This tiny 8K camera captures everything around you, and lets you choose the best shot later

The Insta360 X4 Air Starter Bundle could change how you film your next holiday, desert adventure or family outing. Instead of deciding exactly where to point the camera, its 8K 360-degree recording captures the surroundings and lets you select your favourite angles afterwards. For UAE travellers and content creators heading into the cooler outdoor season, that flexibility makes it a compelling alternative to conventional smartphone filming. Weighing just 165g, the camera also comes with an Invisible Selfie Stick and spare battery in the Starter Bundle, giving you more creative possibilities without carrying a bag full of filming equipment.

Best for: UAE travellers, family holidays, outdoor adventures and social media creators

Bottom line: A lightweight 360 camera that offers more freedom to capture and edit memories after the moment has passed.

The Insta360 X4 Air is a compact 360-degree action camera built around two 1/1.8-inch sensors. Together, its lenses capture a complete spherical view at up to 8K resolution and 30 frames per second. Unlike a conventional camera, which records only what is directly in front of its lens, the X4 Air records the surrounding scene for later editing.

The camera weighs 165g and features a 2.5-inch touchscreen. Insta360 also equips it with FlowState stabilisation, 360-degree Horizon Lock, a built-in wind guard and user-replaceable lenses. According to the manufacturer, the camera is waterproof to 15 metres without an additional housing, although underwater shooting requires attention to the manufacturer's operating instructions.

The Starter Bundle includes the camera, an additional battery, a 114cm Invisible Selfie Stick and a lens cap.

The stick is particularly important to the shooting experience. Insta360's stitching technology removes it from compatible 360-degree footage, creating the appearance of a floating camera. This allows users to record elevated perspectives and moving third-person shots without operating a drone.

The Insta360 mobile app provides tools for reframing footage, selecting viewpoints, tracking subjects and exporting conventional videos. InstaFrame mode also offers a way to produce a ready-framed video while retaining 360-degree footage for subsequent editing.

The manufacturer's standard Starter Bundle does not include a microSD card, so buyers should check storage requirements before their first outing.

The X4 Air's biggest advantage is what happens after recording. Imagine walking along a beach in Fujairah, exploring Hatta or filming a family gathering in the desert. A conventional smartphone video follows the direction you choose while shooting. With the X4 Air, you can revisit the recording and create different perspectives of the same moment.

One clip could become a forward-facing travel video, a selfie-style reaction shot or a sweeping view of the landscape. This makes 360-degree filming particularly useful for unpredictable moments, when people move around or something interesting happens outside the original frame.

TechRadar's Peter Fenech praised the X4 Air's image quality, dynamic range and straightforward reframing process. His review also highlighted its portability and surprisingly capable low-light results.

For UAE outdoor use, FlowState stabilisation and Horizon Lock are valuable when walking, cycling or filming from a moving position. The Invisible Selfie Stick adds another creative dimension, making wide, elevated shots possible without carrying a drone.

Insta360 quotes up to 88 minutes of 8K recording under laboratory conditions. Actual runtime depends on settings and environmental conditions, making the included spare battery useful for longer outings.

During warmer UAE days, users should also follow Insta360's advice on ventilation and prolonged high-resolution recording.

One important point to note: 8K describes the complete 360-degree recording, not the resolution of every cropped shot. The finished video's detail depends on how tightly you reframe it.

• Shoot first, frame later: Capture the surrounding action and decide on the composition during editing.

• 165g portable design: Small enough to carry on day trips without a dedicated camera bag.

• Invisible Selfie Stick effect: Create elevated, third-person perspectives without using a drone.

• Useful Starter Bundle accessories: The additional battery extends shooting opportunities, while the included stick makes creative filming possible straight away.

The Insta360 X4 Air Starter Bundle makes the most sense for travellers, families and content creators who enjoy turning experiences into short videos. It is particularly appealing for UAE residents planning winter camping trips, mountain excursions, beach holidays or overseas travel.

Parents can record family activities without constantly directing everyone into the frame. Creators can produce several social media clips from one recording, while travellers gain more freedom to enjoy the scenery.

The Insta360 X4 Air Starter Bundle offers a convincing reason to consider a dedicated camera before the winter travel season. Its appeal goes beyond the 8K specification. Recording everything around the camera and choosing the final viewpoint later changes the filming process in a genuinely useful way.

The lightweight body makes it practical to carry, while the Invisible Selfie Stick creates perspectives that would otherwise require more equipment. The additional battery also strengthens the bundle's appeal for longer adventures.

There is still an editing step involved, and buyers should consider how frequently they will use 360-degree footage. For people who enjoy creating travel videos or preserving spontaneous family memories, however, the X4 Air offers creative possibilities that conventional filming cannot easily reproduce.

Our recommendation: A worthwhile purchase for frequent travellers and creators who will make regular use of reframing and the included accessories.

Gulf News earns a commission on purchases made through links in this article, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial team selects products independently.