- Insta360’s Luna Ultra is a modular 8K compact vlogging camera
- It rivals the upcoming dual-lens DJI Pocket 4P
- The single-lens Luna Pro is yet to be fully unveiled
We now have the full picture of Insta360’s first compact vlogging camera and DJI Pocket rival, after the Luna Ultra hit online stores yesterday (June 10), with prices starting at $769.99 / £649 / AU$1,229.99.
I’ve already shared my first impressions of the dual-lens 8K video camera, but Insta360 limited what could be shared ahead of its launch. Now all can be revealed — but you’ll have to forgive the timing and nature of my coverage, because Insta360 hastily brought forward the launch from the previously-set embargo that I was working to.
I can now reveal that the Insta360 Luna Ultra packs two cameras which are stabilized by a 3-axis gimbal. The 1x main f/1.8 camera shoots 8K 30p video with Dolby Vision (HDR) and 4K 120fps slow motion, and features a 1-inch sensor (Insta360’s largest yet, matching DJI) with 14 stops of dynamic range. (DJI has separately teased 17 stops dynamic for its upcoming Pocket 4P.)
The 3x telephoto f/2.0 camera works with a smaller but still decent-sized 1/1.3-inch sensor, and offers a 6x lossless zoom and up to a 12x digital zoom. I’ve tried both cameras extensively, and the telephoto camera is able to throw depth of field nicely for upper-body vlogging.
The Ultra is equipped with I-Log color profile — a feature pros demand for color grading flexibility, and another complete first for Insta360, plus Insta360’s triple processing chips and latest AI subject tracking, which works pretty darn well.
I’ll share more about the Luna Ultra’s features in my upcoming in-depth review, but until then, let’s look at how it handles compared to the Pocket 4.
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Clearing up the Luna / Pocket 4 confusion
Insta360 is going hard with its first vlogging cameras, the single-lens Luna Pro and dual-lens Luna Ultra. The latter is available now, while the Pro’s launch date is yet to be confirmed. Insta360 changed the Luna Ultra launch date several times due to a “rapidly changing competitive landscape,” and it was eventually brought forward to a week earlier than the date I was working to. I’ve been testing the product for several weeks, and will publish my in-depth review as soon as I can.
DJI’s latest single-lens vlogging camera was launched last month — check out my in-depth Pocket 4 review. It’s no secret that the Pocket 4P is coming soon — DJI teased the dual-lens vlogging camera at Cannes Film Festival recently.
So, both brands will have single-lens and dual-lens vlogging cameras in their product lineups soon. But what we have right now is DJI’s single-lens Pocket 4 and Insta 360’s dual-lens Ultra, which makes direct comparisons tricky — it’s like pitting a featherweight against a heavyweight in terms of versatility.
That being said, we know enough about the specs of all four cameras, and I’ve had enough time to get a feel for the design of the Luna Ultra and Pocket 4, to make some early impressions.
Luna Ultra versus Pocket 4
This isn’t a fair comparison — the Luna Ultra is a pricier model with dual-lens versatility that will rival the upcoming Pocket 4P. But it’s Insta360’s first foray into a vlogging camera market, which has been dominated by the DJI Pocket series for several years. In that respect, the Luna Ultra feels surprisingly polished.
The Pocket 4 is the smaller of the two, and the Pocket 4P will be smaller than the Luna cameras too. It’s not a big difference in size, and the extra bulk of the Luna Ultra hardly effects its handling, plus it’s to facilitate a unique, game-changing feature — a detachable 2-inch OLED screen.
The screen is part of a module which also includes the camera’s main controls. It has up to a 20m transmission range, and can be used to view and control the camera, and of course to initiate recording.
Given that the Luna Ultra features advanced subject tracking, you effectively have an autonomous camera that can track you while you move, within the limits of the gimbal’s range. The module also features a built-in microphone, which is super handy too for vlogging, even if you still might want a wireless mic like Insta360’s 5 star-rated Mic Pro for the best quality audio.
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This modular functionality is a bit like the Insta360 Go 3S and its Action Dock / DJI Nano action cams, and clearly an advantage over the Pocket 4. The Pocket 4 has its own tricks mind you, such as its magnetic LED light which directly attaches to and is powered by the camera.
Both cameras are compatible with useful accessories, such as wireless mics. Yes, DJI has had skin in the game for longer, and boasts a solid ecosystem, but Insta360 is hardly lacking either.
As for the single-lens and dual-lens varieties, the latter are indeed like having two cameras, and will set the benchmark for compact vlogging camera quality, potentially persuading new users over using their smartphones. They’re much pricier than the single-lens varieties, though — as we now we know, having seen how much the Luna Ultra costs.
How do the two cameras sounds to you? Is the dual-lens version overkill, or what the format needed? Let me know in the comments below, and make sure you vote in the poll above — and check back in for my in-depth coverage, coming soon.
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