Insta360 Luna vs. Luna Pro: Zoom Quality, 4K Vertical Video and Which Camera to Buy

Digital zoom reduces image quality

As you might expect, using digital zoom significantly reduces image quality. The processor does its best to keep footage sharp, but even in the best-case scenario, the loss in detail is noticeable.

If your videos would benefit from a longer focal length, consider the Insta360 Ultra telephoto attachment. The recently released attachment offers 1.5x optical zoom and 4.5x total zoom, equivalent to a 90mm lens.

Unlike digital zoom alone, the attachment keeps images much sharper. In my testing, I saw very little loss in image quality up to 200mm when combining optical and digital zoom. At maximum digital zoom, the setup is equivalent to a 450mm lens, although footage starts to look softer.

Insta360 Luna Ultra now supports 4K vertical video

At launch, the Luna Pro supported 4K vertical video, but the Ultra did not. Insta360 has since added 4K vertical video to the Luna Ultra through a firmware update.

Who should buy an Insta360 Luna camera?

Who needs a Luna or Osmo Pocket camera? Target users include independent filmmakers, journalists and content creators. That is why these cameras are often used by YouTubers and multimedia journalists.

Which Insta360 Luna should you buy?

The Luna Pro is probably the better value for most users. You lose the zoom lens, but save $170. The Ultra makes sense if you want to shoot at longer focal lengths, although I do not think it is worth going beyond the 3x optical zoom.

Insta360 Luna vs. X6 for moving subjects

If you are primarily interested in filming yourself while walking, riding or skateboarding, the Insta360 X6 is also worth considering. You can create similarly stable videos by cropping 360-degree footage.

Both Luna cameras produce slightly better-looking video, but the X6’s 360-degree footage lets you pan shots in post-production, giving you more flexibility. With an X6 and a folding selfie handle, you can achieve a similar experience to using a Luna camera.

The X6 is waterproof and virtually indestructible, allowing it to double as both an action camera and a 360-degree camera. In my opinion, the main question is whether you need higher-quality Luna footage. If so, the Luna camera is the clear winner.