Insta360 Flow Pro review: the dream iPhone gimbal

Insta360
Flow
Pro:
Two-minute
review

You’ll
likely
know
Insta360
for
its
diverse
array
of
cameras,
many
of
which
you’ll
currently
find
on
our
shortlists
of
the

best
action
cameras
and

best
360
cameras,
but
last
year
the
company
branched
out
into
a
new
product
category:
gimbals.

The

Insta360
Flow
broke
onto
the
scene
with
an
impressive
feature
set,
especially
for
the
company’s
first
attempt
at
a
phone
gimbal.
Just
over
a
year
later
and
we
have
its
successor;
in
the

Insta360
Flow
Pro.
Not
only
does
it
address
key
limitations
of
the
original,
but
it
also
sets
itself
apart
from
the
competition
by
being
the
first
gimbal
to
market
with

Apple
DockKit
support.

While
there’s
a
lot
more
to
the
Flow
Pro
than
tighter
Apple
integration
(despite
the
bias,
this
gimbal
does
still
work
with
Android
phones),
it’s
hard
to
overstate
just
how
much
DockKit
support
expands
the
Pro’s
versatility;
for
the
first
time
gaining
the
ability
to
track
subjects
in
third-party
apps.
Everything
from
FaceTime
to
Zoom,

WhatsApp,
Filmic
Pro
and
beyond,
can
now
benefit
from
the
Flow
Pro’s
three-axis
stabilization.

A
near-identical
design
to
its
predecessor,
the
Flow
Pro
packs
down
impressively
small
and
yet
can
be
setup
in
seconds;
thanks
in-part
to
its
magnetic
mounting
system.
The
gimbal’s
overly-stocky
handle
is
one
of
its
weaker
design
elements,
but
it
does,
at
least,
once
again
conceal
a
tripod
and
selfie
stick;
making
it
a
more
versatile
self-contained
offering
than
the
likes
of
the
Hohem
iSteady
M6,
for
example.

10-hours
of
run-time
from
an
integrated
2,900mAh
battery
is
respectably
middle
of
the
pack
on
paper,
but
proved
more
than
ample
for
the
gimbal-specific
shots
I
wanted
to
capture
during
testing.
What’s
more,
the
use
of
dual
USB-C
ports
adds
extra
convenience,
as
it
doubles
as
a
power
bank;
not
only
extending
shooting
time,
but
also
as
a
back-up,
if
you’re
ever
caught
short
with
low
battery
on
your
phone.

Between
its
slick
design,
holistic
capture,
organization
and
editing
experience
(provided
by
Insta360’s
companion
app),
and
the
wealth
of
additional
functionality
the
Flow
Pro
delivers,
it’s
hard
to
argue
with
this
successor
to
the
brand’s
debut
gimbal.

DockKit
support
is
a
little
limited
in
its
implementation
right
now,
but
that’s
something
Apple
needs
to
work
on,
not
Insta360.
Otherwise,
the
Flow
Pro
is
an
incredibly
competent
smartphone
gimbal
that
offers
more
value
than
its
predecessor
and
serves
as
a
more
unique
proposition
compared
to
what
else
the
market
has
to
offer.

Insta360
Flow
Pro
review:
Price
&
availability

• 
  Announced
  6
  July
  2024
• 
  $149
  /
  £139
  /
  AU$229
  list
  price
  for
  standalone
  kit 
• 
  $10
  /
  £6
  /
  AU$10
  cheaper
  than
  the
  original
  Flow

Unveiled
a
little
over
a
year
on
from
the
company’s
debut
gimbal,
the
Flow
Pro
manages
to
offer
greater
functionality
than
its
predecessor
at
a
lower
starting
price
of
$149
/
£139
/
AU$229.
It’s
admittedly
not
a
lot
lower
(only
$10
/
£6
/
AU$10),
but
a
reduction
is
a
reduction
that
amounts
to
more
for
less.

Insta360
also
serves
the
Flow
Pro
up
with
a
tripod
bundle
that
–
for
a
little
extra
–
nabs
you
a
threaded
tripod
accessory
too.
You
can
pick
the
Pro
up
(as
well
as
its
respective
bundles)
directly
from

Insta360’s
site
or
third-party
retailers
like

Amazon
for
the
same
price.

The
Flow
Pro’s
most
established
rival
–
the

DJI
Osmo
Mobile
6
–
launched
in
late
2022
for
$159
/
£145
/
AU$239,
but
has
since
dropped
to
$139
/
£125
/
AU$204.
The
far
more
recently
released
Hohem
iSteady
V3
costs
$149
/
£129
/
AU$219,
while
the
updated
Zhiyun
Smooth
5S
AI
comes
in
at:
$169
/
£169
(it’s
not
available
in
Australia
at
the
time
of
writing,
but
based
on
the
trajectory
of
previous
models,
will
be
soon)
or
$219
/
£219
if
you
want
the
additional
magnetic
AI
module,
which
provides
more
comparable
tracking
to
the
Flow
Pro.

All
in,
the
Flow
Pro
seems
fairly
priced
at
the
middle
of
the
pack
with
regards
to
features
and
value
against
the
competition.

• 
  Value
  score:
  4.5
  /
  5

Insta360
Flow
Pro
review:
Specs

Insta360
Flow
Pro
review:
Design

• 
  Integrated
  tripod,
  selfie
  stick
  and
  cold
  shoe
• 
  Tracking
  ring
  light
  is
  a
  great
  addition
• 
  Handle
  is
  on
  the
  short
  side

Despite
packing
a
near-identical
design
and
similarly-sized
2,900mAh
battery
as
its
predecessor,
Insta360
has
managed
to
make
the
Flow
Pro
a
fraction
lighter
(by
three
grams),
clocking
in
at
366
grams,
unladen.

Even
with
a
phone
attached
(mine
spent
most
of
its
time
connected
to
a
187-gram

iPhone
15
Pro),
wrist
fatigue
was
minimal
for
the
lengths
and
styles
of
shot
I
was
capturing.
Unless
you
plan
on
capturing
a
Kubrickesque
number
of
takes
without
a
break,
it
shouldn’t
prove
cumbersome
in
normal
shooting
scenarios.

Image
1
of
2

Included
clamp
magnetic
mount
(left)
and
MagSafe-compatible
mount
(right),
sold
separately.

The
magnetic
clamp
mount
launched
as
part
of
the
original
Insta360
Flow
(pictured).

Attaching
a
phone
is
simple
enough,
with
an
included
sprung
clamp
that
grips
your
phone
tightly
and
snaps
on
with
impressively
strong
magnets
to
the
head
of
the
Flow
Pro.
Work
has
been
done
to
the
clamp’s
design
in
order
to
avoid
it
pressing
the
buttons
located
towards
to
center
edges
of
most
devices,
but
in
practice
erroneous
presses
seemed
unavoidable,
in
spite
of
the
thoughtful
design.

The
silver
lining
is
a
new

MagSafe-compatible
mount,
which
Insta360
launched
alongside
the
Flow
Pro.
It
works
with
any
of
the

best
iPhones
that
are
MagSafe-compatible,
as
well
as
cases
for
other
phones
that
also
support
the
standard,
and
was
my
preferred
mounting
method.
Just
note
that
this
isn’t
included
with
the
Flow
Pro,
it
doesn’t
allow
the
attachment
of
accessories
like
the
Insta360
Spotlight
(which
snaps
neatly
onto
the
included
clamp
mount
just
fine),
and
it
will
set
you
back
an
additional
$19.99
/
£19.99
/
AU$34.99.

The
Pro
is
clad
in
nicely-finished
light
gray
plastic,
with
a
smoky
translucent
spine
to
the
gimbal’s
main

arm
(which
Insta360
sells
inserts
for,
should
you
wish
to
give
your
Flow
Pro
a
more
unique
look),
that
also
conceals
a
cold
shoe;
a
rarity
on
most
gimbals
of
this
caliber
that
gives
the
Pro
an
edge;
ideal
for
mounting
accessories
like
a
mic
receiver.
What’s
more,
an
integrated
selfie
stick
(that
although
stiff
to
extend)
allows
for
a
more
ergonomic
angled
grip
on
the
handle,
also
providing
up
to
215mm
of
additional
reach.

Image
1
of
3

The
included
tripod
is
convenient,
if
a
little
flimsy.

If
possible,
pair
the
Flow
Pro
with
a
dedicated
tripod,
for
maximum
stability.

The
selfie
stick
is
difficult
to
extend
on
a
box-fresh
Flow
Pro,
but
undeniably
useful.

At
the
other
end
of
the
handle
is
a
concealed
tripod,
which
pulls
out
and
splits
apart.
Despite
being
more
robust
than
the
spindly
legs
of
the
equivalent
system
on
the
Hohem
iSteady
V3,
you
still
need
a
stable,
flat
surface
(and
calm
conditions,
if
you’re
shooting
outside)
to
use
it
reliably;
as
it’s
not
the
most
sturdy
foundation.

The
base
also
features
a
standard
tripod
thread,
which
when
you
consider
that
Insta360
also
sells
the
Flow
Pro
as
part
of
a
tripod
bundle,
suggests
that
the
company
knows
the
built-in
option
should
be
considered
a
fallback.

For
everything
that
the
Flow
Pro’s
handle
manages
to
contain
(all
of
the
gimbal’s
physical
controls
live
there
too),
like
the
last
model,
it’s
on
the
short
side;
meaning
you
need
to
keep
a
really
firm
grip
on
what
little
purchase
it
does
provide,
in
order
to
wield
it
securely.
Extending
but
not
separating
the
integrated
tripod
(see
image
above),
or
attaching
separate
tripod
legs
via
the
provided
thread
goes
some
way
to
help
extend
the
handle,
but
neither
augmentation
really
solves
the
problem
completely,
ergonomically
speaking.
The
Flow
Pro
does
at
least
come
with
a
silicone
handle
cover
(as
seen
in
all
the
pictures
in
this
review),
which
adds
a
notable
amount
of
grip.

Controls
consist
of
a
trigger
on
the
back
of
the
handle,
while
on
the
front
of
the
handle
you’ll
find
three
buttons,
a
four-way
joystick
and
a
jog
wheel.
What
isn’t
immediately
obvious
is
that
the
black
circular
control
panel
is
itself
also
a
touch
surface,
and
the
most
tactile
way
two
switch
between
four
of
the
gimbal’s
main
modes.

Don’t
been
fooled
by
the
Flow
Pro’s
seemingly
minimalist
control
scheme,
though.
Practically
every
one
of
these
physical
elements
works
double
or
triple
duty,
based
on
the
number
of
presses
used
or
mode
set.
Learning
how
to
navigate
all
of
them
effectively
takes
some
getting
used
to,
with
the
touchpad
proving
the
least
elegant
and
ergonomic.

On
balance,
the
addition
of
a
green
LED
ring
just
above
the
control
panel
that
lets
you
know
when
tracking
is
engaged
from
almost
any
angle
is
an
ingenious
addition,
which
helps
you
know
what’s
going
on
when
shooting
solo
and
unable
to
view
your
phone’s
screen.

For
all
the
Flow
Pro
offers
in
addition
to
its
fundamental
gimbal
components,
it
packs
down
impressively
small,
and
can
be
collapsed
or
redeployed
in
sections,
with
a
self-balancing
setup
that
makes
the
process
of
being
stowed
to
ready-for-action
impressively
quick
and
easy,
and
a
far
cry
from
higher-end
offerings,
meant
for
dedicated
cameras
used
by
professionals.

• 
  Design
  score:
  4
  /
  5

Insta360
Flow
Pro
review:
Features

• 
  Unlike
  predecessor,
  supports
  360-degree
  infinite
  pan
• 
  2,900mAh
  battery
  can
  double
  as
  a
  power
  bank
• 
  First
  gimbal
  to
  market
  with
  Apple
  DockKit
  support
  for
  200+
  apps

Perhaps
one
of
the
bigger
limitations
of
the
original
Insta360
Flow
was
its
range
of
motion.
With
the
Flow
Pro,
the
horizontal
pan
motor
has
been
redesigned
to
allow
for
continuous
360-degree
rotation.
You
could
theoretically
rotate
the
Flow
Pro
clockwise
or
anti-clockwise
as
many
times
as
you
like,
adding
greater
versatility
to
the
kinds
of
shots
capable;
especially
when
capturing
using
automated
tracking,
timelapses
or
360
photos.

The
Insta360
app
is
where
you
can
access
the
bulk
of
the
Flow
Pro’s
functionality,
with
ten
dedicated
shooting
modes;
ranging
from
simple
photo
and
video
capture,
to
Hoop
Mode
(specialized
basketball
game
recording),
timelapses
and
more.
You
can
also
drill
down
and
–
depending
on
the
mode
–
access
additional
features
like

HDR
capture
or
Apple
ProRes
recording,
on
iPhones
that
support
it.

These
capture
modes
work
in
tandem
with
the
gimbal’s
six
modes
of
stabilization:

• Auto
  –
  follows
  your
  pan
  and
  tilt
  movements,
  with
  automated
  adaptive
  sensitivity.
• Follow
  –
  follows
  your
  pan
  and
  tilt
  movements,
  with
  high
  sensitivity.
• Pan
  Follow
  –
  follows
  your
  pan
  movements,
  while
  keeping
  the
  tilt
  and
  roll
  axes
  locked.
• FPV
   –
  follows
  movement
  on
  all
  three
  axes.
  Jog
  wheel
  now
  controls
  roll
  axis
  instead
  of
  zoom.
• Lock
   –
  ignores
  movement
  through
  all
  three
  axes
  while
  trigger
  is
  held.
• Active
  Plus –
  brings
  increased
  sensitivity
  and
  responsiveness
  to
  Auto,
  Follow,
  Pan
  Follow
  and
  FPV
  modes,
  by
  pressing
  and
  then
  quickly
  pressing
  again
  but
  this
  time
  holding
  the
  trigger.

The
Insta360
app
also
contains
tutorials,
its
own
album
and
an
impressively
powerful
editor,
with
predefined
themes
to
make
cutting
clips
together
as
painless
as
possible.
You
do
also
have
the
option
to
edit
manually,
if
you
prefer,
with
the
ability
to
add
music,
effects
and
more,
all
provided
in-app.
Insta360
has
clearly
worked
hard
to
build
a
robust
production
pipeline
for
its
products,
and
the
result
is
impressive,
even
if
it
comes
with
a
learning
curve.

There’s
also
the
matter
of
the
Flow
Pro’s
currently-unique
party
piece:
Apple
DockKit
support.
Provided
you’re
OK
leaving
the
depth
of
the
Insta360
app
behind,
DockKit
delivers
native
face
tracking
across

approximately
200
apps,
with
a
list
that
continues
to
grow
all
the
time.
It’s
a
truly
impressive
bonus
that
grants
extra
utility
to
the
Flow
Pro
over
its
competition;
making
it
a
great
tool
for
everything
from
video
conferencing
via
Zoom,
to
motion-tracked
footage
while
recording
via
the
BlackMagic
Camera
app.

As
is
stands,
DockKit
tracking
is
only
available
when
capturing
video,
which
means
you
can’t
use
it
to
frame
a
time-delayed
photo,
for
example,
but
for
the
first
of
its
kind,
this
new
support
means
the
Flow
Pro
is
suddenly
far
more
competent
outside
of
its
native
app
than
any
of
its
respective
competitors.

To
clarify,
DockKit
is
an
Apple-owned
technology,
meaning
Android
phones
are
left
out
in
the
cold
when
it
comes
to
the
same
third-party
support
(and
remain
confined
to
the
Insta360
app
which,
admittedly,
isn’t
much
of
a
hardship).
Provided
you
have
an
iPhone
12
or
newer
–
running

iOS
17
or
newer,
you
should
be
good
to
go
for
DockKit.

Pairing
for
DockKit
support
takes
place
by
a
new
integrated
NFC
tag,
right
above
the
gimbal’s
main
controls.
When
tapping
your
iPhone
to
it
for
the
first
time,
you
see
an
AirPods-like
card
pop
up
to
initiate
pairing,
after
which
point
the
gimbal
will
forever
whir
into
action
when
it’s
switched
on
while
you’re
in
a
DockKit-supported
app;
a
truly
snappy
and
seamless
setup
which
Android
has
no
direct
comparison
for.

Beyond
its
fundamental
function
as
a
three-axis
smartphone
gimbal,
even
when
powered
off,
the
Flow
Pro’s
design
also
means
you’re
carrying
around
a
selfie
stick
and
a
tripod
too,
not
to
mention
the
keen-eyed
amongst
you
who
spotted
the
gimbal’s

pair
of
USB-C
ports;
one
near
the
physical
controls,
used
for
power
in
(i.e.
charging
the
gimbal),
and
one
hidden
underneath
the
shorter
tilt
axis
arm
of
the
Flow
Pro.

This
second
port
is
actually
a
power-out,
meant
to
keep
accessories
like
the
aforementioned
Insta360
Spotlight
shining.
However,
it
also
allows
for
power
bank-like
functionality,
meaning
your
phone
can
keep
itself
topped
up
from
the
Pro’s
2,900mAh
internal
battery,
be
it
as
a
means
to
extend
shooting
time,
or
simply
for
those
times
when
you
need
to
recharge
your
phone
after
a
long
day.

• 
  Features
  score:
  5
  /
  5

Insta360
Flow
Pro
review:
Performance

• 
  2,900mAh
  10-hour
  battery
• 
  Control
  ergonomics
  could
  be
  better
• 
  Control
  over
  tracking
  experience
  within
  DockKit
  remains
  limited

Besides
the
learning
curve
demanded
by
the
multi-functional
hardware
controls,
the
Flow
Pro’s
improved
range
of
motion,
compared
to
its
predecessor
and
whisper-quiet
brushless
motors
–
on
top
of
the
Swiss
Army
Knife
of
additional
functionality
it
already
offers
–
render
it
an
incredibly
competent
option,
if
you’re
in
the
market
for
a
smartphone
gimbal,
right
now.

Despite
the
cited
two-hour
reduction
in
battery
longevity
versus
the
original
Flow,
it
took
three
days
of
real-world
usage
to
see
the
battery
percentage
drop
down
below
75%
charge,
during
my
time
with
it,
meaning
most
will
find
the
Flow
Pro’s
battery
life
wholly
reliable
on
shoot
days.
Fast
charging
to
storm
past
the
current
two-hour
full
recharge
time
would
be
one
area
of
improvement
Insta360
should
consider
going
forward,
but
rivals
are
generally
slower,
while
also
falling
short
on
use-time
per
charge.

There
are
also
promised
features
that
suggest
the
Flow
Pro
is
actually
going
to
continue
to
improve
over
time,
with
iOS’
Cinematic
Mode
reportedly
set
to
work
with
the
Apple’s
DockKit
protocol
by
the
time

iOS
18
rolls
around.

Its
ergonomics
aren’t
perfect,
with
Hohem’s
iSteady
V3
letting
you
pull
the
controls
out
of
the
gimbal
completely
for
more
comfortable
and
remote
operation,
while

DJI
managed
to
include
rotation
speed
control
within
the
OM
6’s
joystick
(speed
for
the
effect
of
the
Flow
Pro’s
joystick
can
only
be
altered
in
the
Insta360
app).

As
the
video
above
highlights,
the
stability
provided
by
the
Flow
Pro
is
a
clear
step-up
from
even
the
best
iPhone’s
in-camera
stabilization
system,
however,
it
doesn’t
iron
the
bounce
of
regular
footfall
completely.
So,
as
numerous
experienced
gimbal
users
have
suggested
already,
considered
physicality
to
optimize
the
smoothness
of
final
footage
is
still
recommended
(Google
‘gimbal
ninja
walk’
for
more
insight
on
this).

The
test
footage
also
highlights
Insta360’s
Deep
Track
3.0
technology,
which
does
a
stirling
job
of
keeping
tabs
on
people,
pets
or
objects
as
set
up,
but
is
more
likely
to
throw
in
the
towel
when
tracking
conditions
become
less
than
ideal,
when
shooting
handheld
(if
tracking
was
lost
while
I
used
the
gimbal
freehand,
rather
than
on
a
stable
surface,
object
tracking
would
disable
itself
after
losing
the
target
for
mere
seconds,
while
it
proved
far
more
tenacious
when
set
down
on.

• 
  Performance
  score:
  4.5
  /
  5

Should
you
buy
the
Insta360
Flow
Pro?

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

Insta360
Flow
Pro
review:
Also
consider

While
it’s
easy
to
see
the
benefits
of
the
Insta360
Flow
Pro,
there
are
identifiable
shortcomings
that
rivals
below
address
in
one
area
or
another.

How
I
tested
the
Insta360
Flow
Pro

• 
  Review
  test
  period:
  three
  weeks
• 
  Tested
  with:
  iPhone
  15
  Pro,
  Google
  Pixel
  7
  Pro,
  Insta360
  app
  +
  various
  iOS
  apps
  w/
  camera
  support
• 
  Test
  conditions:
  Carried
  the
  Insta360
  Flow
  Pro
  around
  with
  me
  and
  used
  it
  to
  shoot
  the
  test
  footage
  featured
  in
  this
  review,
  as
  well
  as
  additional
  unfeatured
  footage,
  plus
  use
  in
  apps
  like
  Facebook
  Messenger

Having
picked
the
Insta360
Flow
Pro
up
from
TechRadar’s
offices,
I
immediately
set
about
familiarizing
myself
with
the
hardware,
how
it
collapses
down
and
deploys,
how
the
additional
accessories
Insta360
had
sent
as
part
of
the
review
functioned
(and
how
they
differed
from
the
in-box
contents)
and
then
started
to
film
with
it.

It
took
a
decent
amount
of
time
to
become
au
fait
with
the
button
combinations
needed
to
quickly
move
to
the
modes
and
setup
I
typically
preferred,
but
once
learnt,
it
made
from
an
impressively
quick
way
to
jump
to
elevated
smartphone
videography,
quickly.

As
well
as
filming
when
out
and
about,
with
the
evidently
strong
battery
longevity,
I
used
the
Flow
Pro
as
an
elaborate
a
desktop
phone
holder,
using
its
DockKit
talents
to
upgrade
video
calls
with
colleagues
and
friends,
while
also
using
it
as
a
power
bank
when
I
couldn’t
find
my
phone
charger
on
a
couple
of
occasions.

As
a
reviewer
with
13
years
experience,
and
having
reviewed
numerous
smartphones,
alongside
camera-centric
smartphone
accessories,
I
felt
confident
assessing
and
scoring
the
Insta360
Flow
Pro
in
the
context
of
the
wider
smartphone
gimbal
market
in
which
it
competes.

Read
more
about
how
we
test

First
reviewed
August
2024