Any thoughts here? I’m mostly proning / downwinding. Ease of use and video quality are what I’m going for.
Insta360. Edit on your phone. You just draw a box and say I want to see this part and it AI edit’s it all for you, auto levels the horizon, etc.
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I back @Hdip on the insta 360. Their computer software is pretty good too if you don’t use a phone. The only thing that I haven’t figured out is the color profile in actually editing. But if your looking for quick clips for socials then its good enough.
I had a Insta360 X3 but the thing just stopped working just after the one year warranty. The doors on those things suck, so make sure they are properly latched. Mine never got water inside but I’m not a huge fan of their quality. The software is good though but I do everything in da Vinci resolve anyways
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I have heard so many similar stories about these things that I can’t imagine taking a chance on one, as cool as they are.
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I got the dive case for added protection. No water gets in there. But it is a ridiculous looking case to be holding outside the water haha. I am sure the X3 will be on sale soon with the x4 just launching.
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I use the GoPro Max. The software is very cumbersome but I’ve gotten used to it. The hardware is pretty robust. The remote is total garbage (don’t bother). Supposedly a GoPro Max replacement coming this fall. If I had to get something today I’d either get a deeply discounted max or an x4.
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same same…insta 360 is super cool, but it’s not bomber design for what we do…likely it’s when it breaks not if. I still want another one though, it’s fun. Or seek a gopro max instead. 360 filming massively improves potential to make decent videos.
Have been quite happy with the quality and toughness of the ordinary gopros. The picture quality still depends surprisingly lot on the amount of light you have, and the water droplets will become a problem sooner or later - while still new, the coating on the lens of the few newer models pretty much takes care of this though, but it used to be a major weakness of the older ones.
Depending on what you want to capture you may want to look for a 360 camera instead of course, but for me personally the foiling (and windsurfing) footage is more interesting if it shows what the rider sees - i.e. why a rider decided to take that particular line. And for that reason a camera mounted to a helmet has been great. Super easy to switch the camera on/off, can have a 5 hour session and film some clips during the day and never run out of battery.
A few examples:
Helmet mount does get a bit boring when riding with a shorter board that is not in the frame most of the time.
With the longer boards it’s easier to have the board visible too, and that helps to make even that kind of 0.5 m wave days interesting I think. When downwinding in good conditions you likely have 5 times bigger waves anyway, right?
Even flat water footage is fun if there is some action going on around you.
When windsurfing on choppy days the footage gets quite shaky. I have thought of using some picture stabilisation features, but haven’t bothered trying yet. That’s hardly ever an issue while foiling though.
And finally - here’s an example of a pro rider’s POV. So captivating. Beats any clip where the camera is mounted to a wing or board or sail, etc.
Oh, and I used to film in some default landscape mode before. The same footage would have been much better when filmed in gopro’s 8:7 format that has much better field of view in vertical direction.
I’ve been using the Insta360 X3 and love how it covers everything with minimal effort. Mounting it on a selfie stick gives super clean POV with the stick invisible in the shot. The stabilization is solid—even through choppy water. I also use it for road trips in 360 to catch everything around the van, so it’s great for more than just foiling. Battery life’s been decent, and the app makes editing fast.
Old post but still relevant. Purchased the X4 in February pretty happy with that after using the GoPro Max. Like other person said the latches kind of suck. My first cam the USB port latch open during a session and flooded the camera luckily I bought a warranty they replaced it. Now I tape the USB latch and the battery latch seems to be a little more secure.
I usually have a holster type thing that I mount the camera on a selfie stick or alternatively just stuff the selfie stick in the back of the PFD and it sticks up a couple feet and then you can rotate your 360 wherever you see fit.
here’s a example of PFD Mount
And here’s holding the stick
No ETA on a new GoPro but I like the Insta software a lot better than GP unless they update it.
+1 for Insta360. Just take care of the doors/latches and you’ll be fine.
Great features & the editing software is just worlds ahead of any other offering.
But also keep an eye on DJI, they are supposedly releasing a new mini-cam sometime soon.
GoPro has said July for Max2. The updated Max software is definitely an improvement (it was a low bar), but still has its glitches.
I still use the Max. They hold up incredibly well. The tech and software in the Insta360 cameras is far superior, but the Max can take good video, is quite durable and they are available for less than $300 as a budget option.
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