With the advent of the global pandemic, many interview-based television shows have had to adjust to their guests being available at home, and this has usually meant lower-quality webcams due to massive demand.
There are some professional-grade camera packages that higher-end news shows have adopted, shipping them to the guest’s homes and offering setup crews. But they are time-consuming and expensive. Insta360 is changing up the video conferencing game with their new Insta360 Link webcam. And it’s a game changer.
“With the pandemic shifting work to our homes at an unprecedented rate, we saw the opportunity to help people work from home better with our expertise in AI image processing,” said JK Liu, Founder of Insta360.
“Link’s ultra-precise AI tracking algorithms and premium imaging hardware make communicating remotely more intuitive than ever before.”
Image Credit – Insta360
Powered by artificial intelligence, the Insta360 Link captures a premium 4K high dynamic range image from a 1/2” image sensor and a 26mm F/1.8 lens. The webcam is also designed around a 3-axis gimbal which can track and follow the user to keep them in the frame no matter where they go.
The webcam offers several different resolutions and frame rates to choose from, and users can adjust for brightness, exposure, white balance, and other preferences through the additional Insta360 Link Controller software app.
There are also dual microphones with noise canceling features to focus on what the user is saying, and blocking out any ambient noise or unwanted interruptions.
Image Credit – Insta360
There are also several other modes including a picture-in-picture mode for “let’s play” game videos and an HDR mode (in 1080p) to ensure that colors are accurate and that the background isn’t blown out with inconsistent lighting from a nearby window or light source.
Image Credit – Insta360
The Link also enjoys a True Focus autofocus scheme which uses phase detection autofocus and auto exposure technology for incredibly fast focusing.
The AI-driven gesture control tracking, on the other hand, can lock onto the subject and use the camera’s gimbal to follow them throughout the scene with no blurry shots or focus hunting.
Image Credit – Insta360
The gimbal can also be placed in DeskView mode, which tilts the camera down to the desk for showcasing drawings, assemblies, and other overhead angles, and a special whiteboard mode for presentations.
There’s even a portrait mode for going live with vertical video on social media platforms such as Instagram and Tik-Tok.
When the session is completed, the Link camera will go into privacy mode within ten seconds, pointing the camera down so that no one can reactivate it. The Link can also be attached to a computer screen with a built-in clip, or to a tripod with a 1/4-20 mounting point.
The Insta360 Link is compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Google Meet, and various other platforms on both macOS and Windows computers. It is available to order now for $299.99 via insta360.com and select retailers.
If the Insta360 Link lives up to its full potential, it can be much more than a webcam, it’s a full-blown production camera.
[source: Insta360]
Order Link:
Insta360 Link Webcam (B&H)
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