Tweet
Most webcams feel like drab PC accessories rather than proper cameras, but action cam maker Insta360 is aiming to take them up a notch with its a new 4K, gesture-controlled computer cam.
The Insta360 Link packs a lot of the tech seen in tough cams like the Insta360 One RS, like a 1/2in sensor and phase-detect autofocus, and combines them with a 3-axis gimbal and some clever software tricks. The result is a webcam thatās also good enough to double as a vlogging or livestreaming camera.
Some of the Insta360 Linkās software skills are similar to ones weāve seen recently from the likes of Apple and Meta. Like Appleās āCenter Stageā for iPads, the Link can track your movements to keep you in frame as you move around. But because the Link has a gimbal that physically moves the camera around, it should retain better image quality than the digital zoom used in Appleās equivalent.
Another mode, called DeskView, has echoes of the Appleās Continuity Camera for iPhones, which lets you stream an overhead view of your desk during work meetings.
Image 1 of 2
[IMG alt=āA person presenting in front of the Insta360 Link webcamā]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pb...uiqFtVj6tn.jpg
The Insta360 Link includes a DeskView mode (above) that streams a top-down view of your desk (Image credit: Insta360)
Image 2 of 2
[IMG alt=āA gamer streaming in front of the Insta360 Link webcamā]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Zb...zugKKEGwBo.jpg
Insta360 is also targeting gamers and Twitch streamers with the Link. (Image credit: Insta360)
But itās the gesture controls that promise to elevate the Insta360 Link above your average webcam. Raise your hand to the camera, and youāll be able to zoom in and out, and also activate camera modes like Whiteboard mode, which will crop in to give co-workers or students a clearer view of your presentation.
The raw quality of the Insta360 Linkās video and audio also promises to be more like a high-end action camera than a cheaper webcam. Alongside that 1/2in sensor, its lens has a bright f/1.8 aperture and thereās also an HDR mode to help with high-contrast lighting, plus phase-detection autofocus and dual noise-canceling microphones.
The Link has a built-in clip to attach to the top of your screen and Insta360 says itās compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype and Google Meet on both macOS and Windows computers. You can order it from today for $299 / Ā£319 / AU$569.
[HEADING=1]Analysis: A pricey but intriguing new webcam player[/HEADING]
[IMG alt=āThe side and front of the Insta360 Link webcam on a grey backgroundā]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tF...wNURjSh3Jo.jpg
(Image credit: Insta360)
The Insta360 Link isnāt the first webcam weāve seen with a gimbal or movement-tracking powers ā the Obsbot Tiny 4K has similar skills and, like the Link, is also quite pricey. Alternatives like the Razer Kiyo Pro and the Elgato Facecam are also some of the best webcams around for gamers and livestreamers.
But whatās particularly interesting about the Link is that Insta360 has lots of experience in developing unique hardware and software thatās particularly popular among social media creators. Despite the companyās name, it doesnāt just create 360 cameras ā itās also makes some of the best action cams around, like the Insta360 One RS.
Given how closely the Link resembles a DJI Pocket 2 for your computer, weāre surprised that the likes of DJI and GoPro havenāt jumped into the webcam space yet. But Insta360ās slightly belated move certainly makes sense, even if many of its potential buyers may have already invested in a premium webcam.
While a 1/2in sensor is relatively large for a webcam, the Link is still unlikely to match the quality of the best mirrorless cameras. We have also found some of Insta360ās products to be a little undercooked in the software department at launch, requiring a few firmware updates before they are truly polished.
But despite these caveats, weāre looking forward to seeing how Insta360ās hardware and new software skills combine in our full Insta360 Link review soon.
Continue readingā¦
The Insta360 Link packs a lot of the tech seen in tough cams like the Insta360 One RS, like a 1/2in sensor and phase-detect autofocus, and combines them with a 3-axis gimbal and some clever software tricks. The result is a webcam thatās also good enough to double as a vlogging or livestreaming camera.
Some of the Insta360 Linkās software skills are similar to ones weāve seen recently from the likes of Apple and Meta. Like Appleās āCenter Stageā for iPads, the Link can track your movements to keep you in frame as you move around. But because the Link has a gimbal that physically moves the camera around, it should retain better image quality than the digital zoom used in Appleās equivalent.
Another mode, called DeskView, has echoes of the Appleās Continuity Camera for iPhones, which lets you stream an overhead view of your desk during work meetings.
Image 1 of 2
[IMG alt=āA person presenting in front of the Insta360 Link webcamā]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pb...uiqFtVj6tn.jpg
The Insta360 Link includes a DeskView mode (above) that streams a top-down view of your desk (Image credit: Insta360)
Image 2 of 2
[IMG alt=āA gamer streaming in front of the Insta360 Link webcamā]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Zb...zugKKEGwBo.jpg
Insta360 is also targeting gamers and Twitch streamers with the Link. (Image credit: Insta360)
But itās the gesture controls that promise to elevate the Insta360 Link above your average webcam. Raise your hand to the camera, and youāll be able to zoom in and out, and also activate camera modes like Whiteboard mode, which will crop in to give co-workers or students a clearer view of your presentation.
The raw quality of the Insta360 Linkās video and audio also promises to be more like a high-end action camera than a cheaper webcam. Alongside that 1/2in sensor, its lens has a bright f/1.8 aperture and thereās also an HDR mode to help with high-contrast lighting, plus phase-detection autofocus and dual noise-canceling microphones.
The Link has a built-in clip to attach to the top of your screen and Insta360 says itās compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype and Google Meet on both macOS and Windows computers. You can order it from today for $299 / Ā£319 / AU$569.
[HEADING=1]Analysis: A pricey but intriguing new webcam player[/HEADING]
[IMG alt=āThe side and front of the Insta360 Link webcam on a grey backgroundā]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tF...wNURjSh3Jo.jpg
(Image credit: Insta360)
The Insta360 Link isnāt the first webcam weāve seen with a gimbal or movement-tracking powers ā the Obsbot Tiny 4K has similar skills and, like the Link, is also quite pricey. Alternatives like the Razer Kiyo Pro and the Elgato Facecam are also some of the best webcams around for gamers and livestreamers.
But whatās particularly interesting about the Link is that Insta360 has lots of experience in developing unique hardware and software thatās particularly popular among social media creators. Despite the companyās name, it doesnāt just create 360 cameras ā itās also makes some of the best action cams around, like the Insta360 One RS.
Given how closely the Link resembles a DJI Pocket 2 for your computer, weāre surprised that the likes of DJI and GoPro havenāt jumped into the webcam space yet. But Insta360ās slightly belated move certainly makes sense, even if many of its potential buyers may have already invested in a premium webcam.
While a 1/2in sensor is relatively large for a webcam, the Link is still unlikely to match the quality of the best mirrorless cameras. We have also found some of Insta360ās products to be a little undercooked in the software department at launch, requiring a few firmware updates before they are truly polished.
But despite these caveats, weāre looking forward to seeing how Insta360ās hardware and new software skills combine in our full Insta360 Link review soon.
Continue readingā¦