The Insta360 X4 is waterproof down to 33 feet underwater (to go further and actually film seamless 360 video you need a dive case), and features a very durable design. Key to this is the new removable lens guard system. These twist quickly and securely into place, and are a big improvement over the previous stick-on disposable lens guard system which I did not like at all. Bulbous 360 lenses are naturally vulnerable optics, and you really want to avoid scratches, so it’s great to have an extra layer of protection that’s easily attached and detached when using the camera in a potentially hazardous scenario, though the lens guards will still affect image quality to some extent.
The screen is large, bright, and now made from Corning Gorilla Glass, as opposed to the normal tempered glass of the Insta360 X3. This is a welcome change for me, as aside from the lenses, that’s the next most vulnerable point on the camera.
Andy Zahn/SlashGear
For ports, you have a USB-C port for charging and data transfer hidden behind a hatch, while the microSD card slot is located inside the battery compartment. Controls and the overall layout of the X4 is pretty much the same as the X3, though the X4 is now slightly larger and heavier with a nicely textured surface on the back that makes it easier to grip.
Andy Zahn/SlashGear
The downside of shooting 8K video and 11K timelapses is that the camera does get very hot while doing so. However, even after long filming sessions shooting in various conditions and at different resolutions, I never did get the X4 to shut down due to overheating. It did get quite toasty, however, so it might be an issue come summer.
