Dubai
The Insta360 Air is a device to turn your Android phone into a 360-degree virtual reality camera for capturing images, videos and it also comes with a live-streaming facility.
There is also a separate model called the Nano for iPhones and the specs are a little different.
It has the size and shape of a golf ball and weighs 26.5 grams, so is easy to be carried anywhere. It comes with a protective rubber case for safety. By removing the protective gear, it can be attached to the USB Type-C Port of the phone or with micro USB port.
It is one of the cheapest 360-degree panoramic cameras in the market. The device supports Android 5.1 and above with 2GB of RAM.
It has dual-fisheye f2.4 aperture lens capable of taking 3008 x 1504 (3K) still image resolution and 2560 x 1280 video resolution at 30 frames per second (3008 x 1504 with some smartphones).
I tried the device with the Sony Xperia XZ Premium which has a 4K HDR display.
It is very simple to operate and firstly, the Insta360 Air and Insta360 Player apps have to be downloaded from the App Store. The disadvantage is that the phone has to be turned upside down to be operated.
No Wi-Fi or mobile data is required to capture, but to stream the photos or videos, a good connection is needed.
Plugging the device to the phone launches the app and the capture screen offers a variety of features and filter effects. With a few more taps, you can easily upload these photos and videos to Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Twitter, and more, or live-stream to YouTube, Facebook and Periscope. The images and videos can also be exported in tiny planet format.
The app is neat and reacts swiftly to users’ input. There is no internal memory or power for the device, it relies on the phone.
The home page of the app displays images and videos taken by other users around the world and shared by them. Even you can contribute to it by opening an account. All the photos and videos can be reviewed with the Album tab.
In the still mode, the images show good colour and exposure in decent light conditions and the stitching process of the two halves is done in a few seconds. In low-light conditions, the images lose its colour and sometimes look grainy. Image filters can be applied at the point of capture or in post processing.
In video mode, you can capture in 3K, 1280p and 960p. In good sunlight conditions the videos are excellent but in low-light conditions, the videos are a bit soft.
Both the videos and photos can be turned into VR mode. After capturing the videos or photos, go to the settings and on the VR mode. If you have a VR headset, you can enjoy the stills and videos.
There are even Snapchat-style filters, but it is best to add them after you take the photo and there is also a “beauty” filter to smoothen out wrinkles. The gyroscope stabilisation option works on most phones that can help smooth out videos.
By default, a video can be recorded for 15 minutes and that also can be turned off to record more, but the phone turns warm and it is power hungry. Since the device does not have memory, it is better to have a microSD on your phone.
There are better 360-degree cameras in the market but they are expensive. Insta360 Air is a great smartphone accessory while it is cheap and it is good for beginners to experiment with 360-degree stills and photos. It is available for Dh699.
Pros
• Lightweight and small form factor
• Easy to operate
• Value for money
• No charging required
• Live streaming facility
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Cons
• Works only when connected to the phone
• No tripod mount option
• Power hungry
• Phone needs to be turned upside down
• Mediocre live video quality
