Insta360 Flow Announced – Smartphone Gimbal with AI Tracking Stabilizer for Videos

Gimbal News

by Jürgen MoorsMarch 30^th, 2023

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Insta360 is very well known for their wide range of 360-degree cameras like the Insta360 X3, but this is their first phone gimbal launch. The auto-tracking functionality enables your smartphone to follow you or a subject, while 3-axis stabilization should deliver smooth shots. Insta360 Flow comes with a built-in selfie stick, tripod, and power bank, and can now be ordered for $159. Let’s have a closer look to see if this could be the right gimbal for your phone!

We have seen very versatile gimbals for smartphones before. In the autumn of last year, DJI launched the Osmo Mobile 6, the latest generation of smartphone gimbals. Although the design of the new Flow gimbal looks very similar to the Osmo Mobile 6, Insta360 has introduced some new AI tracking technology.

Insta360 Flow – stabilization and AI tracking

Insta360 Flow’s mechanical stabilization claims to guarantee shake-free shots in any likely scenario with the use of AI tracking and 3-axis gimbal stabilization. It should help in situations where the electronic stabilization of a smartphone often fails at filming in low-light environments or when zooming in. Flow’s handheld design and the stabilization features also mean that you aren’t limited to setting up the device in a stationary position to track a subject.

Deep Track 3.0

The AI tracking technology is called Deep Track 3.0 and it enables Insta360 Flow to follow subjects in real time, rotating to follow the movement of the subject and framing shots automatically. Some of the unique technical advantages are:

• Accurate: Person Re-Identification will continue to track the same person throughout a recording even if they’re blocked from view, and All-Angle Tracking will continue to track even as the subject’s shape changes.
• Versatile: Zoom Tracking, Slow Motion Tracking and even Live Mode for tracking while video calling or live streaming in another app like FaceTime, Instagram and TikTok.
• Reliable: Tracking Recovery for when a subject moves out of frame. Flow will keep tracking it by zooming out or following the direction of the movement.
• Gesture Control: solo content creators can set up the tripod and use gesture control to prompt Flow to start tracking hands-free; no need to point the camera or press a button.

All-in-one smartphone content creation tool

The gimbal is advertised as your digital Swiss Army Knife and it claims to be the only smartphone stabilizer that has built all the essential tools into only one device for shooting on-the-go.

• Selfie stick: an extension rod extends to 215mm/8,5in for selfies and low-angle shots
• Tripod: extends from the handle, allowing you to set up Flow to film yourself or capture a creative effect like motion timelapse or a 360 photo
• Power bank: Flow’s 2900mAh battery can charge your smartphone while recording
• Built-in cold shoe: add a microphone for leveled-up audio with no additional accessories

Flow has a foldable design and should be fast and easy to setup. Your smartphone is attached via the magnetic phone clamp, the gimbal unfolds, and you are ready to roll. With your iPhone, the Insta360 app will even detect Flow automatically when the gimbal is attached and send a notification to open the app to connect.

Gimbal controls

Flow features a Smart Wheel that will give you quick and easy access to loads of useful functions from shooting controls to video replay, etc. A swipe of the wheel toggles between four main modes: Auto, Follow, Pan Follow and FPV.

Flow’s Auto mode will automatically adjust gimbal settings based on the user’s movements. There is also an FPV mode that can be used to spin your smartphone and simulate FPV drone-like movements, such as a barrel roll.

Insta360 app

Flow also helps creators with AI-powered shooting and editing tools in the Insta360 app. So if you are not sure how to compose a shot, all you have to do is give a simple voice command and Shot Genie will recommend shooting techniques according to the scene. There are over 80 templates to choose from.

For example, Hoop Mode is a mode for basketball fans. Set Flow to record a game and the AI will track the basketball and hoop to recognize when a basket is made, saving the highlights as individual clips for easy editing into a reel later.

More shooting modes

• Panorama: simply extend the tripod and Flow will snap an immersive panorama in 360°, 240°, 180° or 3×3 grid format. Flow is a smartphone stabilizer capable of shooting 360° photos.
• TimeShift: film a hyperlapse with stabilized, sped-up footage over an interval, great for hiking or traveling.
• Motion Timelapse: set Flow down to film between two points over a specific time period for a dynamic timelapse.
• Dolly Zoom: recreate this classic Hollywood effect with the tap of a button for zooming in and out on a subject.

Flow-battery Life

Insta360 claims that Flow’s battery lasts for 12 hours. You can also charge your phone with it so no additional power bank is needed, and you can keep shooting almost all day.

Insta360 Flow – technical details

Pricing and availability

Insta360 Flow smartphone gimbal stabilizer comes in two different colors, white and grey, and is also available as a Gimbal Stabilizer Creator Kit.

• Insta360 Flow Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer White for $159
• Insta360 Flow Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer Grey for $159
• Insta360 Flow Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer Creator Kit White for $209
• Insta360 Flow Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer Creator Kit Grey for $209

Do you ever use phones for your video work? What do you think about the new Insta360 Flow gimbal? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.