DJI and Insta360 Are Swirling Toward a Major Throwdown

Insta360 and DJI are swirling toward one another like two ends of a growing hurricane. As the Insta360-incubated Antigravity drone brand prepares for launch on one end, DJI introduced its first 360-degree camera on the other.

The two companies have been playing in the same pool for some time, but only within the last week have they actively been swimming toward one another. DJI and Insta360 both have produced GoPro-like action cameras in the Osmo Action and the Ace series, respectively, but because neither of them is a leader in that space, it never felt like they were overly concerned with one another. Instead, they each seemed more focused on positioning their products as alternatives to the US-based GoPro, not alternatives to one another.

That is about to change.

DJI’s launch of its first 360-degree camera meant it focused heavily on what it brought to the table versus the competition. Seeing as “the competition” is almost entirely just Insta360, DJI’s marketing aimed directly at what it thinks it does better, with statements like “the Osmo 360 delivers new imaging innovation to elevate existing industry standards” and promises of “the sharpest photos possible on the 360 camera market.”

DJI drew attention to its larger Type 1/1.1 CMOS sensor versus Insta360’s Type 1/1.28, which allows it to be the first 360-degree camera to capture 8Kp50 360-degree video and continuously shoot 8Kp30 video for 100 minutes. That immediately asks buyers to compare that to Insta360, which can record 8K video at up to 30 frames per second and 5.7Kp60 video.

“With the Osmo 360, DJI is challenging the status quo of the 360 camera market,” DJI said.

The status quo is Insta360. DJI wants you to compare certain features against the market leader. It wants this fight.

The story is very similar as we look at the launch of the Antigravity drone brand. DJI dominates the drone market just like Insta360 owns the 360-degree space, so it’s almost a given that Insta360 aimed its marketing for Antigravity squarely at DJI.

With claims that it will “revolutionize the industry,” “enable pilots to experience and capture the world in ways that weren’t possible before,” and a desire to reimagine what a drone can do instead of “compete on specs,” Insta360 is looking at pilots who know DJI and promising them something different — something better.

What is most fascinating about both these brands is that neither has any real competition in their prime spaces and hasn’t for a very long time. For Insta360, there really have not been any other real alternatives since the Ricoh Theta — and while it still exists, it is far from a threat to Insta360’s dominance. Similarly, DJI soundly crushed GoPro, Skydio, and 3D Robotics pretty early on with remarkably better user experiences thanks to significantly better flight and camera technology.

It has been a long time since either of these brands was challenged in its primary product line, and it will be fascinating to see how each ramps up its defenses. Adding to this, both DJI and Insta360 are remarkably better equipped for this fight than their previous competitors ever were, and neither is going to want to give up ground easily.

For now, though, both brands are dancing around calling each other out by name, instead only cheekily inferring who each is talking about. There are two directions this could go. One, DJI and Insta360 could choose to go the Tamron and Sigma route and simply largely ignore each other, perhaps going as far as to never mention each other ever (which never ceases to amuse me).

What I think is more likely is that the two will openly fight with one another, similar to Canon, Nikon, and Sony, who are constantly trying to one-up each other and who regularly compare their products to each other in demonstrations and product briefings.

Whichever happens, both brands are now active competitors and stepping directly into territories the other dominates. Luckily, competition is good and regularly results in better-quality products from all involved. I, for one, can’t wait to see what we get.

Image credits: Elements of header photo licensed via Depositphotos.