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X4 Air

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 price

Released Oct 2025

vs
Alpha 7 IV

Sony

Alpha 7 IV

33MP hybrid all-rounder with 10-bit 4K 60p and AI-powered subject tracking.

$2,499

Launch price

Released Oct 2021

X4 Air is 4 years newer.

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Wins

3categories

X4 Air

Sports & ActionWildlife

Wins

11categories

Alpha 7 IV

PortraitWildlife

1 categories tied

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

X4 Air wins 0 categories·Alpha 7 IV wins 5 categories
  • BAlpha 7 IV has lower AF low-light limit (-4 EV vs 0 EV)
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher Battery life (CIPA) (580 shots vs -1 shots)
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher AF points / zones (759 vs 0)
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher AF frame coverage (94 % vs 0 %)
  • BAlpha 7 IV has higher ISO max (native) (51,200 vs 3,200)

Key specs at a glance

X4 AirAlpha 7 IV
Resolution29 MP33 MP
Sensor1/1.8"Full Frame
ISO max3,20051,200
Burst20 fps10 fps
4K30 fps60 fps
IBIS7-stop5.5-stop
Weight165 g658 g
Battery-1 shots580 shots

Size and weight, to scale

X4 Air front view

X4 Air

46 × 114 × 37 mm

165 g (0.36 lb / 5.82 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

Alpha 7 IV front view

Alpha 7 IV

131 × 96 × 80 mm

658 g (1.45 lb / 23.21 oz)

X4 Air is 85mm narrower and 43mm thinner than Alpha 7 IV but it is also 17mm taller.

X4 Air is 493 g lighter than Alpha 7 IV.

Depth (front-to-back): 37mm X4 Air · 80mm Alpha 7 IV

Back view, to scale

Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.

X4 Air back view

X4 Air

46 × 114 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Alpha 7 IV back view

Alpha 7 IV

131 × 96 mm

Top view, to scale

Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.

X4 Air top view

X4 Air

46 × 37 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Alpha 7 IV top view

Alpha 7 IV

131 × 80 mm

Sensor size, to scale

Alpha 7 IV

35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame

858 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

X4 Air: mount data unavailable

Alpha 7 IV

✓ more lenses

Sony E

350+

native lenses available

80 first-party270 third-party

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

Use caseX4 AirAlpha 7 IV
Portrait
5.0Fair
9.0Excellent✓ wins
Sports & Action
9.5Excellent✓ wins
6.5Good
Video & Hybrid
5.0Fair
7.5Good✓ wins
Landscape
4.0Fair
7.5Good✓ wins
Travel
7.0Good
7.0Good
Wildlife
9.0Excellent✓ wins
8.0Excellent
Vlogging
6.5Good
8.0Excellent✓ wins

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 658 g — lower is better

  • Burst (electronic)

    20 fps vs 10 fps — higher is better

  • Pre-Capture / Pre-Release

    Only X4 Air supports it

  • Codecs

    Adds AVC, HEVC

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Vehicle

  • IBIS effectiveness

    7 stops vs 5.5 stops — higher is better

Reasons to choose

Alpha 7 IV

  • AF low-light limit

    -4 EV vs 0 EV — lower is better

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    580 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 131.3, 96.4, 79.8

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type A, SD UHS-II

  • ISO max (native)

    51,200 vs 3,200 — higher is better

  • RAW buffer depth

    828 frames vs 120 frames — higher is better

Both cameras share

  • AA filterBoth support aa filter
  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • Animal / bird AFBoth support animal / bird af
  • Internal RAW videoBoth support internal raw video
  • In-body stabilization (IBIS)Both support in-body stabilization (ibis)

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 7 IV

Pros

  • 33MP — more detail for cropping and print
  • 10-bit 4K 60p (Super35 crop) / 4K 30p full-frame
  • Full-size HDMI port
  • 759 phase-detect AF points

Cons

  • 4K 60p requires Super35 crop
  • 10fps burst lags behind R6 II at 40fps
  • Complex menu system

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the X4 Air and Alpha 7 IV at major authorized retailers.

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Full specifications

= category winner

X4 Air
Alpha 7 IV
Resolution
29 MP
33 MP+14%
Sensor type
CMOS
Full Frame Exmor R CMOS
Sensor size
1/1.8"
35.9 × 23.9 mm
AA filter
Yes
Yes
X4 Air
Alpha 7 IV
Aperture
1.95
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
6.4
Field of view
170 °
X4 Air
Alpha 7 IV
Processor
5nm AI chip
BIONZ XR
X4 Air
Alpha 7 IV
ISO min (native)
100
100
ISO max (native)
3,200
51,200+4 stops
ISO max (expanded)
102,400
204,800
X4 Air
Alpha 7 IV
Shutter type
Mechanical + Electronic
Mechanical + Electronic
Max mechanical speed
1/8000 sec
1/8000 sec
Max electronic speed
1/16000 sec
1/8000 sec

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for portraits, X4 Air or Alpha 7 IV?

Alpha 7 IV scores 9.0/10 versus 5.0/10 for X4 Air — 33MP — ample resolution for portraits.

What's the resolution difference between the X4 Air and Alpha 7 IV?

X4 Air is 29 MP and Alpha 7 IV is 33 MP, so the Alpha 7 IV captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the X4 Air and Alpha 7 IV have in-body image stabilization?

X4 Air has 7-stop in-body image stabilization, while Alpha 7 IV has 5.5-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the X4 Air or the Alpha 7 IV?

X4 Air reaches 20 fps electronic. Alpha 7 IV reaches 10 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the X4 Air and Alpha 7 IV?

X4 Air weighs 165 g and Alpha 7 IV weighs 658 g, so the X4 Air is 493 g lighter.

Do the X4 Air and Alpha 7 IV record 4K video?

X4 Air: 4K up to 30p. Alpha 7 IV: 4K up to 60p.

Are the X4 Air and Alpha 7 IV weather sealed?

X4 Air: Yes. Alpha 7 IV: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is -1 shots (CIPA) for the X4 Air and 580 shots for the Alpha 7 IV, giving the Alpha 7 IV the edge.

How much does each cost?

X4 Air launched at $400 and Alpha 7 IV at $2,499. The X4 Air is $2,099 less.

Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.

Add any camera to get a three-way X4 Air vs Alpha 7 IV 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.