When I started a YouTube channel back in 2019 it’s fair to say my audiovisual skills were sorely lacking. I could review and talk about running products all day, which is what my channel The Run Testers does, but when it came to recording sound and video, I struggled with anything beyond using my phone.
I had to improve quickly, so I did, and I now have a wide array of cameras and mics I use regularly, but until I tested the new Insta360 Luna Ultra I’d never used a pocket camera with a built-in gimbal. Now I wonder how I’d ever do without one.
The Insta360 Luna Ultra aims to beat the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 and DJI Osmo Pocket 4P to the title of best camera for content creators, with a dual-lens design and the ability to record up to 8K resolution video.
Having not tested the DJI cameras myself I can’t comment on the comparison, but after using the Insta360 Luna Ultra as my main camera for a month of creating videos, I’ve picked out my main likes and dislikes below.
First, some specs.
Insta360 Luna Ultra: Price and specs
The Insta360 Luna Ultra comes in black or white and costs $769 / £649 for the standard bundle, which includes the camera, a windguard for the built-in mic, a wrist strap and a thread handle you can use to mount it to a tripod.
I tested the Creator Bundle which adds in a battery handle, a Insta360 Mic Pro transmitter and a wide-angle lens, and costs $969 / £829.
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Starting price |
|
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Max resolution (standard) |
8K/30fps |
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Max resolution (slow mo) |
4K/120fps |
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Sensor size |
1 inch |
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Rear screen |
2-inch detachable touchscreen |
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Internal memory |
47GB |
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MicroSD slot |
Yes |
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Connectivity |
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C |
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Water resistance |
None |
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Battery |
1,550 mAh |
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Size |
6.7 x 2.1 x 1.5 inches |
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Weight |
8.2 ounces |
Like #1: Perfect for a variety of piece-to-camera videos
The stabilization, image quality and subject tracking on the Luna Ultra have all been excellent for me when filming pieces to camera (PTC) for my videos, in a variety of scenarios.
I shot to camera while running, walking or when sitting at a table, and the Luna Ultra worked perfectly in all scenarios. Its auto-exposure also handled changes in light well, which is useful when recording while running in a forest, for example.
The Luna Ultra stands out most when you’re on the move, but even when recording at a desk the dynamic tracking makes videos more lively and engaging than using a phone or static camera. The smart tracking is notably smoother than manually adjusting the gimbal, I’ve found.
For the most part I’ve shot in landscape at 4K/30fps but I’ve tested out the 8K recording, slow-motion, and portrait modes on the camera and they’ve all looked great, even in portrait mode where you’re limited to 3K resolution (though you can turn the camera on its side to get up to 8K portrait video manually). 8K obviously gives you more flexibility in the edit, with cropping and oversampling — the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 maxes out at 4K.
Like #2: The detachable screen remote is very useful
As someone who is almost always filming by myself, the detachable remote and its touchscreen are a genuine gamechanger for making shots easier to set up and capture.
Whether it’s a simple shot of some running shoes I’m testing, or using the gimbal to track and film myself running past the camera, it’s very handy for getting b-roll footage without having any trial and error in framing shots correctly.
Like #3: It’s easy to use and has a fast user interface
I’m no tech whizz, and in the past I’ve found many cameras frustrating to use, either because the settings menus felt unintuitive or the user interface was very slow compared to using a smartphone.
I had no such problems with the Luna Ultra, which responds snappily to touch controls and is easy to adjust and switch between camera modes.
The 47GB of internal storage, three to four hour battery life, built-in mic and detachable remote all also contribute to making it a very easy camera to use out of the box, and save you time when you are using it. The Osmo Pocket 4 features a huge 107GB internal storage, which means you can record for longer without needing a card.
You get a tripod attachment and a case in the standard bundle with the Insta360 Luna Ultra, which is also useful, and the Creator Bundle also includes a battery handle and the Mic Pro, both of which are worthy additions if you’re a solo creator.
Like #4: The built-in mic is surprisingly good, and the Mic Pro is great
I wanted to use the Luna Ultra to film videos where I talk to the camera during runs and initially did this with the Insta360 Mic Pro attached to my shirt, but the mic is a bit heavy for this and bounced around.
This prompted me to just use the built-in mic on the Luna Ultra, and I was very impressed with the sound quality. My voice is a lot clearer than when filming the same kind of videos using my phone. This isn’t a surprise, as Insta360’s internal camera audio has been fantastic on other cameras, like the Insta360 X5.
That said, when you are walking or stationary, the Mic Pro is an upgrade for sound quality, and I love the e-ink display that allows you to put any kind of logo or image on the camera.
It also links with the Luna Ultra automatically and you get a prompt saying sound is now recording through the mic, which I’m always a fan of as someone who has had to redo videos in the past because my mic wasn’t actually connected to whatever camera I was using.
Dislike #1: You need pretty big pockets
The Luna Ultra is not a tiny camera, especially when you put it into its clip-on case, which I think is wise to protect the lenses and gimbal. It’s still easily portable, but tucking it into a running belt or a backpack pocket was a bit bulkier than I expected. The Osmo Pocket 4, while not exactly tiny, is a lot more pocketable.
Your pockets also need to be deep, because at $769 for the standard combo or $969 for the creator bundle, it’s far from cheap. DJI’s latest Osmo Pocket 4 is not available in the U.S. at the time of writing due to tariffs and the brand’s continued fued with the U.S. government, but you can still get the older (and fantastic) DJI Pocket 3 for $479 on Amazon.
Dislike #2: You have to be careful with overheating
When shooting at higher resolutions and in warm environments, I found that the Luna Ultra heated up quickly, though I never pushed it to the point it shut down to protect itself.
If I’m filming a review it can be 15 to 20 minutes long, and that was fine with the Luna Ultra in 4K mode, but you do have to be a bit wary of pushing it too hard for fear of overheating.
Dislike #3: The autofocus isn’t always perfect
On a couple of occasions when shooting using the deep tracking to follow my head, the Luna Ultra switched its focus to something behind me if I moved around a lot. I also found it didn’t correct its focus that quickly when zooming in on something at times.
These didn’t prove to be major problems over extended testing — in particular the deep tracking has almost always been infallible — but it was something I had to monitor carefully to ensure the focus was in the right place.
Verdict: ideal for solo content creators
I have some minor quibbles with the Luna Ultra, but ultimately, I love it. It expands what I’m able to do when making videos solo, but it’s also a product I’m excited to use and that I enjoy using, rather than a tool for simply getting the job done.
I’m sure I’d get similar benefits from other pocket cameras, but there are some standout features to the Luna Ultra, like the detachable remote and impressive built-in mic, that make it the perfect option for solo creators.
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