Last updated: August 2026. I own and use the X6 and the X5. 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.
The Insta360 X6 is better than the X5. Bigger sensors, better low light, 8K50fps — none of that is in dispute. But it's also a lot of money, and after using it for riding and video work I don't think it's the right camera for everyone.
This isn't a "don't buy it" article. It's the list of seven situations where I think people end up disappointed — and, at the end, the list of people who won't be. Read both and you'll know which one you are.
You'll probably regret the X6 if…
- You own an X5 and have no complaints about its image quality
- You don't really edit or reuse your footage
- You're upgrading because it's "smaller and lighter"
- You want the cheapest way into 360 video
- You'll never use 8K50fps
- You don't actually shoot in a way that needs 360
- A gimbal camera would suit you better than a 360 one
1. You own an X5 and it isn't bothering you
The X6's image is genuinely better and the bigger sensors do real work. But here's a caveat I owe you: I work with video and look at action camera footage constantly, so I probably notice differences a normal viewer wouldn't.
And even I thought the difference was small when I first compared them on my phone. It was only on a desktop monitor that the gap became clear. If you're shooting mainly in good light and watching on a phone, there's a real chance you'd look at X5 and X6 footage and call both of them "sharp."
So don't stop at "the X6 is better." Ask whether that specific improvement is worth the price gap to you. If your X5 isn't frustrating you, the honest answer is often no.
2. You don't edit or reuse the footage
The X6's resolution pays off when you view it big or crop deep into the frame in an edit. If neither of those happens, you've bought headroom you'll never spend.
That describes a lot of people, and there's nothing wrong with it:
- You watch your clips on your phone
- You post to social and move on
- 1080p on YouTube is plenty for what you make
- You don't reframe or crop after the fact
On a phone screen, X5 and X6 footage look much the same. Sensor performance you never call on is just weight in your bag.
3. You're upgrading for the size
The X6 is more compact. It is not meaningfully lighter: roughly 195 g versus 200 g, a difference of about 5 g. In the hand, in a pocket, in a tank bag, on a selfie stick, on a mount — you won't feel it.
"Looks more compact" and "is easier to carry" are not the same claim. Don't spend flagship money on the first one.
4. You want the cheapest way into 360
The X6 is expensive, and the X5 sits clearly below it while remaining a current model with replaceable lenses and 8K30fps. The X4 Air is cheaper still and lighter.
Ask yourself one question: is there a feature in the X6 that I will definitely use, that the X5 doesn't have? If you can't answer that immediately, buy the X5 and put the difference into a good mount, a spare battery and a tank of fuel. That's not settling — that's spending where it changes the footage. There's a full breakdown in X6 vs X5.
5. You won't use 8K50fps
8K50fps is the X6's exclusive party trick, and the question isn't whether it's impressive — it's what you'd shoot with it.
Where it earns its place: shoot 50fps, drop it on a 25fps timeline, and you get 2× slow motion at full resolution. An overtake, a corner, a moment worth stretching. For anyone building edits, that's a real tool.
The costs are real too:
- Files get very large, very quickly
- Your computer works much harder in the edit
- Exports take longer
- Final delivery on YouTube may not show the benefit anyway
It's not a useless feature — it's a feature with a narrow audience. My own riding footage is nearly all 8K30.
6. You don't shoot in a way that needs 360
The whole point of a 360 camera is that you choose the direction afterwards. You don't compose while filming; you compose in the edit.
If your shooting is talking-to-camera vlogs, product reviews, locked-off tripod work, or anything where you want to frame the shot as you take it, a 360 camera is the wrong tool — and a conventional camera will be easier to use and often sharper for that job.
7. A gimbal camera fits you better
The option people don't consider: Insta360's Luna Ultra sits in a similar price bracket but is a completely different idea — a 1-inch 8K sensor, a Leica Summicron lens, 4K120fps and a 3-axis gimbal. It is not a 360 camera.
| Insta360 X6 | Luna Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | 360 camera | Gimbal camera (conventional framing) |
| How you shoot | Film everything, decide later | Compose the shot as you take it |
| Framing decided | In the edit | At the moment of filming |
| Best at | Action, first-person, chase shots | Cinematic vlogs and finished-looking pieces |
| On a motorcycle | Excellent — one camera covers every direction | Workable, mostly handheld or fixed |
The question isn't which has better image quality — it's which way of shooting is yours. Want to capture everything and pick your angle later? X6. Want a polished, deliberate shot straight out of camera? Look at the gimbal instead.
What actually decides it: what you film
If all that reads as negative, here's the reframe. Whether you regret the X6 has almost nothing to do with specs and everything to do with what you point it at.
A 360 camera isn't really "a high-quality camera." It's a camera that changes the order of the job:
| How it works | |
|---|---|
| Conventional camera | Frame the shot while filming — that angle is all you get |
| Insta360 X6 | Film everything — choose the angle afterwards |
The more that appeals to you, the more the X6 is worth. And there's one activity where it appeals more than anywhere else.
Why riders are the exception
You can't adjust framing at 80 km/h. "Film everything, decide later" isn't a nice-to-have on a motorcycle — it's the only workable method. One camera covers ahead, behind and both sides, the selfie stick disappears, and you can shoot drone-style footage riding alone.
An X5 does all of that too. What makes the X6 specifically compelling for riding is that its improvements happen to line up with exactly what riding is hard on:
- Detail — dual 1/1.1"-type sensors and 8K50fps hold up on fast-moving scenery and bodywork
- Low light — night rides, tunnels and dusk mountain roads stay clean
- Visibility — a 1,200-nit OLED you can actually read in direct sun, at a roadside stop, wearing gloves
- Battery — up to around 140 minutes at 8K30fps covers a serious day out
You probably won't regret the X6 if…
- You film motorcycling, cycling or other action
- You'll genuinely use the 360 footage
- You like choosing your framing in the edit
- You film alone and want it to look like someone else shot it
- You shoot at night or in low light
- You'll use 8K50fps and slow motion
- You work your footage on a large screen
- You have a specific, nameable reason to move on from the X5
Why I bought one anyway
The X6 isn't a camera everyone needs. I bought one because motorcycle filming and video work are what I do, and those are precisely the uses that draw on what it does better.
"Not for everyone, but worth the money to the people it's for" is, I think, the honest position on this camera. If you read the list above and saw yourself in it, your chances of regretting it are low.
If you do buy one, sort the lenses out first
A 360 camera's lenses protrude from the body, so on a bike, outdoors or travelling they're the part at risk. I dropped my X5 on a trip and scratched a lens. Normally that's the end of filming. I had a spare lens with me, swapped it on the spot, and carried on.
The point of a replacement lens kit isn't saving on a repair bill — it's not losing the rest of the trip. Buy it before you need it, not after. More on that in X6 lens protection.
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
Is the Insta360 X6 worth it?
If you film action, shoot in low light, or edit and watch on a large screen — yes. If you shoot in daylight and watch on a phone, the X5 gives you almost the same result for less.
Should I upgrade from an X5 to an X6?
Only if you can name the reason: night footage, 8K50fps, or big-screen detail. "It's newer" isn't a reason.
Is the X6 too much camera for a beginner?
It's not hard to use — the concern is cost, not complexity. If you're unsure whether 360 filming suits you at all, starting on an X5 or X4 Air is a reasonable way to find out.
Is a 360 camera the right choice at all?
If you want to film first and frame later — action, riding, first-person — yes. If you want to compose each shot as you take it, a gimbal camera will serve you better.