[Must-read for Luna Ultra users] The unexpected pitfalls of the Insta360 app

A review of the Insta360 app

360-degree cameras are active on the front lines of Vlog and motovlog production. Because they can record a full field of view simultaneously, their main feature is the ability to easily shoot in any situation.

It is understandable why they are popular with creators, as 360-degree camera footage allows for free adjustment of camera angles and fields of view during editing, and can also be exported as VR video.

However, unlike standard action cams, you must go through an export process to video after shooting. Because this editing work can be a bit tedious, there was an impression that it was a high hurdle for beginners.

Recently, however, the implementation of AI in editing apps has made it possible to create short videos with background music just by selecting footage and your favorite template, making it easy for beginners to enjoy 360-degree cameras.

In this article, I will focus on the "Insta360" editing app for the Insta360 series, a standard brand for 360-degree cameras, and share my personal experience regarding the unexpected "pitfalls" of this app.

This article covers topics common to all models compatible with the Insta360 app, not limited to Insta360 models with 360-degree lenses, but also including the latest gimbal camera, the Insta360 Luna Ultra, so please be sure to read it.

[App Pitfall] No. 1: AI Templates

I use the Insta360 X3 to record my motorcycle rides. I shoot for the purpose of recording my touring trips, in addition to using it as a dashcam. Therefore, I don't use the app to create AI-generated short videos.

However, I was curious about how they would turn out if I actually made one, so I would select templates and preview them.

After playing with the app for about 20 minutes, I was shocked when I casually checked my smartphone's data usage. It was 3,847MB! I had only played with the templates a little, but I had consumed about 4GB of data in a short time.

The cause was the AI template data. Each template contains camera angle setting data, effect data, and background music. These are downloaded via mobile data communication. Since templates I didn't even use were being downloaded to the device in bulk, the data usage was abnormally high.

Insta360 uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for direct communication between the camera and the smartphone, so it disconnects from home Wi-Fi. In other words, the app (smartphone) and the Insta360 server are communicating via mobile data.

Preventive measures

If you don't want to waste your data, it is a good idea to open the app in a Wi-Fi environment when you are not connected to the camera and decide which templates you want to use in advance. I also recommend turning off mobile data communication before connecting to the camera.

[App Pitfall] No. 2: Performance Mode

One feature I often use when editing with the Insta360 app is "AI Frame." This is a function where AI analyzes the footage and automatically sets what it considers to be the optimal camera angle for each scene.

For long motorcycle ride videos, AI Frame will switch back and forth between the "forward view" and the "rider's appearance." It also provides two angles, "Recommended" and "Alternative," so you can choose according to your preference.

The "AI Frame" button that appears on the editing screen. In fact, it may not be displayed depending on the smartphone model.

The Insta360 app is available in both iOS and Android versions. AI Frame depends on the device's AI processing performance, and specific CPUs are required. The issue lies with Android devices.

Depending on the device's processor, the Android version may not support AI Frame. On unsupported devices, the AI Frame button, which is always visible in the iOS version, will not appear.

Furthermore, even on supported devices, the AI Frame button will not appear unless the "Performance Mode" setting in the app's My Menu is turned on.

There may be other features unlocked by enabling Performance Mode besides the AI Frame function, so users of models other than 360-degree cameras should also give it a try.

Devices that support Performance Mode

iOS devices

• iPhone XS and later, and iPads released in 2018 or later

• Android devices

  1. Qualcomm
     Snapdragon 888 (excluding Samsung products), 8 Gen 1/8 Gen 2/8 Gen 3/8 Elite, 7 Gen 1/7 Gen 2/7 Gen 3, 6 Gen 1, 778G and later

  2. MediaTek
     Dimensity 9000, 9200+, 9300, 9400, 7050, 8200, 8250 and later

  3. Google
     Tensor, Tensor 2, Tensor 3, Tensor 4 and later

Summary

In this article, titled "The Pitfalls of the Insta360 App," I introduced specifications and settings that are difficult to understand without actually using the app.

AI-powered features are fantastic for beginners, as they lower the barrier to editing while allowing them to create high-quality videos, but in terms of usability, they still feel like they are under development.

Competitors like DJI are also releasing new models and app features one after another, so as users, we hope they continue to compete, making action cameras even more convenient and fun to use.