As I ride up the Paradise Chairlift at Lake Louise Ski Resort, I admire the snow-covered expanses before me. To the right, an outcropping rises into the sky, and to the left, Eagle Ridge spans across the horizon. I want to capture this. I press record on my Insta360 X5 camera, letting the spherical lenses take in the panorama.
Once at the top, I click into my bindings, with thousands of acres of rocky, powdery terrain ahead. Wouldn’t this make a great action sequence? I hold out the camera on a selfie stick and begin the ride, carving arcs, gliding through powder, and dodging trees. I can’t wait to watch this later.
I’m on a three-day excursion to Banff, Alberta, where I tested the Insta360 X5 action camera during all-day snowboarding adventures. It’s a piece of technology that helped me capture memories and nature, and delighted me with its ease of use. Here’s my take.
Insta360 X5 features and specs
As its name suggests, the Insta360 X5 is a 360-degree action camera. Roughly the size of a candy bar, with a spherical lens on either side, it captures full 360-degree footage, which the user can later edit via an app on a phone or computer. It fastens to the end of a selfie-stick, which is automatically hidden in footage via the “invisible selfie-stick effect.”
My camera was part of an “Essentials Bundle” which included an invisible selfie stick, extra battery, utility fast charge case, lens guards, a lens cap, and a carry case. I still needed to purchase a MicroSD card, which cost around $50.
Features and specs
• Price: $659.99 (Essentials Bundle)
• Weight: 7.06 oz.
• 8K video capture
• 360-degree video capture
• Triple-AI chip
• 208-minute battery life
• 80% charge in 20 minutes
Pros
- 360-degree perspective
- Intuitive controls
- Video quality
- Easy editing via app
- Fun to use
- Invisible selfie-stick
Cons
• Some shots don’t turn out
• Occasional SD card error
How the X5 performs in motion
Once I received the X5, I charged it up, fastened the lens covers, and packed it up for the journey to Banff. Arriving for my first snowboard day at Mount Norquay, I stowed the camera and selfie-stick in my jacket, and began the day, ready to capture some footage.
On the mountain, operating the X5 was simple. I screwed on the selfie-stick, turned on the power, and hit “record”. A blinking indicator let me know the camera was filming as I held it up to capture the surrounding peaks. I estimate the camera and stick, together, weighed less than a pound, so it was easy to hold up, whether riding the lift or riding down the mountain.
The real fun began once I started snowboarding. Weaving through trees at Mount Norquay, I held the camera in front as I negotiated the steep, obstacle-filled pitch. Insta360 cameras capture especially cool footage among trees, with the trunks appearing to surround the rider with a tunnel-like effect.
As the trip unfolded and I snowboarded across Sunshine Village Banff and Lake Louise Ski Resort, the camera proved an excellent action-footage companion. Whenever a particularly cool view appeared — like the endless peaks surrounding Sunshine Village — I’d press record. Or, when a powder field awaited, I’d position the camera in front, behind, and alongside, filming different viewpoints to edit later. When not in use, I’d unscrew the camera from the selfie stick, with both neatly packing into my front jacket pocket.
In the evenings, I’d connect the camera to the Insta360 app on my iPhone and review the footage. The app surprised me with its highly intuitive interface, which let me adjust the viewpoint with my thumb, or make clips to post on Instagram.
While the X5 was excellent all-around, I’d occasionally experience a MicroSD card error when powering on. To fix it, I’d restart the camera. There were also occasional issues with playback when a video had a fisheye lens effect or was overexposed.
A near-invisible camera for capturing real moments
Over three days of snowboarding, the Insta360 X5 proved an ideal tool for capturing scenery, action, and snow. Just a quick push of a button let me become an action filmer and save my adventures for future viewing. Not only that, but easy editing within the Insta360 app and the “invisible selfie-stick” feature made it simple to create clips and share on social media.
Also, with its intuitive controls, getting going takes no time, and before you know it, you’ll be filming and editing. While the basic camera costs $549.99, I’d recommend the Essentials Bundle at $659.99, as each add-on is truly useful.
As winter unfolds, I’m looking forward to filming more with the Insta360 X5, honing my editing skills, and reliving my adventures. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast with a creative side, this camera is worth considering.
