Insta360 X4 Air vs DJI Osmo 360: The Critical Choice

Replaceable lenses vs superior hardware - the X4 Air and Osmo 360 represent two different philosophies. Here's how to choose between them.

Editorial Team •

The Deciding Factor: The Insta360 X4 Air offers replaceable lenses - the DJI Osmo 360 doesn't. However, DJI's much larger 1/1.1-inch sensor (vs X4 Air's 1/1.8-inch) delivers significantly better low-light performance and supports 10-bit D-Log M video. Choose based on whether you value flexibility or raw image quality.

Insta360 X4 Air
Insta360 X4 Air
Insta360
$399
DJI Osmo 360
DJI Osmo 360
DJI
$549
SpecInsta360 X4 AirDJI Osmo 360
Screen
1.75 inches Touchscreen
2.0 inches OLED Resolution: 314×556 Brightness: 800 cd/㎡
Microphones
—
4
Weight
165 g
183 g
Dimensions
46×113.8×37 mm (L×W×H)
61×36.3×81 mm (L×W×H)
Sensor
1/1.8-inch CMOS
1/1.1-inch CMOS
Aperture
f/1.95
f/1.9
ISO Range
100-3200
100-51200
FOV
360°
Panorama: 360° Single-Lens: 170°
Photo Resolution
7680×3840 (29MP)
Panorama 2:1, 15520 × 7760 (120 MP) Single-Lens Photo: 4:3, 6400 × 4800 (30.72 MP)
Video Resolution
Panorama 8K: 7680×3840@30/25/24fps 6K: 6016×3008@50/48/30/25/24fps 4K: 3840×1920@50/48/30/25/24fps Single-Lens 4K: 3840×2160@60/50/30/25/24fps 2.7K: 2720×1536@60/50/30/25/24fps 1080p: 1920×1080@120/100/60/50/30/25/24fps
Panorama 8K: 7680×3840 @24/25/30/48/50fps 6K: 6000×3000 @24/25/30/48/50/60fps 4K: 3840×1920 @100fps Single-Lens 5K (4:3): 5120×3840 @25/30/50/60fps 5K (16:9): 5120×2880 @25/30/50/60fps 4K (4:3): 3840×2880 @25/30/50/60fps 4K (16:9): 3840×2160 @25/30/50/60fps
Video Bitrate
180 Mbps
170 Mbps
Video Codec
H.264/H.265
H.265
Log Profile
Not supported
10-bit D-Log M
Video Format
INSV, MP4 (H.264/H.265)
OSV, MP4 (H.265)
Audio Recording
48 kHz 16-bit; AAC
48 kHz 16-bit; AAC
Stabilization
FlowState Stabilization
RockSteady 3.0, HorizonSteady
Waterproof
15 m underwater
10 m underwater
Battery
2010 mAh
Capacity: 1950 mAh; Energy: 7.5 Wh; Voltage: 3.87 V
Operating Time
88 mins (8K/30fps), 105 mins (6K/24fps)
100 mins (8K/30fps panoramic video) 190 mins (6K/24fps panoramic video)
Charge Time
36 mins to 80%; 57 mins to 100%
20 mins to 75%, 45 mins to 100%
Storage
External microSD
Built-in 128GB (105GB available) External microSD up to 1 TB
Wi‑Fi
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/n/ac)
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax); 2.4/5.1/5.8 GHz
Bluetooth
BLE 5.2
BLE 5.1
Ports
USB-C 3.0
USB-C 3.1
App Support
Insta360 App
DJI Mimo
Replaceable-Lens
Yes
No, only via factory return
Pre-recording
—
5/10/15/30 s; 1/2/5 mins

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The Price War That Made This Comparison Possible

When DJI launched the Osmo 360 at $549, they didn't just enter the market - they declared war. Aggressive pricing in China (Standard Edition around $250) put enormous pressure on Insta360, who'd dominated 360° cameras for years.

The X4 Air is Insta360's response: a $399 camera that borrows flagship features (replaceable lenses, tone enhancement, AI chip) to compete on value. This is the classic tech rivalry we love to see - two companies pushing each other to deliver better products at lower prices.

The Core Trade-Off: Hardware vs Flexibility

DJI's Hardware Advantage

The Osmo 360's 1/1.1-inch sensor is substantially larger than the X4 Air's 1/1.8-inch sensor. This isn't a minor spec difference - it's a fundamental image quality gap:

Where DJI dominates:

If you shoot indoors frequently, in challenging lighting, or need professional color grading, the sensor advantage is decisive. The Osmo 360 simply captures more light and information.

Insta360's Flexibility Advantage

The X4 Air counters with user-replaceable lenses - a feature DJI requires factory service for:

Why this matters:

For active shooters - sports, travel, adventure content - this is massive. 360° cameras are scratch magnets. The ability to replace lenses yourself transforms the ownership experience.

The X4 Air also includes tone enhancement and an AI chip (borrowed from the X5), bringing computational photography to offset some of DJI's hardware advantage.

Video Capabilities: Different Priorities

Osmo 360 strengths:

X4 Air strengths:

The Osmo 360 is built for professionals who need flexibility in post-production. The X4 Air targets creators who shoot, edit on mobile, and share - no log profiles needed.

Build & Design: Contrasting Approaches

Osmo 360:

X4 Air:

DJI's built-in 128GB storage is a genuine advantage for extended shoots. Insta360's better waterproofing (15m vs 10m) is nice but rarely decisive.

Battery Life: DJI Optimizes Better

Despite similar battery capacities, DJI's optimization wins:

DJI squeezes more runtime from less capacity. If you shoot long sessions, this adds up.

The ISO Range Reality Check

Looking at specs reveals a crucial difference:

That massive range difference? It directly reflects the sensor size gap. The Osmo 360 maintains usable image quality at much higher ISOs, which translates to real-world low-light superiority.

Real-World Scenarios: Which Camera Wins?

Choose the Insta360 X4 Air if:

Choose the DJI Osmo 360 if:

The Honest Truth About Lens Replacement

Yes, replaceable lenses are convenient. But how often do you actually damage lenses?

If you're a casual user shooting mostly daylight content, the Osmo 360's superior sensor might serve you better than a feature you'll rarely use. But if you're active, shoot in risky environments, or value long-term cost savings, the X4 Air's replaceable lenses genuinely matter.

Software Ecosystems: A Toss-Up

Insta360's mature platform:

DJI's professional approach:

Both apps are excellent. Neither is a reason to choose one camera over the other.

Our Site Owner Perspective

As enthusiasts running a DJI-focused site, we're genuinely excited about this competition. DJI's entry forced Insta360 to innovate faster and price more aggressively. Insta360's response (the X4 Air) pushes DJI to refine their offerings.

We hope both companies continue this rivalry. Better products, better prices, more innovation - everyone wins when giants compete.

If we're being honest about our own use case? We'd choose based on shooting conditions:

The Verdict: Know Your Priority

This comparison comes down to one question: Do you value hardware specs or practical flexibility?

The Osmo 360 is objectively more capable

The X4 Air is more practical for active creators

Neither camera is "better" - they serve different priorities.

Final Recommendations

Buy the X4 Air if:

Buy the Osmo 360 if:

The unexpected truth: Most buyers should probably choose the X4 Air. Unless you specifically need the Osmo 360's low-light capability or log profiles, the Air's practical advantages (replaceable lenses, lighter weight, lower price) serve real-world shooting better.

But if you shoot indoors frequently or work on paid projects requiring maximum image quality, the Osmo 360's sensor advantage justifies every dollar of the price premium.

This is what healthy competition looks like. Both cameras are excellent. Your choice depends on your specific needs, not on one being objectively superior to the other.

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