Insta360 Link Is an AI-Powered 4K Webcam With a 3-Axis Gimbal
Insta360 today revealed its first dedicated webcam called the Link(Opens in a new window).
Rather than simply producing a webcam capable of competing with the best Logitech or Razer has to offer, Insta360 went high-end and included a bunch of premium features combined with some artificial intelligence.
The Link uses a 1/2-inch sensor, which Insta360 says allows the webcam to capture more detail with better dynamic range than other webcams, while also outperforming them in low-light conditions. For comparison, the Logitech Brio uses a 1/4-inch sensor.
In terms of resolution, the Link can handle 720p and 1080p at up to 60fps and 30fps with HDR turned on, but also supports Ultra HD 4K at 30fps. It has a 34mm equivalent focal length, F1.8 aperture, 4x digital zoom, phase detection autofocus supported at a distance of 4-inches to infinity, and the supported video coding formats include H.264 and MJPEG.
The use of AI benefits the Link on several fronts. The webcam is mounted on a 3-axis gimbal allowing AI tracking to follow your face and always keep it centered. There's also four available view modes to take advantage of. DeskView Mode automatically adjusts the camera to focus on your tabletop, Whiteboard Mode uses AI and recognition markers (included) to focus on you or a whiteboard with the aid of hand gestures, Overhead Mode is for when you want to offer a bird's-eye view, and portrait mode aims for the perfect social media live streaming experience by allowing uncropped 9:16 video capture.
The gestures mentioned for Whiteboard Mode can be used at any time to enable/disable AI tracking or to zoom in or out without needing to interact with your keyboard or mouse. There's also built-in privacy protection which automatically
Read more on pcmag.com
