Last updated: August 2026. Based on my own experience of scratching and replacing a lens on a trip. This page contains affiliate links to the official Insta360 store — if you buy through them I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Every 360 camera has the same structural weakness: the lenses stick out of the body. There's no barrel to recess them into and no lens cap that stays on while you're riding. On the Insta360 X6, the front and rear lenses are the first thing that meets the ground.
The good news is that the X6's lenses are replaceable. The better news, from my own experience, is what that means on a trip when things go wrong.
Why the lenses are the weak point
Unlike an action camera with a flat, recessed front element, the X6's two lenses bulge outward. Scratch one and the damage doesn't sit politely at the edge of the frame — it lands somewhere in a sphere you'll be reframing through for the rest of the clip. Stitching artefacts follow it around.
Riding is a high-risk environment for it
Not because riding guarantees damage, but because it stacks up the moments where damage happens:
- Fitting and removing mounts, repeatedly, often in a hurry
- Helmet mounts, where a drop is a long one
- Filming on a selfie stick, one-handed, wearing gloves
- Constant vibration working fasteners loose
- Putting the camera down on tarmac or on the bike "just for a second"
- Packing and unpacking it at every stop
- Camping and general outdoor use, where grit gets everywhere
A scratch can end the trip, not just the clip
The cost that matters isn't the repair bill. It's that you're three days into a ride, a long way from a camera shop, and the thing you were documenting the trip with has stopped being usable. Everything after that moment goes unrecorded.
I dropped mine, and it didn't end the trip
This isn't a hypothetical. On a trip a while back I dropped my X5 and scratched a lens.
Normally that's the end of it. What actually happened:
- Dropped the camera
- Scratched the lens
- Had a replacement lens with me
- Swapped it there and then
- Carried on filming as if nothing had happened
Without that spare, the rest of the trip would have gone unfilmed — I wasn't somewhere I could just buy another camera. Instead it cost me a few minutes at the side of the road. That's the whole argument, and I only understood it properly after it happened to me.
What a replacement lens kit actually gives you
It restores the camera, rather than repairing it
Because the lens units come off, a damaged lens becomes a part you change instead of a camera you send away. Insta360 specifies the procedure and environment for the swap — do it somewhere reasonably clean and dust-free, not in a gravel car park in a crosswind.
Get the dual-lens version
The X6 has a lens on each side, and you don't get to choose which one hits the ground. A dual-lens kit covers both. A single spare covers half the problem.
It's insurance, not equipment
You will most likely never use it, and that isn't wasted money — it's the same logic as a spare tyre. The value is in it being there on the day it's needed, in a place where you can't buy one.
Protection and replacement are different jobs
People often treat lens guards and replacement kits as alternatives. They aren't.
| Replacement lens kit | Lens protection accessory | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Replace a damaged lens | Stop damage happening |
| When it's used | After a scratch | Every time you shoot |
| Role | Recovery | Prevention |
| Worth having both? | Yes | Yes |
Guards and protective frames reduce how often you have a problem. A replacement kit decides what happens when you do anyway. If you can only pick one for riding, take the guard for daily use — but the kit is what saves a trip.
Who really needs a spare lens?
Buy one before your next ride
- You use the X6 on a motorcycle
- You use a helmet mount
- You film on a selfie stick
- You camp or shoot outdoors
- You film on long trips, far from shops
- You plan to keep the camera for years
Worth having
- You travel with it
- You vlog
- You film at events
- You carry it around day to day
Lower priority
- You shoot mostly indoors
- You work on a tripod
- The camera rarely leaves the house
- You're unusually careful with gear
It isn't compulsory. Look at how you'll actually use the camera and judge the risk honestly.
Day-to-day habits that prevent most of it
- Use a protective frame or lens guards for riding and outdoor use
- Put the camera in a pouch the moment it comes off the mount — most damage happens between shots, not during them
- Never rest it lens-down on tarmac, a bench or the seat
- Re-check clamps and rods at every stop
- Blow dust off before wiping; grit plus a cloth is how you create the scratch you were trying to avoid
A note on the bonus lens kit
Buying the X6 through the link on this page currently adds the X6 Replacement Lens Kit (dual lens) to the order at no charge. It's Insta360's own affiliate offer rather than a regional promotion — I've seen it applied on overseas orders placed through my links, including one paid in euros, where the kit came through at zero.
That said, stock and terms are set by Insta360 and can change or run out, and I can't promise it appears in every country. Check the lens kit is listed in your basket before you pay — if it isn't there, the offer has ended or doesn't apply to your store.
FAQ
Can you replace the lenses on an Insta360 X6?
Yes. The X6 uses replaceable lens units, so a damaged lens can be swapped rather than sending the camera for repair. Follow Insta360's instructions and do it somewhere clean.
What happens if I scratch an X6 lens?
Because it's a 360 camera, the damage shows up in the stitched sphere and follows you through every reframe. With a spare lens you can replace it on the spot and keep filming.
Do I need lens guards as well as a replacement kit?
They do different jobs. Guards prevent damage during normal use; the kit gets you running again when something gets through. For motorcycle use, both is the sensible answer.
Is a replacement lens kit worth it if I'm careful?
If the camera mostly stays indoors or on a tripod, it's low priority. If it goes on a bike, a helmet or a long trip, being careful isn't the variable that decides it — I scratched mine while being careful.