Underwater photographer Jenny Stock took Insta360's new flagship action camera to Lankan Manta Point in the Maldives — and had mantas in front of her lens within seconds of descending. The verdict on the X6, launched earlier this year: it may be the most diver-friendly 360 camera the brand has made yet.
The big upgrades over the X5 and X4 are meaningful for anyone shooting below the surface. Two custom Sony 1/1.1-inch square sensors and a triple-AI-chip system boost low-light performance — crucial at 21m under overcast tropical skies, where Stock still called the footage quality incredible. Recording tops out at 8K/50fps in 360 mode with 120-megapixel stills, plus 10-bit colour and 360-degree light metering to fight that familiar blue-green cast. PureVideo mode, refined from the X5, does much of the heavy lifting on colour straight out of the camera.
Physically, the X6 is shorter and more compact than its predecessor, and the new Invisible Dive Case Pro is lighter and tidier than the clunky version made for the X5. Camera, housing and the 114cm invisible selfie stick together weigh just 624g. The camera is now rated to 20m on its own (up from 15m), though the housing, rated to 60m, is worth using even for a shallow snorkel. One catch: you have to swap in dedicated underwater lenses before fitting the housing — handle them carefully, as Stock chipped one on her first attempt.
The core appeal remains 'shoot first, point later': the camera records everything around you, so you keep your eyes on the reef instead of a screen, and any animal that sneaks up behind you is captured anyway. Battery life is up to a claimed 140 minutes of 8K/30fps recording, and there's 47GB of built-in storage as a memory card failsafe. On a fish-packed dive at Bathala Reef, Stock found orange anthias and red squirrelfish popping against the blue with barely any colour correction needed.
Editing is where 360 cameras can become a chore, and Insta360 leans on AI to help. The mobile app can auto-build an Instagram-ready cut with transitions and music, and a new AI Director feature generates a daily vlog while the camera charges. Stock found the results decent but occasionally selfie-obsessed — fine for snowboarders, less useful when the point is the manta, not you. Serious creators will still want the desktop Insta360 Studio, where manual tools and smart tracking give full control.
Pricing starts at £619 for the Standard Bundle, £709 for the Essentials Bundle, and £158.99 for the Invisible Dive Case Pro. It won't replace a DSLR rig for macro work or magazine-grade stills, but for divers and adventure travellers who want one compact camera that captures the whole trip — motorbike, ski slope, surf break or reef — the X6 looks like the new benchmark. Original review via Dive Magazine.
