Insta360 has just announced its new invisible dive case for the X3, solving a long-standing industry challenge and allowing users to finally capture seamless underwater 360 footage, completely nadir-free.
If there’s one accusation I could justifiably level at 360 cameras, it’s that they’re so often found wanting when it comes to capturing underwater footage. Thanks to the magic (pain) of underwater light refraction, you’ve always needed a dive case for your 360 camera to ensure seamless stitching. But the issue is, whether using a GoPro or Insta360 product, there’s always been a “nadir” obstructing the bottom portion of the footage. So while the stitching may be seamless, the bottom of the case is always there, making a nuisance of itself and rendering any truly 360 footage pointless.
While there have been examples of niche brands creating nadir-less underwater housing for certain 360 cameras, these have always tended to be exactly that – very niche, and by default, rather expensive. At £500 to £600 and large and clunky (which makes them less than ideal for carrying around with you on a dive), these are not really aimed at the mass consumer market that GoPros and Insta360 cameras tend to be marketed at.
In the original dive case for the Insta360 X3, the nadir gave the effect of a transparent whale shark swimming towards the view, mouth wide open. Me? Nowhere in sight. This nadir has been the bane of many divers and underwater videographers, ensuring that for as long as the technology has existed, 360 cameras have never really been that viable for filming underwater footage. Until now…
Insta360 gas been busy tinkering behind the scenes and has now proudly announced its “invisible dive case” for the X3 – a case, it claims, finally makes seamless 360 underwater capture possible. Excited (and still a little apprehensive), I headed out on a dive in Lombok, Indonesia, to try out the new case and see if it’s the real deal.
Straight out of the box, you can tell this new dive case is different to the dive case that was originally made for the Insta360 X3. The lens spheres are a fair bit bigger than its predecessor, indicating the tweaks and troubleshooting that Insta360 has undergone to fix this nadir problem. Additionally, it has taken out a few of the buttons on the new case.
Inside the box, you get a nice carrying pouch along with the usual tools such as a lens cloth, screw-tightening tool, and some anti-fog inserts which come in very handy, ensuring you won’t have any problems with the lenses fogging up and ruining your footage. It has even designed the new case with specific slots for your anti-fog inserts, preventing them from moving about and potentially covering a lens while shooting.
The camera fits very snugly in the case and, on closing it, I don’t have any qualms about the claim that this is waterproof up to 50m depths. It feels very high-quality in build – rugged, secure and ready to roll.
Before you start filming, it’s worth pointing out that your X3 should be updated to the very latest firmware and that before it’s put in the case, you’ve enabled the Dive Case Mode. This ensures that you can operate your X3 in the case using just the two buttons on the side (the “power” and “Q” button). It’s a very simple, intuitive move. On top of this, if you really want to achieve the seamless 360 footage that shows no stitch lines and can film you from a third-person angle, you should use the 114cm Invisible Selfie Stick, which is included in the Invisible Dive Kit package.
I mentioned I was apprehensive going into this review. The world of action cams and 360 cameras is highly competitive and there’s always a pressure to be putting out new and innovative products. This can, on occasion, lead to rushed designs and half-finished products with plenty left to be desired. So when a brand claims to have fixed such a huge issue and comes out with these exciting headlines and promises, you try not to get your hopes up in case it’s a false dawn…
However, having tested this new invisible dive case out myself, I’m absolutely delighted to say that Insta360 really has delivered on this one. When I opened up the footage in Insta360 Studio 2023, the software automatically assigned the stitching to “Invisible Dive Case (Underwater)” and the nadir was absolutely nowhere to be seen. Check it out for yourself.
What this new dive case does is enable you to use the X3 underwater in the same way that you would on land, capturing the same clever, innovative and creative shots. As an underwater filmmaker, it’s hard to emphasise how much of a game changer this is.
Previously, to film myself diving with an action camera meant that I was only ever really capturing my head and torso at best, with a little bit of the reef in the background. If I wanted third-person views, I’d have to hand the camera over and rely on my dive buddy to capture them, or hold out a long selfie stick which was always visible in the frame. Suddenly, with this new invisible dive case that stitches out the selfie stick, a world of possibilities is opened up!
Of course, there are always going to be certain limitations at 30m depth with no lighting, but this camera and case was never really designed for the very latest blue-chip David Attenborough documentary. If you’re an amateur or professional diver, casual action camera user or an underwater filmmaker, I really think this new setup is the way to go. Alongside your main underwater camera, you can use this to capture some really cool, alternative third-person shots that add something new and different to your underwater sequences.
The Invisible Dive Case is now available for $99.99. For $569.99, you can purchase the Invisible Dive kit, which gives you the Insta360 X3, the 114cm Selfie Stick, the invisible dive case, a floating hand grip and an X3 lens cap.