Is there a solution to fix that?
Oh yeah and the program I used was on Android device.
Hi David. Which app did you use? Was it Insta360 One X app or something else?
Hi David. Re recording and saving as fixed frame, you can do that from the one x app or insta360 studio desktop app. On the one x app, open a video, then tap on share, and choose fixframe. For Insta360 studio, open it and click on the “freecapture” tab, then choose file… export. Full tutorial for insta360 studio here: https://360rumors.com/insta360-studio/
Re rotating by itself, it’s called drifting. If your camera is drifting, use the gyro calibration function in the settings of the in-camera menu.
Hi Mic
Thanks for all the tips. I recently purchased the Insta360 One R and have noticed that the pictures that I have taken using the 4K Wide Angle lens appear very grainy [both Standard and HDR). I’m currently getting better quality pictures from my iPhone. Am I doing something wrong or do you have any tips?
Thanks
David
Hi David. I don’t know which iPhone you have but some iPhones actually have larger sensors than those of the 4K wide mod, which has a similar sensor size to GoPro (likely 1/2.3). So some iPhones do have better photo quality than One R 4K mod.
Best regards,
Mic
Hi,
I’m wondering if someone can offer me some assistance. I’m new to photography and I’m using the insta360 One R.
I have taken several HDR photos using the 4K wide angle lens and I’m very disappointed with the results. Compared with the same photo taken with my iphone, the iphone picture is clearer, sharper and has a far better colour likeness.
I have tried different settings, but the results seem the same.
The iphone picture is also much smaller in file size (1.7mb) compared to the insta360 photo (6.9mb) and the resolutions are similar to 4000 x 3000.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi David. I don’t know which iPhone you have but some iPhones actually have larger sensors than those of the 4K wide mod, which has a similar sensor size to GoPro (likely 1/2.3). So some iPhones do have better photo quality than One R 4K mod.
Best regards,
Mic
Thanks Mic
I thought that might be the case. I’m using a iPhone XS
David
Is it possible to lock the one r in video mode?
Hi Doug. It defaults to video mode, and there is a screen lock option. So you can do it that way.
Best regards,
Mic
I got a question regarding the One X2, but maybe it’s the same for the Mark I, so I hope this is not off topic:
I was not yet able to find the right menu for switching my 360-5.7K-recordings to H.265 codec instead of H.264. I’m talking about the no stitched *.insv videos taken by the camera (because I’m of course able to export from studio in H.265). Somehow I’m missing a menu … Do you know where it’s hidden?
Thx
Robin
Hi Robin. In your X2 settings, you can go to Basic Settings and scroll down to Video encoding. Tap on 360 Cam and choose H.265. Let me know if you were able to find it!
Indeed. There it is. I overlooked it because it seemed to me, there are only two items in Basic Settings. I expected three items to think of scrolling down … Because sometimes three lines fit the tiny screen. Guess it would have become obvious if I had taken the manual out of the box, too. 😀
Wonderful, looking forward to test H.265 tomorrow. Thank you very much!
I’ve had stitching lines on all of my HDR 360° photos today. Did not know positioning the side of the camera towards the sun helps. Will try it tomorrow.
Let me know how it works for you!
how long can this record video for? I am looking to have it record 3 hours with a large battery bank attached to it with a 128GB sd card.
Hi Robert. One X will overheat after around 1 hour even if you have a USB power bank. For such a long recording, check out the One R with the “Mad Max Mod” https://360rumors.com/insta360-one-r-overheating-mad-max-mod/
This device is insanely frustrating. Im searching for a solution to over exposed videos taken on vacation. All of our beach footage came out white. Any idea how to correct this? Is there any way to set the camera to auto matically film in bright sunlight without having to carry a phone as well to connect before using it spontaneously whilst traveling? Ive never experienced having to reprogram settings before using an action cam outside. go pro didnt give this washed out footage but bought this because they didnt have a 360 camera
Hi Zuli. Probably you switched to manual mode. if you switch to manual mode, it will stay in manual mode even after powering off. If you switch to auto mode, I’m sure it will not be washed out. To switch to auto mode, swipe to the left to reveal the exposure settings, then change the exposure mode to auto.