Insta360’s basketball-sized pro-level 360 camera is getting a serious upgrade. On Friday, December 22, Insta360 launched version 2.0 firmware in beta for Pro, the company’s flagship, $3,500 360 VR camera, offering a serious boost in capabilities including a 12K photo mode, better dynamic range, in-camera curves adjustments and more streamlined stitching.
While the camera’s 8K video resolution is remaining intact, for photos, the Insta360 Pro can now use stitching to bump the resolution up to 12K. In this mode, the camera will take 10 sets of 8K photos, stitching them all together to achieve that higher resolution. Users can also choose their resolution–— say to export the maximum resolution supported by GearVR headsets at 8.2K. The mode works for both the monoscopic and 3D-shooting modes.
With the stitch mode offers an upgrade when the scene allows for the stitch, quality overall improves with the firmware, Insta360 says. With the update, the camera is capable of capturing a higher dynamic range, which means more details in the lightest and darkest areas of the image and better chances of keeping the sky blue on a sunny day. Improved clarity will also help bring out more details, while noise reduction has also improved over the first version.
And before shooting, users have more tools to adjust the settings for better results. An in-camera curves tool allows for adjustment of color and tone before the shoot, rather than adjusting in post-production. A new brightness histogram will also help clue users in on if the exposure needs additional adjustments.
When exporting a video, users also have the ability to choose the frame rate before exporting. A new optical flow interpolation algorithm even allows users to actually increase that frame rate. The boosting software allows users to double the original frame rate of the video.
Using the Insta360 Pro also gets a bit simpler with the upgrade, using an accessory called the Stitching Box. With this extra, the camera can stitch photos without being connected to a computer, allowing for more freedom for on-site recording. Additional updates include the ability to format the SD card without a computer, stitching improvements and options for a longer Wi-Fi range.
“These updates take the Insta360 Pro to an all-new level of power, versatility, and ease of use — that’s why we’re calling it version 2.0,” JK Liu, Insta360 founder and CEO, said in a press release. “Our priority is to bring Insta360 Pro users, present and future, the best user experience possible. So all of these upgrades are available for free.”
The beta version of the firmware is available now directly from Insta360.
