{"id":5413,"date":"2021-04-01T12:22:26","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T08:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/?p=5413"},"modified":"2021-04-01T12:25:38","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T08:25:38","slug":"insta360-one-x2-vs-one-x","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/insta360-one-x2-vs-one-x","title":{"rendered":"Insta360 One X2 vs One X"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to my Insta360 One X2 vs One X comparison article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insta360 has included nice upgrades with the One X2 camera including the new OLED screen. Which camera should you consider purchasing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Insta360 One X2 was launched in October 2020 and it is the direct successor to the Insta360 One X2 which was launched in October 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check my insta360 One X2 review<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These cameras have two years difference but surprisingly enough, they share a lot of details when it comes to specs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January 2020, many people thought that Insta360 would introduce the successor to the One X series, but unpredictably, they introduced the first modular design action camera named Insta360 One R<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEE ALSO<\/strong>: Insta360 One R vs One X<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a seemingly new body design that is an improvement of what we had with the One X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check my Insta360 One X review<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras have a long body design which is suitable for mounting and bullet time recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind and moving with the current trends, it was much expected to see the One X rock a much higher video resolution, however, it has 4K as the maximum similar to the older One X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One important selling point for the One X2 is the improved battery which is also bigger in physical size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this battery will have a hit because now we have an OLED touchscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of the OLED screen, it is an improvement from the LCD panel we had with the One X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can now control the One X2 using your fingers by making swipes and touches on the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 also has improved audio thanks to the increased microphone count to 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will recall that the One X has only 2 microphones which were rather disappointing for a 360-degree camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many things to talk about when comparing these cameras, I will try as much as possible to give you all the important details that you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, I will start this comparison article by giving you tabulated information on the differences in technical specifications for both cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Let’s Jump to the Comparison!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Product:<\/strong> Insta360 One X2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Release date:<\/strong> October 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warranty:<\/strong> Yes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheapest place to buy: <\/strong>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Product: <\/strong>Insta360 One X<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Release Date: <\/strong>October 2018<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warranty: <\/strong>Yes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheapest Place to Buy:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Insta360 One X2 vs Insta360 One X Technical Specifications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Spec<\/strong><\/td>Insta360 One X2<\/strong><\/td>Insta360 One X<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
BODY<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Dimensions<\/td>4.62 x 11.30 x 2.98cm \/ 1.82 x 4.45 x 1.17 inches<\/td>11.5cm (L) x 4.8cm (W) x 2.8cm (H)<\/td><\/tr>
Weight<\/td>149 grams<\/td>115 grams<\/td><\/tr>
VIDEO<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Lens Aperture<\/td>f\/2.0<\/td>f\/2.0<\/td><\/tr>
Video Resolutions and Frame Rates<\/td>360 Mode: <\/strong>5.7K@30fps, 25fps, 24fps 4K@50fps, 30fps 3K@100fpsWide Angle (Steady Cam Mode): <\/strong>2560×1440@50fps, 30fps 1920×1080@50fps, 30fps<\/td>5K@30fps, 5K@25fps, 5K@24fps, 3K@50fps, 3K@30fps, 3K (3008 x 1504) @100fps.<\/td><\/tr>
Video Format<\/td>MP4, INSV, LOG, and HDR<\/td>MP4, INSV, LOG, and HDR<\/td><\/tr>
Video Codec<\/td>H.264 and H.265<\/td>H.264<\/td><\/tr>
Maximum Video Bitrate<\/td>100Mb\/s<\/td>100Mb\/s<\/td><\/tr>
Video Modes<\/td>Standard 360 video, Time Lapse mode, Bullet Time, HDR video, and Log 360 video.<\/td>Standard 360 video, Time Lapse mode, Bullet Time, HDR video, and Log 360 video.<\/td><\/tr>
Electronic Image Stabilization<\/td>Yes, FlowState<\/td>Yes, FlowState<\/td><\/tr>
Live stream<\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
PHOTO<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Image Sensor<\/td>Sony CMOS sensor<\/td>Sony CMOS sensor<\/td><\/tr>
360 – Photo Resolution<\/td>6080×3040 (2:1)<\/td>18MP<\/td><\/tr>
Pano Resolution<\/td>4320\u00d71440 (3:1)<\/td> <\/td><\/tr>
Photo Formats<\/td>JPG, Raw (DNG)<\/td>JPG, INSP, Raw (DNG)<\/td><\/tr>
Photo Modes<\/td>PureShot, Standard 360 photos, timed 360 photos, HDR 360 photos, interval 360 photos, and RAW 360, InstaPano<\/td>Standard 360 photos, timed 360 photos, HDR 360 photos, interval 360 photos, and RAW 360<\/td><\/tr>
White Balance<\/td>Auto, 2700K, 4000K, 5000K, 6500K<\/td>Auto, 2700K, 4000K, 5000K, 6500K<\/td><\/tr>
Exposure Modes<\/td>Auto, Manual (Shutter 1\/8000s-120s, ISO 100-3200), Shutter Priority (1\/8000s-2s), ISO Priority (100-3200)<\/td>Auto, Manual (Shutter 1\/8000s-120s, ISO 100-3200), Shutter Priority (1\/8000s-2s), ISO Priority (100-3200)<\/td><\/tr>
AUDIO<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Microphone<\/td>Four<\/td>Two<\/td><\/tr>
External Mic Port<\/td>No<\/td>No<\/td><\/tr>
OTHER FEATURES<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Waterproof<\/td>Yes, up to 10 meters \/ 32 feet<\/td>No<\/td><\/tr>
Wi-Fi<\/td>Yes,<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Memory Card<\/td>Yes, micro\u2013SD Card Slot up to 1 TB GB.<\/td>Yes, micro\u2013SD Card Slot up to 256 GB<\/td><\/tr>
USB Interface <\/td>USB Type C<\/td>Micro USB port<\/td><\/tr>
Battery Capacity<\/td>1630mAh<\/td>1050mAh<\/td><\/tr>
Charging Time<\/td>100 minutes<\/td>100 minutes<\/td><\/tr>
Operating Temperature<\/td>32\u00b0 F to 104\u00b0 F \/ 0\u00b0 C to 40\u00b0 C<\/td>32\u00b0 F to 104\u00b0 F \/ 0\u00b0 C to 40\u00b0 C<\/td><\/tr>
Display<\/td>Color Touchscreen<\/td>LCD status screen<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Unboxing Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being cameras from the same manufacturer, we expect a pretty similar unboxing experience in terms of what\u2019s provided in the retail box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will find the following items in the retail package of each unit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insta360 One X2<\/strong><\/td>Insta360 One X<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Insta360 ONE X2 Action Camera Unit               <\/td>Insta360 ONE X Action Camera Unit<\/td><\/tr>
Insta360 ONE X2 Battery<\/td>Insta360 ONE X Battery<\/td><\/tr>
Lens cloth<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
1 x USB Type C cable<\/td>1 x USB A to Micro-USB Cable<\/td><\/tr>
1 x Tether Wire<\/td>1 x Tether Wire<\/td><\/tr>
1 x Screw<\/td>1 x Screw<\/td><\/tr>
1 x Protective Pouch<\/td>1 x Protective Pouch<\/td><\/tr>
Insta360 Stickers<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Warranty card<\/td>Warranty card<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Design and Components<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Moving on to the design of both cameras, you will immediately notice that both cameras have a similar physical design language save for a few tweaks made to the One X2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras are made of plastic with a rubbery finish that makes them feel more premium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a rubber bumper on its side that makes the camera easy to hold and move around with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dimensions and Weight<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since the cameras have a similar outlook, it is very easy to confuse the two without taking a keen look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cameras however differ in terms of dimensions and weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a body measurement of 4.62 x 11.30 x 2.98cm \/ 1.82 x 4.45 x 1.17 inches while the One X has a body measurement of 11.5cm (L) x 4.8cm (W) x 2.8cm (H).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Insta360
Insta360 One X2<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Insta360
Inst360 One X<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In terms of heaviness, the One X2 has a weight of 149 grams whereas the One X has a weight of 115 grams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can see that the One X2 is heavier than its predecessor. The extra weight can be ascribed to the increased battery size in the One X2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Touchscreen vs. Status Screen<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has an OLED touch-sensitive screen while the One X has an LCD screen for displaying a bit of information like recording time and battery status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a worthy improvement and indeed it can be a deal-breaker for some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I find it a lot comfortable to operate the camera using my fingers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The OLED screen is also used to give live monitoring of what your lens is capturing. This is mainly helpful when it comes to framing up your shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Insta360 One X2 OLED Screen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Insta360 One X LCD Screen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Many users complained about the visibility of the LCD screen on the One X, especially in bright sunlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the One X2, this is not a problem at all because the new OLED panel is very visible even in bright sunlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One advantage of having a non-touchscreen display is that the battery will not have a huge hit since the LCD panel does not drain a lot of power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This concern has been taken care of well by Insta360 since the One X2 now has an improved battery with increased capacity and boosted performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The display on the One X2 is circular in appearance, possibly to illustrate that the camera is a spherical one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dual-Lens<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras are spherical and as such, we expect them to have dual lenses which make 360-degree filming possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lenses in both cameras are located at the top and they protrude out of the camera’s body making it vulnerable to accidental scratches and dents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras have a lens aperture of f2.0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is advised to always keep your lens in good condition by wiping off dust and water droplets, make sure you use a soft lens cloth when wiping to prevent scratching the lens surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insta360 introduced a lens cap for the One X, it is sold separately. I recommend getting the cap especially if you are the kind of person that travels a lot with your camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ports and Sockets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a USB type C port for charging the battery and media file transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USB port is positioned on the side of the camera and it is enclosed in a small door. You can remove the door partially or fully when you want to use the port.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a memory card slot located in the battery compartment and can accept memory cards up to a capacity of 1TB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X camera can accept microSD cards up to a capacity of 256GB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of ports and sockets, I am happy because Insta360 did a good improvement not only in terms of boosting the acceptable capacity but also in port placements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X has a micro-USB port for charging and media transfers. The port is positioned on the side of the camera and it is not sealed off in a door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This gives room for dust particles to lodge in the port hence posing dangers to your camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The memory card slot is located on the bottom side of the One X camera and it also supports a maximum card capacity of 256GB. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Removing the memory card from the One X is much more challenging than the One X2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras have a \u00bc inch mounting hole on the bottom side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have mounted the One X on your preferred tripod\/stick, it is impossible to remove the memory card since the mounting stick covers the memory card slot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the One X2, this problem is solved because the memory card slot is located in the battery compartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microphones & Audio<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a total of four microphones located on four sides of the camera while the One X has only two microphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One X2 will have a good audio output considering that the microphones will capture spatial audio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this category, GoPro has always been afoot ahead, taking the example of the GoPro Max<\/a> which has 6 microphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both the One X2 and One X function well in noiseless environments where there is no background interference. I noticed that the audio produced by the One X2 is clearer in this situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving to windy conditions, the audio performance will have a hit. However, both cameras have wind reduction mechanisms that try to eliminate background noise and focus on your voice when recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras do not have a dedicated 3.5mm external port input. If you need to connect an external microphone to these cameras, you will need to purchase an adapter that will make this possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recommend using the external microphone when filming non-360-degree videos, otherwise, for the spherical videos, you can use the camera’s in-built microphone to eliminate the chances of distractions in the view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waterproof<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Insta360 One X2 is waterproof<\/strong> up to an underwater depth of 10 meters \/ 32 feet<\/strong> without the need for waterproof housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a better waterproof rating than the One R which is waterproof down to 5 meters \/ 16 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Insta360<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The One X is not waterproof<\/strong> without the need for waterproof housing. If you need protection in underwater filming then you can get the Dive Case which is usable up to a depth of 30 meters \/98 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please make sure you test out the dive case before using it with your camera. You may find some holes which will permit water to enter hence damaging the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don’t recommend filming spherical videos underwater because of the effect of refraction which interferes with stitching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I Am impressed with the waterproof rating of the One X2 but I will not use it underwater. It is good enough to protect me against accidental splashes and rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Controls and Buttons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras have two buttons for controls and navigation although they differ in layout. For the One X2, the shutter button is located on the front side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This button can also be used to navigate through the various shooting modes available in the camera. The power button for the One X2 is situated on the side of the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the One X, both buttons are located on the front and they are aligned vertically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Large button is the shutter and it also functions as the enter button. The small one is the power buttons and it also doubles up as the switch button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like the new button layout for the One X2, I think that the previous layout presented a more congested front side of the One X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voice Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Insta360 One X2 is responsive to voice commands following a predetermined set of voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This future will always come in handy when you are filming and your hands are held up in such a way that multitasking would compromise your safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can utter the following set of commands to use this future:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7     Start recording<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7     Stop recording<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7     Take Photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7     Shut down<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the set of voices is not broad like what we get with GoPro cameras<\/a>, it is still nice to have this feature around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 can be paired with Apple Airpods. This possibility will let you use the Airpods’ microphone to channel your commands to the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Insta360 One X<\/strong> does not<\/strong> support voice control. I do not consider voice control capabilities as a deal-breaker. It is a good safety feature to have but you should not base your purchasing decision solely on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a GPS Smart Remote Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can use a GPS remote control for both cameras. You will have to ascertain that your camera runs on the latest software for you to have seamless connectivity with the remote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The smart remote control is functional up to a determined distance of 10 meters \/ 32 feet<\/strong>. You can perform several actions using the remote control including taking photos, recording video, and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the Smartphone App<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras have built-in Wi-Fi that will enable you to connect the camera to a smartphone and be able to interact with the Insta360 smartphone App.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The App can be downloaded from both Google Play<\/a> and Apple Store<\/a>. After downloading and installing the App on your phone, you will then activate Wi-Fi on the camera before you start the connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use the App to control the camera in many ways including taking photos, recording videos, adjusting camera settings, and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The smartphone can be used for live monitoring of the footage you are filming, also you can use the phone for playback of already-recorded videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insta360 has done a good job in ensuring that the workflow in editing and reframing of spherical videos is reduced in the App. I enjoy using the App to edit and reframe my spherical videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Video<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Moving on to the video segment, I will take you through how both cameras perform in this category. As both cameras have similar video resolutions, there are areas where Insta360 has been tweaked that improve the general video quality on the One X2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video Resolution<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras have a maximum video resolution of 5.7K which is native. As I mentioned earlier, many people expected Insta360 One X2 to come with a boosted resolution of maybe 8K or less but not similar to what we had in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other video resolutions for both cameras are 4K and 3K. The pixel width and height of each resolution is as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7     5.7K: 5760 x 2880<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7     4K: 3840 x 2160<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7     3K: 3840 x 1920<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 360-degree camera works by stitching individual video clips that have been captured by each lens. When the stitching is done, the resulting video normally loses some pixels but not in great amounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For both cameras, you can take a 5.7K video and reframe it to Full HD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frame Rates<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The maximum rates for both cameras are 100 frames per second and it can be used with 3K resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High frame rates mean that you can record slow-motion videos. The lowest frame rates for both cameras is 24 fps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The frame rates and video resolution combination for the One X2 and the One X are 5K@30fps, 5K@25fps, 5K@24fps, 3K@50fps, 3K@30fps, 3K (3008*1504) @100fps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Video Quality Compare?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both cameras have a good performance in video quality, particularly in fine lighting conditions. As expected, the newer camera performs better than the One X and there is no big issue about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite both cameras sharing similar video resolutions and frame rates, the One X2 generally does an impressive job in processing the video data to bring out an impressive output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The One X2 has a slightly sharper video with well-balanced colors and contrast. There is a noticeable improvement in dynamic range with the One X2 which makes shooting video in HDR more interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The color rendering on the One X2 is also improved and it brings out a more colorful video compared to what we get from the One X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although both cameras perform below average in the dark, I was impressed to see a slight improvement on the night performance of the One X2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a video by ‘Brandon Li’ shot with the Insta360 One X2:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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