When Insta360 came out with the One X, they made a big splash (pardon the pun)! I’ve already published my review of the One X, and it is an amazing consumer 360 camera with infinite possibilities. But I really got excited when they announced a Dive case capable of going to 30 meters for only $99USD! The Insta360 One X Dive Case!
Special stitching algorithms give you a near perfect stitch underwater when using the InstaStudio Software or the Insta360 app on your smartphone. And the handy ¼” mount makes it easy to attach to any pole or tripod for use underwater. Weighing in at only 128g and with slight positive buoyancy, the camera and housing are a beautiful small size that can get into some really tight spots that many other regular cameras couldn’t get into, no less a 360 camera.
Professional Diver extraordinaire Lawrence Alex Wu headed to the Maldives with the rig and dove headfirst into the testing.
The first pre-production model that we tested had some issues with the buttons returning to the original position while submerged, but the next one that they sent was perfect. The anti-fog inserts were a little more hit or miss. Sometimes they worked like a charm and sometimes only one side would fog up. But overall, the testing went wonderfully.
We fashioned our own Dive Bag to hold the unit so it wouldn’t get scratched going in and out of the water. This is something that I’d really love to see as an accessory. Alex attached a lanyard through the “buckle” so that the case could be attached to his vest or around his wrist. I can’t stress how important some kind of strap is. Without it, things can easily away from you while underwater.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the images we captured were breathtaking. And watching them in my Oculus Rift or Oculus Go made one feel like they WERE there underwater without having to get wet!
I would love to see a smaller nadir, but this is not a professional case with a $10,000 360 camera inside. This a less than $500 solution for any diver to capture high-quality 5.7K (using the PC InstaStudio) or 4K on your smartphone. And I have to tell you that the immediacy of being able to see what was shot before the boat gets back to the dock is a special thrill that is hard to beat.
Snappers, angelfish puffer fish, Glassfish, turtles, manta rays and even a stingray on a night dive were only some of the aquatic species that we captured in 360. We even got inside some caves thanks to the small size of the Dive Case.
We will be bringing you a whole series of underwater 360 videos in the coming weeks. If you like, you can contact Alex about joining him on an amazing dive trip to the Maldives just go to his website.
To contact Alex about your next scuba diving trip:
https://www.facebook.com/AGuaPictures
To buy your own Insta360 One X, Please support me and click here
And if you just can’t wait any longer to see the Insta360 One X Dive Case Video, click the link below: