DJI Osmo 360 leak suggests it could eclipse Insta360’s best camera– here’s how they compare mark.wilson@futurenet.com (Mark Wilson) | usagoldmines.com

• A new packaging leak for the DJI Osmo 360 has revealed its potential specs
• The leak suggests it will shoot 8K/30p video and offer 10-bit color depth
• It could also cost slightly less than the Insta360 X5

This year’s battle of the 360 cameras is heating up nicely – and a new leak for one of the main contenders, the DJI Osmo 360, has just given us a solid glimpse of how it might compare to the class-leading Insta360 X5.

The packaging leak, first shared by the reliable Quadro_News on X (below), shows what appears to be the final retail packaging for DJI’s debut 360 camera. And that box handily includes a list of Osmo 360 specs, which appear (on paper, at least) to be slightly better than the current top dog in our guide to the best 360 cameras.

Despite the size of this leak, one of the most important specs – sensor size – remains unclear. The back of the box says the Osmo 360 is capable of “1-inch 360 imaging.” But further down, the small print says “when capturing 360 content, Osmo 360’s CMOS sensor features an imaging area equivalent to that of a 1-inch CMOS sensor.”

Precisely what this means isn’t yet clear. Previous leaks have suggested that the Osmo 360 could have square sensors, which might explain DJI’s “equivalent to” language for the imaging area. Either way, we’ll likely have to wait for the official launch to get confirmation.

The rest of the leaked specs compare well to the Insta360 X5 (see table below). The Osmo 360 will seemingly be capable of 10-bit color depth – if so, it could offer greater editing flexibility than its Insta360 rival.

There’s also the promise of 120MP stills and a claimed battery life that looks strong when you consider it’s quoted for 8K/30p video shooting.

How about price? As @JasperEllens noted separately on X, the leaked Osmo 360 box was seen in an Australian store, so its pricing (starting at AU$759 for the standard bundle) is for that region. Exactly how that will convert for the US and UK remains to be seen, but in theory it compares well to the Insta360 X5.

The X5 starts at $550 / £520 for its standard bundle, which doesn’t include accessories like an extra battery, charging case, selfie stick, or lens guards that all come in the Essentials bundle. If we use the Osmo 360’s Australian pricing as a guide, it should start at somewhere around the $500 / £500 mark.

How do the Osmo 360 and X5 compare?

There’s obviously a lot more to 360 cameras than just their specs. Software is particularly important to the experience, as editing is essential when you need to turn 360-degree videos into traditional ‘flat’ ones.

But based on the leaked specs and pricing, DJI certainly seems to be entering the 360 space competitively. That isn’t surprising – Insta360 has dominated 360 cameras for years ,and its latest fifth-generation flagship is excellent, so the Osmo 360 will need to be a strong start for DJI.

If it does edge out the Insta360 X5 in some areas (10-bit recording, stronger low-light performance) for a slightly lower price tag, that’ll be good news for anyone who’s looking to buy a 360 camera. And potentially bad news for GoPro, whose Max 2 is now imminent.

Insta360 certainly seems to be on the defensive, recently launching a big, battery-boosting firmware update for its flagship camera, alongside some new accessories and a new BMW Motorrad Edition of the X5 for motorcyclists. Let the 360 camera battle commence.

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