Insta360 X3 Review

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I’ve covered cameras at PCMag for the past 10 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. You can find me on Instagram @jamespfisher.

The Bottom Line

The Insta360 X3 uses two ultra-wide lenses to capture the entire world around it, and includes software to make 360-degree video more exciting.

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Insta360 X3 Specs

Name	Value
Dimensions	1.8 by 4.5 by 1.3 inches
Weight	6.3 oz
Type	360-Degree
Memory Card Slots	1
Memory Card Format	microSDXC
Stabilization	Digital
Display Size	2.3 inches
Touch Screen	Yes
Connectivity	Bluetooth, USB-C, Wi-Fi
Maximum Waterproof Depth	33 feet
Video Resolution	5.7K 360°
HDMI Output	None
Flat Profile	Yes

Insta360 built its brand on dual-lens cameras, and creators who have stuck with the format have been well served by its One series of cameras. While its model name is a little shorter, the X3 ($449.99) follows the One X2 and its concept is the same. The X3’s dual lenses capture everything around the camera, and a waterproof design makes it ready for adventures. Editing wizzes can do a lot with 360 footage, particularly with the included software, and HDR processing is a boon for picture quality in mixed light. We like the Insta360 X3 enough to name it our Editors’ Choice winner for 360-degree cameras, the first model to earn the award since the Samsung Gear 360 in 2017.

Dual Lenses in a Waterproof, Pocketable Form Factor

The Insta360 X3 is smartly built, with a big touch screen and waterproof construction. Dual lenses aside, there’s not much flash to the design. The X3’s touch composite exterior is in two tones of dark gray, in a candy bar form factor that’s both easy to handhold and lets the camera stand up straight on its own.

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The X3 is easy enough to fit into a pocket, coming in at 1.8 by 4.5 by 1.3 inches (HWD) and 6.3 ounces. The touch screen, one of the lenses, and a couple of control buttons are on one side, with a second lens on the opposite. There’s a standard tripod socket on the bottom, so you can attach it to a selfie stick, tabletop tripod, or other support of your choosing.

The camera is waterproof without the need for an additional case. The X3 is rated IPX8 and is able to go down to 33 feet. It’s made to take some abuse too, with a tempered glass cover on the touch screen.

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Protective covers for the lenses are available as an add-on purchase; a set costs around $20. I didn’t use them during testing, and even though the X3 spent plenty of time bouncing around in my camera bag, the lenses came through clean and free of scratches.

There’s only one port on the X3, a USB-C connection that supports in-camera charging and an external microphone via an optional Mic Adapter ($19.99). The battery provides about 80 minutes of record time per charge, but is removable so you can swap a spare in for extended use. Additional batteries cost $34.99. The microSDXC slot is located in the battery compartment.

The USB-C port is covered by a locking door to keep it waterproof, and the microSDXC slot is located in the battery compartment (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Interface and Capture Modes

The 2.3-inch color LCD shows a good-sized preview from either lens. The screen is rectangular, not circular like the 1-inch display on the outgoing One X2. The display supports tap and swipe gestures, with a straightforward interface.

Tappable icons let you swap the view between the two lenses, change resolution, frame rate, and other settings (depending on mode), and swap between the different capture modes: Video, Active HDR, Time Lapse, TimeShift, Bullet Time, Loop Recording, Star Lapse, Burst, Interval, HDR Photo, and Photo. Swipe gestures are available to switch to playback mode, access the main menu, and take manual control over exposure.

Dual-lens video is available at up to 5.7K30 in both standard and Active HDR color profiles. The X3 warns you against using HDR in low light, but it’s a good choice for outdoor video. HDR retains more detail in shadows, without overexposing highlights, to better handle the mixed different levels typical in a 360-degree scene.

Time Shift, a type of time lapse that’s meant to be combined with camera movement, is available at 5.7K30, while time lapse for static shots is available at 8K. You can also opt to record using a single lens for 4K30 with a standard 16:9 aspect. For stills, the X3 does 18MP and 72MP images in Raw or JPG format, with HDR processing available.

To make navigation a bit smoother, the X3 includes a Quick Menu system. The Q button on the side of the camera pulls up a menu with your favorite presets. It starts empty, so you can add your own. Insta360 populates a few labels for you to use for different activities, with names like Cycling and Outdoor, and some that are just generically called Customize1, Customize2, and so on. There’s no way to edit the names of the labels, which is a minor complaint, especially given the convenience of saving presets with different modes and frame rates to best handle the scenes you’re looking to capture.

Reframe Footage for a New Perspective

The 360-degree camera concept is an intriguing one. Two ultra-wide lenses capture everything in view, not just a portion of a scene like a single-lens camera. Creators will want to take a different approach to 360 capture, as camera placement goes a long way to dictate how the shot will look.

But camera placement isn’t the only tool available, and editing mavens are able to reframe footage in interesting ways to guide viewers through a scene. Insta360 provides software to support this. You can work with video on a desktop platform using the Insta360 Studio (Opens in a new window) package or on your phone or tablet with the Insta360 app. I tested the camera with the Mac edition of its desktop software and the iOS mobile app; Windows and Android platforms are also supported.

The camera saves files in a proprietary format, so running video through software is a strict requirement, even if you just plan on sharing 360-degree clips without reframing. It’s painless, though; our Mac Studio ripped through the conversion process, which stitches the footage from the two lenses together and saves it in a standard H.264 or H.265 MP4, in no time. Stitching on an iPhone 13 was also speedy, though we’ll note that phone editing drops resolution for stitched video down to 4K and caps reframed video at 1080p. You can take advantage of the full 5.7K pixel count on a desktop.

Desktop editors can also take advantage of plugins for Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Apple Final Cut Pro X if they prefer, but it’s https://jiji.ng/ also possible to change the projection and look of your 360 video and set keyframes for pans and other simulated camera moves within the spherical frame, from right within the desktop software. There’s some clicking and dragging required, of course, as opposed to the touch-based phone app.

You’re not limited to reframing videos, either. The phone app can add animations to 360-degree photos, so you can show off the entire scene in a short video clip. Templates are included to speed up the process, and you can choose to output in a variety of aspect ratios: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, or 2.35:1. That should make creators who want to deliver media to various social platforms that use different aspect ratios happy.

Insta360 Finds a Comfortable Niche

A half-dozen years ago there were a seemingly endless number of upstart camera makers jumping onto the 360-degree video bandwagon. Insta360 emerged from the scrum as the biggest name in all-around video. Excellent camera hardware like the X3 plays a role in the company’s longevity, and matches it with mature software that lets you do much more with 360 video than simply present everything around the camera.

Creators who are after top-notch 360-degree pictures and video, and who want to be able to leverage it in creative ways, should put the Insta360 X3 at the top of their shopping list. The small camera is easy to take with you, a plus for travel vloggers, and adventurers will appreciate its waterproof design.

It’s not the only dual-lens option out there. If you’re more about stills than video, consider the Ricoh Theta Z series instead. Ricoh’s software is tilted toward realtors making virtual tours, so don’t look at a Theta for video. You may also want to think about the GoPro Max; even though GoPro’s 360-degree software isn’t as full-featured as Insta360’s, the Max wins out on audio quality, with the best in-camera mics you’ll find on an action cam.

We’ll also point to the Insta360 One RS for folks who aren’t quite sold on the 360-degree concept but want to try it out. It supports swappable lenses so you can use it as a regular single-lens action cam too. If you’re set on a dual-lens model, however, we give higher marks to the X3. It’s our Editors’ Choice winner, and the best bet for vloggers and creators looking for a 360-degree camera.

Kodak Ektar H35 Review

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking to try out a film camera, the Kodak Ektar H35 is a low-cost option to get you started. Moreover, its half-frame lens doubles the number of photos you get per roll to help curb material and processing costs.

PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Kodak Ektar H35 Specs

Name	Value
Dimensions	2.4 by 4.3 by 1.5 inches
Weight	3.5 oz
Type	Analog
Battery Type	AAA
Viewfinder Type	Optical

You’re not alone if you’re shopping for a film camera—the retro medium has made a comeback in recent years. And while there is a seemingly endless supply of vintage cameras for sale at thrift shops and camera stores, there’s an amount of expertise required to navigate that market. If you just want to try film—and not spend a lot of money doing so—the Kodak Ektar H35 ($49.95) makes a lot of sense. It’s a pocket-friendly point-and-shoot with one-button operation and compatibility with standard 35mm film cartridges. It’s certainly a low-fi camera, but one with a lot charm. The Ektar H35 is an easy (and affordable) way to see what photography was like before the days of digital.

Half Frame, the Remedy for Expensive Film

The Kodak Ektar H35 is a true point-and-shoot camera that takes 35mm film cartridges, with a slight twist. The Ektar has a half-frame lens, so it gets twice as many pictures per roll: 48 instead of 24, or 72 instead of 36.

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It manages the trick by exposing a smaller portion of the negative than a full-frame camera. Where a full-frame negative measures 24x36mm, the Ektar 35mm captures narrower 24x18mm frames. It’s a historically common format—the Olympus PEN-F is a famous half-frame camera—and photo labs can handle the film without problems.

The Ektar H35 squeezes two pictures into the same space as a full-frame 35mm camera takes to make one (Credit: Jim Fisher)

It’s a sensible decision given the current market prices for film—a 36-exposure roll of Kodak Portra 400 costs about $16, for example. There’s a certain appeal to shooting twice as many photos for your money.

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It also makes for a compact design. The lens doesn’t need to cover as large a surface area as a full-frame camera, after all. The Ektar H35 is small, just 2.4 by 4.3 by 1.5 inches (HWD), and featherweight at 3.5 ounces.

Construction quality isn’t anything to crow about. The camera is all plastic, but we do like the attractive design and faux leatherette finish. The H35 is available in several two-tone looks—Black, Brown, Sage Green, and Sand Yellow—all with silver accents on the front and a black posterior. We received the Sage edition for review.

Controls are about as simple as it gets. Film loads in the rear door, and the film advance is at the back of the camera. The shutter button is on top, along with a cutout window that shows how many photos you’ve taken. The film rewind crank is on the bottom. There are no double exposure or similar creative modes with the camera; if you’re after those, take a look at the forthcoming LomoApparat.

The power control for the flash is a collar around the lens, it turns on or off with a twist. Be careful and remember to turn the H35 off when you’re done taking pictures, though; leaving it on will drain the AAA battery. At one point I left the camera turned on and unattended over a weekend and was greeted with a dead battery when I picked it up for a Monday morning walk.

Flash Required for Indoor Use

You’ll want to use the flash, as it’s a practical requirement for snapshots in anything dimmer than sunlight. The Ektar H35 sports a 22mm f/9.5 lens; it’s a moderate wide angle, but pretty dim, and paired with a fixed 1/100-second shutter. I used ISO 400 color negative film and got good results outdoors with and without the flash, and inside with the flash turned on.

Picture quality is on the same level as disposable cameras. The H35’s lens is optical acrylic, not glass, and pictures show it. Details aren’t razor sharp, but the lens has enough resolving power so you can read the text on stickers and street art when you catch them in snapshots. Take care not to photograph into the sun or a strong backlight, however; the plastic optics don’t handle flare well at all, so backlit photos tend to be washed out with little contrast.

Focus is fixed, so there’s no need to adjust the lens before snapping the shutter. Even so, take care not to get too close to your subject as the flash will wash out details in close-ups. Also, remember that you’ll be taking portrait orientation photos when holding the camera in landscapes, the half-frame design makes for tall photos. If you want to make a landscape photo you’ll need to hold the camera sideways, somewhat unintuitive for many photographers.

You’ll need to take your film to a lab for processing. My local photo lab had no problem handling the half-frame film. You may have to spend more for prints or scans, depending on your local lab’s policies. Your biggest challenge may be finding a lab—mail-away processing is an option if there’s no lab convenient to your locale.

A Good Starter for the Film Curious

The Kodak Ektar H35 is a solid pick for younger creators looking to try film for the first time, as well as old hands who want to chase some nostalgia and run a few rolls through a camera. It’s easy to use—it doesn’t get much simpler than a single button—and gets you around 48 to 72 photos on a roll of film, which is good news given the current cost of materials and processing.

There are a spattering of reusable compact film cameras with disposable camera-quality optics to mull. Most others are full-frame but are also good ways to try out film.

We reviewed the Lomography Simple Use Film Camera a few years back; it’s still available and is offered with a few different types of film pre-loaded. There are similarly minded cameras from film brands like AgfaPhoto and Ilford, as well as others from Kodak and the OEM manufacturer behind the Ektar, the Reto Project. You might also want to think about trying out an instant camera if you’re itching to try film but don’t have a convenient place to go for film processing.

Thanks to B&H Photo (Opens in a new window) for providing the camera for review and to The Phoblographer (Opens in a new window) for a roll of Kodak Gold 400 film.

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