Insta360
X4 Air
Ultralight 165g 8K 360 camera with dual 1/1.8-inch sensors, replaceable lenses, AdaptiveTone exposure, 15m waterproofing, and swappable 2010mAh battery.
$400
Launch priceReleased Oct 2025
Sony
Alpha 1 II
50MP stacked flagship with 30fps RAW, 8K video, and Sony's fastest hybrid performance.
$6,499
Launch priceReleased Nov 2024
X4 Air is 11 months newer.
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Wins
X4 Air
Wins
Alpha 1 II
1 categories tied
Which would you choose?
TL;DR — Key differences
- BAlpha 1 II has lower AF low-light limit (-4 EV vs 0 EV)
- BAlpha 1 II has higher Battery life (CIPA) (520 shots vs -1 shots)
- BAlpha 1 II has higher AF points / zones (759 vs 0)
- BAlpha 1 II has higher AF frame coverage (94 % vs 0 %)
- BAlpha 1 II has higher ISO max (native) (32,000 vs 3,200)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
📸 Snap this size diff to share
X4 Air
46 × 114 × 37 mm
165 g (0.36 lb / 5.82 oz)
Credit card
85.6 × 54 mm
for scale
Alpha 1 II
136 × 97 × 83 mm
743 g (1.64 lb / 26.21 oz)
X4 Air is 90mm narrower and 46mm thinner than Alpha 1 II but it is also 17mm taller.
X4 Air is 578 g lighter than Alpha 1 II.
Depth (front-to-back): 37mm X4 Air · 83mm Alpha 1 II
Back view, to scale
Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.
X4 Air
46 × 114 mm
Credit card
85.6 × 54 mm
Alpha 1 II
136 × 97 mm
Top view, to scale
Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.
X4 Air
46 × 37 mm
Credit card
85.6 × 54 mm
Alpha 1 II
136 × 83 mm
Sensor size, to scale
Alpha 1 II
35.9 × 24 mm · Full Frame
862 mm² area
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
X4 Air: mount data unavailable
Alpha 1 II
✓ more lensesSony E
350+
native lenses available
Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.
Use-case scoring
Which one for what?
Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class
Why pick one over the other
Reasons to choose
X4 Air
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 46, 113.8, 37
Card types
Adds microSD, microSDHC
Weight
165 g vs 743 g — lower is better
Codecs
Adds AVC, HEVC
Subject recognition
Adds Vehicle
Max video bit rate
200 Mbps vs 150 Mbps — higher is better
Reasons to choose
Alpha 1 II
AF low-light limit
-4 EV vs 0 EV — lower is better
Battery life (CIPA)
520 shots vs -1 shots — higher is better
AF points / zones
759 vs 0 — higher is better
AF frame coverage
94 % vs 0 % — higher is better
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 136.1, 96.9, 82.9
Card types
Adds CFexpress Type A, SD UHS-II
ISO max (native)
32,000 vs 3,200 — higher is better
4K max frame rate
120 fps vs 30 fps — higher is better
Both cameras share
- ✓AA filter — Both support aa filter
- ✓ISO min (native) — Both 100
- ✓Eye AF — Both support eye af
- ✓Animal / bird AF — Both support animal / bird af
- ✓Pre-Capture / Pre-Release — Both support pre-capture / pre-release
- ✓Internal RAW video — Both support internal raw video
Pros & cons at a glance
Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.
X4 Air
Pros
- ✓Lightest Insta360 8K 360 (165g)
- ✓Dual 1/1.8-inch sensors (134% more pixel area vs X4)
- ✓8K30 + 6K50 360; 4K single-lens mode
- ✓Replaceable lenses + 15m waterproof
- ✓AdaptiveTone + Portrait Mode
Cons
- –No 8K60 vs X5 flagship
- –8K runtime ~88 min
- –360 workflow needs reframing
- –Fewer pro codecs than X5
Alpha 1 II
Pros
- ✓50MP stacked sensor
- ✓30fps blackout-free burst
- ✓8K 30p video
- ✓Best Sony AF
Cons
- –Very expensive
- –Complex menus
- –Large files
Decided which one is right for you?
Compare live prices for the X4 Air and Alpha 1 II at major authorized retailers.
Insta360 X4 Air
Sony Alpha 1 II
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Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for landscape, X4 Air or Alpha 1 II?
Alpha 1 II scores 9.0/10 versus 4.0/10 for X4 Air — 50.1MP — massive detail for large prints.
What's the resolution difference between the X4 Air and Alpha 1 II?
X4 Air is 29 MP and Alpha 1 II is 50.1 MP, so the Alpha 1 II captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the X4 Air and Alpha 1 II have in-body image stabilization?
X4 Air has 7-stop in-body image stabilization, while Alpha 1 II has 8.5-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the X4 Air or the Alpha 1 II?
X4 Air reaches 20 fps electronic. Alpha 1 II reaches 30 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the X4 Air and Alpha 1 II?
X4 Air weighs 165 g and Alpha 1 II weighs 743 g, so the X4 Air is 578 g lighter.
Do the X4 Air and Alpha 1 II record 4K video?
X4 Air: 4K up to 30p. Alpha 1 II: 8K (max), 4K up to 120p.
Are the X4 Air and Alpha 1 II weather sealed?
X4 Air: Yes. Alpha 1 II: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is -1 shots (CIPA) for the X4 Air and 520 shots for the Alpha 1 II, giving the Alpha 1 II the edge.
How much does each cost?
X4 Air launched at $400 and Alpha 1 II at $6,499. The X4 Air is $6,099 less.
Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.
Add any camera to get a three-way X4 Air vs Alpha 1 II vs X comparison.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed September 2026.
Product images courtesy of Insta360 and Sony press materials.