Insta360 X4 vs DJI Osmo Action 3

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Overview of the Insta360 X4

Insta360 X4☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★Insta360 X4
Insta360's flaghship 360 camera: 8K30fps video and great battery life
The Insta360 X4 is Insta360's latest 360 degree action camera and delivers incredible 8K spherical video. 360 cameras are the best way to capture group activities or footage where it is difficult to keep focus on a subject. The X4 is the overall best 360 camera right now.
  • Pros
  • 8K 360 video
  • Great battery life
  • Improved lens guard system
  • Cons
  • Not great at low light

Overview of the DJI Osmo Action 3

DJI Osmo Action 3☆☆☆☆☆★★★★★DJI Osmo Action 3
DJI's 2022 premium action camera: 4K120fps video
The DJI Osmo Action 3 was released in 2022 and while it is a few years old, it offers incredible 4K120fps video at a very affordable price. It's successor, the DJI Osmo Action 4 is mostly an incremental improvement, making the Action 3 a great budget friendly action camera.
  • Pros
  • 4K120fps footage
  • Freeze-proof
  • Good image stabilization
  • 52ft / 16m waterproof without case
  • Cons
  • Older model

Comparison of the X4 vs the Action 3

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Video performance

The X4 and the Action 3 both offer HDR video. Both cameras feature slomo video. The two cameras have image stabilization.
Insta360 X4
DJI Osmo Action 3
8K 360 video at 30fps
Max 360° resolution
Feature missing
4K video at 60fps
Max resolution
4K video at 120fps
5.7K30fps 360°
HDR video
4K
4x at 1080p
Maximum slow motion
8x at 1080p
FlowState
Stabilization
RockSteady 3.0
Why it matters: A high resolution will give you crisp footage but also allow you to reframe your video without losing too much quality. A higher framerate (fps) will result in smoother video and is important when filming action scenes or fast moving subjects. Image stabilization is a crucial feature for an action camera, as it removes camera shake, vibrations, rotation and other movements that deteriorate your final footage.

Battery life

The X4 offers a much larger battery capacity. Both cameras have removable batteries.
Insta360 X4
DJI Osmo Action 3
2290mAh
Battery capacity
1770mAh
Removable
Removable battery
Removable
135min 5.7K30fps 360° and 75min 8K30fps 360°
Battery life
160min at 1080p
Why battery life matters: Nothing worse than running out of battery just before capturing the best footage of the day! A long battery life is reassuring and convenient when shooting footage outdoors where options to charge are limited. Even the use of a power bank can be tedious or simply impossible like when filming watersports. Having removable batteries allows battery swapping on the go which further extends your runtime.

Storage

Neither camera features built-in storage. Both the X4 and the Action 3 support SD cards. The X4 supports a lot more storage than the Action 3.
Insta360 X4
DJI Osmo Action 3
No built-in storage
Built-in storage
No built-in storage
microSD
Storage format
microSD
1TB
Maximun storage supported
256GB
Why storage matters: High quality footage can quickly take up lots of space and insufficient storage can soon be frustrating. Having a large amount of storage and the possiblity to extend it or swap SD cards while on a outing will ensure you will always be able to capture the footage you want. However, smaller, wearable action cameras often rely on built-in storage because of their small size.

Weight and size

The Action 3 is a lot more compact than the X4. The Action 3 is a lot lighter than the X4.
Insta360 X4
DJI Osmo Action 3
1.81in x 4.87in x 1.48in / 46mm x 123.6mm x 37.6mm
Dimensions
2.78in x 1.74in x 1.29in / 70.5mm x 44.2mm x 32.8mm
7.16oz / 203g
Weight
5.11oz / 145g
Why size and weight matter: Weight is important for action cameras because we often mount them on helmets, or hold them at the end of a selfie stick while moving. Therefore a heavier camera can be difficult or uncomfortable to film with. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.

Waterproofing and usage conditions

The Action 3 is a lot more waterproof. The Action 3 is a lot more waterproof when using a diving case. Both cameras have the same minimal usage temperature. The Action 3 beats the X4 in high heat conditions.
Insta360 X4
DJI Osmo Action 3
33ft / 10m
Waterproof
52ft / 16m
164ft / 50m
Waterproof with diving case
197ft / 60m
-4°F / -20°C
Min operating temperature
-4°F / -20°C
104°F / 40°C
Max operating temperature
113°F / 45°C
Why it matters: Most action cameras are waterproof for accidental splashing or use above water, but if you plan on Snorkeling or Scuba Diving, we recommend choosing a camera which offers a diving case and always using it for underwater footage. If you plan on filming Snowboarding, Skiing or other wintersports in extremely cold conditions, you should pick a camera that is rated for those temperatures, most cameras are only rated down to 14°F / -10°C. Many action cameras are prone to overheating, even in ordinary conditions, so if you plan on filming in hot environments, you should choose a camera that can function at high temperatures.

Camera and sensor technology

The X4 features a much higher resolution. The field of view of the X4 is a little better than the Action 3's. The X4 features a much higher bit rate than the Action 3
Insta360 X4
DJI Osmo Action 3
72MP
Pixels
12MP
170°
Field of view
155°
200Mbps
Video bite rate
130Mbps
Why it matters: A higher amount of pixels will offer better quality footage and higher resolution photos. A higher field of view means that the camera captures over a wider angle and therefore more action can be seen in the final footage. Some cameras require accessories to enable the maximum FOV. A higher bitrate at a similar resolution will offer higher quality video.

Camera settings

The Action 3's 100-12800 ISO range is far superior to X4's. Both cameras have the same exposure compensation adjustments.
Insta360 X4
DJI Osmo Action 3
100-6400
ISO range
100-12800
+/-4
Exposure Compensation
+/-4
Why these settings matter: The ISO range and exposure compensation settings will mostly allow you to tweak your action camera for low light situations.

Insta360 X4 versus DJI Osmo Action 3 specifications

NameInsta360 X4DJI Osmo Action 3
Year of release20242022
Width1.81in / 46mm2.78in / 70.5mm
Height4.87in / 123.6mm1.74in / 44.2mm
Depth1.48in / 37.6mm1.29in / 32.8mm
Weight7.16oz / 203g5.11oz / 145g
Waterproof33ft / 10m52ft / 16m
Waterproof with diving case164ft / 50m197ft / 60m
Min operating temperature-4°F / -20°C-4°F / -20°C
Max operating temperature104°F / 40°C113°F / 45°C
Battery capacity2290mAh1770mAh
Removable batteryYesYes
Battery life135min 5.7K30fps 360°
75min 8K30fps 360°
160min at 1080p
Charging time55min49min
Storage formatmicroSDmicroSD
Storage rating requiredV30 or UHS-3V30 or UHS-3
Maximun storage supported1TB256GB
Field of view170°155°
Sensor1/2.0"1/1.7"
Pixels72MP12MP
ApertureF1.9F2.8
Focal length6.7mm-
ISO range100-6400100-12800
Color Depth8bit10bit
Video bite rate200Mbps130Mbps
Exposure Compensation+/-4+/-4
360-degree videoYesNo
8K 360 video30fps-
5.7K 360 video60fps-
4K 360 video100fps-
360 video formatINSV-
4K video60fps120fps
2.7K video60fps120fps
1080p video60fps240fps
Slow motion at 4K44
Maximum slow motion4x at 1080p8x at 1080p
HDR video5.7K30fps 360°4K
StabilizationFlowStateRockSteady 3.0
Horizon lockYes-
Video formatH.265 (HEVC)
H.264 (MP4)
H.264 (MP4)
Live streamingYesNo
Webcam modeYes-
Timelapse modeYesYes
Starlapse modeYesYes
Timeshift modeYesYes
Loop recording modeYesYes
Subject trackingYesNo
Photo burst modeYesNo
RAW format supportedYesYes
Microphones43
Stereo audioYesYes
Noise reductionYesYes
Audio formataacaac
Audio bluetooth supportSENA: 50S, ST1, 10S
Cardo: PACKTALK EDGE
Airide: G7+
ASMAX: F1
Lexinmoto: G4
Vimoto: V9S, V9X
Apple AirPods 2
Apple AirPods 3
Apple AirPods Pro 2
Samsung Galaxy Buds2
-
Wifi802.11 a/b/g/n/ac802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
BluetoothBLE 5.2BLE 5.0
USBType-C USB 3.0Type-C USB
GPS integratedNoNo
GPS pairingiOS Application
Android Application
-
Voice commandsYesYes
Gesture commandsYes-