Insta360 Ace vs Ricoh Theta X
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Overview of the Insta360 Ace
Insta360 AceInsta360's budget action camera: 6K video and a flipscreen
The Ace is Insta360's entry level action camera but shares a lot of features with it's premium brother, the Insta360 Ace Pro. The main difference being the sensor technology, which although not as advanced, still offers very good performance, with video up to 6K.
- Pros
- Great image stabilization
- Flip screen
- Weather proof
- Cons
- Heavy
- Average audio
Overview of the Ricoh Theta X
Comparison of the Ace vs the Theta X
Weight and size
The Ace is a lot more compact than the Theta X. Both the Ace and the Theta X have similar weights.
Insta360 Ace
71.9mm x 52.15mm x 38.5mm / 2.83in x 2.05in x 1.52in
6.24oz / 176.8g
Features
Dimensions
Weight
Ricoh Theta X
51.7mm x 136.2mm x 29mm / 2.04in x 5.36in x 1.14in
6oz / 170g
Why size and weight matter:
Weight is important for action cameras because we often mount them on helmets, or hold them at the end of a selfie stick while moving. Therefore a heavier camera can be dvifficult to use or uncomfortable. Weight is even more crucial for certain sports like road cycling or running.
Battery life
The Ace offers a much larger battery capacity. The Ace has a removable battery whereas the Theta X's battery is not removable
Insta360 Ace
1700mAh
Removable
100min at 4K30fps HDR
Features
Battery capacity
Removable battery
Battery life
Ricoh Theta X
1350mAh
Non removable
30min 5.7K30fps 360° and 55min 4K30fps 360°
Why battery life matters:
Nothing worse than running out of battery just before capturing the best footage of the day! A long battery life is reassuring and convenient when shooting footage outdoors where options to charge are limited. Even the use of a power bank can be tedious or simply impossible like when filming watersports. Having removeable batteries allows battery swapping on the go which further extends your runtime.
Storage
Only the Theta X features built-in storage. Both the Ace and the Theta X support SD cards.
Insta360 Ace
No built-in storage
microSD
Features
Built-in storage
Storage format
Ricoh Theta X
46GB
microSDXC
Why storage matters:
High quality footage can quickly take up lots of space and insufficient storage can soon be frustrating. Having a large amount of storage and the possiblity to extend it or swap SD cards while on a outing will ensure you will always be able to capture the footage you want. However, smaller, wearable action cameras often rely on built-in storage because of their small size.
Video performance
Only the Ace offers HDR video.
Insta360 Ace
5.3K video at 30fps
4k 30fps
Features
Max resolution
HDR video
Ricoh Theta X
4K video at 60fps
HDR video unsupported
Camera and sensor technology
The Theta X features a much higher resolution. The Ace features a much higher bit rate than the Theta X
Insta360 Ace
48MP
157°
170Mbps
Features
Pixels
Field of view
Video bite rate
Ricoh Theta X
60MP
Feature missing
120Mbps
Camera settings
The Ace's 100-6400 ISO range is far superior to Theta X's. The Ace's +/-4 exposure compensation is far superior.
Insta360 Ace
100-6400
+/-4
Features
ISO range
Exposure Compensation
Ricoh Theta X
50-3200
+/-2
Ace vs Theta X specifications
| Name | Insta360 Ace | Ricoh Theta X |
| Year of release | 2023 | 2022 |
| Width | 2.83in / 71.9mm | 2.04in / 51.7mm |
| Height | 2.05in / 52.15mm | 5.36in / 136.2mm |
| Depth | 1.52in / 38.5mm | 1.14in / 29mm |
| Weight | 6.24oz / 176.8g | 6oz / 170g |
| Waterproof | 33ft / 10m | - |
| Waterproof with diving case | 197ft / 60m | 131ft / 40m |
| Min operating temperature | -4°F / -20°C | 32°F / 0°C |
| Max operating temperature | 104°F / 40°C | 104°F / 40°C |
| Battery capacity | 1700mAh | 1350mAh |
| Removable battery | Yes | - |
| Battery life | 100min at 4K30fps HDR | 30min 5.7K30fps 360° 55min 4K30fps 360° |
| Charging time | 70min (5V/3A) | - |
| Built-in storage | - | 46GB |
| Storage format | microSD | microSDXC |
| Storage rating required | V30 or UHS-3 | V30 |
| Maximun storage supported | 1Tb | - |
| Rear screen size | 2.4in | 2.25in |
| Front screen size | Yes | - |
| Field of view | 157° | - |
| Sensor | 1/2" | 1/1.7" BSI-COMS |
| Pixels | 48MP | 60MP |
| Aperture | F2.4 | F2.4 |
| Focal length | 16mm | - |
| ISO range | 100-6400 | 50-3200 |
| Video zoom | 4x | - |
| Color Depth | 8bit | 8bit |
| Video bite rate | 170Mbps | 120Mbps |
| Exposure Compensation | +/-4 | +/-2 |
| 360-degree video | No | Yes |
| 5.7K 360 video | - | 30fps |
| 4K 360 video | - | 60fps |
| 5.3K video | 30fps | - |
| 4K video | 120fps | 60fps |
| 2.7K video | 120fps | 100fps |
| 1440p video | 60fps | - |
| 1080p video | 240fps | - |
| Slow motion at 4K | 4x | - |
| Maximum slow motion | 8x at 1080p | - |
| HDR video | 4k 30fps | - |
| Stabilization | Flowstate | - |
| Horizon lock | Yes | Yes |
| Video format | H.265 (HEVC) | H.264 (MP4) |
| Webcam mode | - | Yes |
| Timelapse mode | Yes | Yes |
| Starlapse mode | Yes | - |
| Timeshift mode | Yes | Yes |
| Loop recording mode | Yes | Yes |
| Photo burst mode | Yes | - |
| RAW format supported | Yes | Yes |
| Microphones | 3 | 1 |
| Stereo audio | Yes | No |
| Noise reduction | Yes | Yes |
| Audio format | aac | aac |
| Audio bluetooth support | Bluetooth headsets | - |
| Wifi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | BLE 5.2 | BLE 5.0 |
| USB | USB-C | Type-C USB |
| GPS integrated | No | Yes |
| GPS pairing | iOS Application Android Application | - |
| Voice commands | Yes | - |
| Gesture commands | Yes | - |