I’m a Travel Photographer and I’m Bringing This Gimbal Camera on My Next Adventure

 Insta360 Luna Ultra 

 9.0  $770 at Amazon 

 Pros & Cons 

•  Great image quality 

•  Flexible zoom range 

•  Detachable screen and controls 

•  Phone gimbals and action cams are way cheaper 

•  Needs some adjustments for the best image quality 

•  No weather sealing or water resistance 

The Insta360 Luna Ultra is a high-end, dual-lens, gimbal-stabilized camera with a 12x zoom range, 8K30 video, 37-megapixel (7,040×5,288) photos and modes such as slow motion and time-lapse. It can even take 360-degree photos and 200-megapixel (20,224×10,112) panoramas. Perhaps most usefully, the screen and controls are removable and can function as a wireless remote and mic. Due in part to its larger 1-inch and 1/1.3-inch sensors, image quality is overall excellent, and it's very easy to use. All of that, and it's amazingly compact and just generally wonderful. And, judging by its price, Insta360 thinks so, too.

While the Luna Ultra is undoubtedly a great tool for content creators, it also makes it easy for anyone looking to step up from their phone to capture vibrant, detailed and stabilized video. Its compact size also makes it great for travel.

Insta360 Luna Ultra specs

The headline features of the Luna Ultra read similarly to those of the latest action cameras. Video maxes out at 8K30, but I can't imagine most people will ever use that since most phones can't edit it. The 4K60 is likely its most useful setting, but you can increase that to 120 frames per second for some decent slow-motion clips when editing. If you don't mind dropping the resolution down to 1080p, you can up the frame rate to 240. So, in all, not quite the extremes of something such as the GoPro Mission 1 Pro , but in the ballpark. 

I would assume most people are buying the Luna Ultra for video, but it can take some decent photos, too. The main number is 37 megapixels (7,040×5,288), but that's in UltraPhoto mode. The standard mode does some pixel binning and maxes out at 9 MP (3,520×2,644). This is plenty for social media, and allows for greater zoom (more on that in a moment).

There's also a 360 mode where you can capture photospheres similar to what you'd get with a 360 camera . Those cameras, however, take photos instantly. The Luna Ultra has to take 19 individual photos and stitch them together, which takes a moment. Also, if you're holding the camera, the 360-degree image is going to make you look pretty weird. You're better off putting the camera on a selfie stick or tripod. There's also a 200-megapixel (20,224×10,112) panorama option that takes 24 images and combines them into an ultrawide photo with impressive detail. 

A lot of the image quality can be attributed to the use of fairly large image sensors. The main camera has a 1-inch sensor while the telephoto camera uses a slightly smaller 1/1.3-inch. It's important to note that sensor size isn't everything , but compared to most action cameras — and even most phones — these are both significantly larger. The most noticeable advantage for these larger sensors is decent low-light performance.

While the marketing boasts "12x zoom," that's a little misleading. Yes, you can get the equivalent to zooming in 12x, but note it doesn't say "12x optical zoom ." The lenses are fixed. The camera crops in on one sensor, then, at a certain point, switches to the other lens and sensor and crops in further. It's more like 3x optical zoom — the difference between the actual lenses — with the rest coming from cropping the image sensor.

Insta360 claims 6x lossless zoom, but you only get that with the 9-megapixel resolution photo mode and 4K videos. The 12x zoomed photos and videos are OK, but not nearly as sharp as what you get zoomed out. The results are plenty usable for social media, though. It's a small thing, but when switching from photo to video or vice versa, I wish the Luna remembered the zoom amount instead of reverting back to 1x.

The Insta360 app is the most obvious victim of the company's growth. I've reviewed nearly every camera it has released, including all of its consumer 360 cameras, and both the company and its cameras have come a long way. Unfortunately, the app hasn't kept pace as Insta360 has added more cameras and features. It's now a rather bloated mess of features, tutorials, ads, other people's content in some sort of unnecessary social media section and then, oh yeah, your own content, too. There's so much in the app now that many sections and names are cropped or partially hidden on my Pixel 9 Pro.

That said, it's not terrible. I've used the app a ton since I travel with a 360 camera — often one of Insta360's — so I can say that once you get used to it, it's very powerful. The editing features are robust and extensive, and once you get past the learning curve, it's relatively easy to create a polished video that's ready to publish. Disappointingly, though, you can't make little videos from your 360 photos like you can with photos from a real 360 camera. I suspect this is a phone limitation, since you can still do it in the desktop app.

Speaking of which, there's also a desktop app called Insta360 Studio that's far less cluttered and has a surprisingly decent video editor. DaVinci Resolve is free and infinitely better, but it's far more elaborate than most people need. Thanks to royalty-free music tracks, plug-and-play transitions and more, Studio lets — well, maybe not beginners, but "advanced beginners" — create a cool-looking video with relative ease

Usability and photo quality

One of the main reasons I like the Luna Ultra, besides the image quality, is how easy it is to use. If I want to take a photo or video with my phone, as I remove it from my pocket, I double-tap the power button and the camera is ready before it gets to eye level. With just a flick of your thumb, the screen rotates horizontally and the gimbal comes alive, whirling like a dervish to face outward and capture the world or inward and record your face, depending on your settings.

That's actually another of the Luna Ultra's strengths: customizability. Want the camera to switch to vertical recording if you flip the screen that way instead of shutting off? You can set that up. You can also program the buttons below the screen, as well as how fast the gimbal moves with the joystick, which of the three axes is locked and so on, all based on your preference in general or the moment. 

Image quality, during the day anyway, is excellent. It's highly detailed, vibrant and includes great contrast. However, and this is highly subjective, I've never really liked Insta360's "color science," aka how photos and videos look directly out of the camera. I find it a bit warm and overexposed. Fortunately, with a bit of fiddling in the menus, I was able to dial in something I prefer. 

Insta360 partnered with Leica for this camera, and that extends beyond just the Summicron lens. There are nine Leica filters you can select in the menus. These are decent and better than the results I've gotten from presets in non-Leica Insta360 cameras. Or you can just skip all that and shoot 10-bit log or raw and do all your color grading in post. It will even record in Dolby Vision, though I didn't find that to be radically different from non-Dolby modes.

Low-light performance is OK, but don't expect miracles. It's actually a little worse than other 1-inch sensor cameras such as the Mission 1 Pro, even in the low-light centric PureVideo mode. The footage is noisy and a little dark compared to other 1-inch sensor cameras, but it's usable, if not as clean as what you can get during the day. 

Audio, even without a separate mic or holding the detachable screen/remote, is clean and full-sounding, though it lacks high frequencies. Personally, I'd be fine using it in a video, but if you do a lot of talking in your videos, it's worth investing in a real mic. That's also true if you regularly record in a particularly noisy area. In the camera settings, you can switch between omni audio pickup (aka everything around the camera), front and rear or just front. Audio recording with the screen detached is about the same, though obviously, you can hold it closer to your mouth for a boost in volume. 

That removable screen is really the most interesting aspect of the camera's design to me, since it's not just a wireless live view screen but also the controls for the camera. Being able to set up a shot you're in from a distance without the hassle of connecting to or opening an app is useful in a variety of situations. The remote connects immediately when you remove it from the body and works at up to 20 meters, or about 66 feet, away, according to Insta360. Like any wireless range claims, you should expect less if you're not in an open field. 

Stabilization is decent. Videos will generally be smooth and professional-looking. However, if you're walking, it will still bounce somewhat with each step, though not jarringly so. All forms of stabilization have trade-offs, and a gimbal this size can only do so much. I found the stabilization to be acceptable overall, but don't expect it to look like you're on rails — unless you are. 

I felt the main body of the Luna Ultra was a little uncomfortable to hold due to its compact size. The area where you can grip is about 3 inches long, which left my pinkie finger floating free with nothing to do. Adding the tripod base makes it longer by about 1.8 inches, which felt about right for my hands. I had a friend with smaller hands test out the Luna Ultra, and while she found it comfortable, she also felt the added length of the tripod base was welcome. If you have larger hands, the optional battery base adds over 2 inches.

Both of these bases move the USB-C input to the back of the camera from the bottom of the main body, which is good, and also add a standard 1/4-20 mount for a selfie stick or full-size tripod. The small extendable tripod "feet" on both, however, are easily the worst part of the Luna's design. They feel like repurposed paper clips and offer only the barest minimum of stability. Given how tall the Luna is, I did not feel comfortable placing it alone on anything but the most level of surfaces.

Accessories

The standard Luna Ultra bundle comes with the tripod base, a case and a wrist strap. Like any camera company, there are also lots of accessories available. Normally, I wouldn't spend too much time reviewing them, but there are a few worth mentioning. These are available separately or packaged with other accessories in one of the many use-case bundles Insta360 puts together. 

The first, and I think worthy, addition for most people is a wide-angle lens adapter . This magnetically snaps onto the lens and gives a wider field of view of approximately 108 degrees compared to the 20-millimeter main lens's approximately 94-degree FOV. You'll get a little more barrel distortion, but I think this FOV looks more appropriate for selfie videos. But then again, I like being a little farther from the camera and have a face for audiobooks . Your visage may be a different story.

There's a spot in the Luna's hardshell case that holds the lens magnetically. I wish you could just leave it attached, but its extra bulk prevents the camera from returning to its normal rest state, where the lens is protected by facing the gimbal arm. That's perfect for pockets and on-the-go recording. With the lens attached, it will still fit in the case, though. It's less convenient but workable. I didn't get to test them, but there are also neutral density filters (for slower shutter speeds in bright light for better motion blur) and a black mist filter (adds a glow or "haze" to the image for a dreamier, less digital look).

For content creator types, a fill light and the aforementioned battery base are probably worthwhile. If you don't want to hold the removable screen, there's also a small wireless mic that has its own E Ink screen that you can program to show just about anything, including preset designs such as emoji, animals and cities. Well, a few cities like Tokyo and New York, but not Los Angeles, so zero stars. It's trash.  Flips table.

The elephant in the room (or next door, anyway)

The biggest competition to the Luna Ultra is, for Americans anyway, nowhere to be found. DJI has ongoing issues with the US government, and it remains to be seen which, if any, of its upcoming products will ever come to the US. That includes the Osmo Pocket 4 , the latest in its successful line of gimbal cameras. Its predecessor, the Pocket 3 , was hugely popular. The 4, however, is not officially available in the US. That means gray market and likely no official warranty. The DJI gear I've reviewed, including the Osmo 360, has had excellent hardware. The Pocket 4 doesn't quite match the Luna Ultra's specs, but it's probably good, and CNET's Andrew Lanxon liked it. It's an interesting alternative that's theoretically less money if you can find one that's not wildly overpriced by questionable resellers.

Gimbaled greatness?

I wasn't expecting to like the Luna Ultra as much as I do. Gimbal cameras, in general, are a bit baffling to me. They've always seemed like an unnecessary extra step when action cameras , 360 cameras or phone gimbals can do the same thing with more flexibility, for less money or both.

During my last trip, several weeks in Japan and Korea , I saw a lot of them. Most people were still using their phones, and, warming my heart, a lot were using real cameras. After that, however, the next biggest group was people with gimbal cameras, not action cameras. Yes, this is anecdotal, but it was largely why I was interested in reviewing the Luna Ultra.

Having spent several weeks with it now, I think I'm a convert. It's easy to slip in and out of a pocket and is ready to go with minimal fuss or setup. The stabilization is good, and the zoom is very usable. The image quality, after a few tweaks anyway, is excellent. I typically make videos only for Instagram, but I think it would work well for anyone looking to do the same, as well as for more serious content creators.

The price, however, is steep. As of this writing, the standard bundle costs $770. For that money, you could get a 360 camera, a traditional action camera or a POV camera like the Go 3S, along with a phone gimbal. Most of those options have a greater range of pan, tilt and rotation than the Luna, though they're much larger.

Together, these options would arguably offer more creative flexibility while costing far less. The cameras would also offer water resistance, something the Luna Ultra notably doesn't have. Some Luna bundles with accessories are pushing $1,000 once you include taxes. I've certainly spent way more than $1,000 on cameras before (and will again, thank you), but that's still a lot of money. If you're not planning to use this camera all the time, I can't recommend buying one for occasional use unless $800 to $1,000 is no big deal for you. An action camera or phone gimbal will cost half as much as the Luna Ultra and get you similar results if you're not pixel peeping.

However, if you're serious about your videos, whether you're an advanced amateur or content creator — or aspire to be either — the Luna Ultra will give you a noticeable improvement in picture quality over phones and many other cameras. It's easy to use, with great features such as the removable screen, and the image quality for both videos and photos is, for the most part, really good. I'll be bringing it on my next adventure, and as someone who strives to pack as light as possible, that's saying something.

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