Revolutionize Your Mac with the Insta360 Link 2: The Ultimate 4K Webcam Experience!

The Joy of Remote Meetings

I often find myself participating in remote meetings. I dislike appearing with poor image quality. I can’t stand, for instance, watching people on TV using the built-in webcam of their laptops, which inherently delivers poor quality and framing. Or worse: being interviewed over their phone in their car. What’s with the trend of filming oneself in a car anyway?

So, I try to use a good webcam and a quality microphone. In 2021, I purchased the Logitech StreamCam and the Shure MV7 to ensure optimal image and sound quality.

While I’m very pleased with the microphone, which I believe is good value for money, I was quite disappointed with the StreamCam. Its display is blurry, it requires a lot of light, and its 1080p resolution feels insufficient today. This is especially problematic since my office is generally as well-lit as the mines of Moria. The situation didn’t improve when I upgraded my computer this year. My screen is a Studio Display, and its built-in webcam is unfortunately known for its suboptimal image quality.

Continuity

Having also recently acquired a new iPhone 16 Pro, I thought I could use the Continuity feature that turns the phone into a high-end webcam. I was very satisfied with it, as the image quality was exceptional. I even bought a special stand for it.

Unfortunately, during a Zoom session, the camera kept blurring the image completely. Apparently, this is a known issue. It seems the image freezes with each phone notification. One solution could be to switch the phone to airplane mode. Also, it bothered me that Continuity monopolizes the phone. So, I decided to look for a permanent solution: having a dedicated webcam that I don’t need to frequently plug and unplug is simply better.

I came across the Insta360 Link 2 in my research and decided to give it a try.

Two Webcams with Similar Features

The Insta360 Link is available in two versions: the 2, which has a support allowing it to follow you, and the 2C, which is stationary. Both webcams share the same hardware, so they have the same image quality because they use the same sensor and lens. The only physical difference, other than the gimbal-type support for the 2, is a button to physically close the lens for the 2C.

I personally tested the 2 with its motorized gimbal for automatic tracking. In the box, you’ll find the webcam, a foldable magnetic stand, a USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, documentation, and special stickers for whiteboard mode.

Software

The webcam works as soon as you plug it in. To take advantage of additional features, you need to install the Insta360 Link Controller software. Saying it has a plethora of features would be an understatement.

The Insta360 Link is a 4K-compatible webcam, with 30 frames per second (fps). You can switch to 1080p and 720p, still at 30 fps, or to 25 and 24 fps.

The webcam integrated into the Apple Studio Display has a feature called Center Stage, which always centers the filmed person. Unfortunately, this results in quality loss, as the webcam is forced to digitally zoom in, thus degrading the resolution. This centering feature is available with the Insta360 Link 2, but thanks to its gimbal, it’s the camera that moves and follows you without loss of resolution (except when it zooms). The tracking is very fast, and it’s always satisfying to see the camera move in real time. Even in low light situations, the tracking is very effective.

To avoid the constant tracking effect, which can be a bit disorienting, giving a bit of a seasick feeling, you can set a pause tracking zone. That is, once you reach this zone, the webcam remains stationary as long as you don’t move out of it.

You can use the smart framing tool that frames you in three different ways: head, half-body, or full body.

If you want to frame yourself manually, you can: you can adjust the camera’s position and its zoom directly from the application. The software allows you to save several different presets, framing included.

Another interesting feature: whiteboard recognition. The webcam can automatically recognize a whiteboard, or you can create one by placing stickers at the four corners of a document. I haven’t tested this feature, but it would have been very useful during the lockdown when I had to give lectures remotely. Also, the webcam can reposition itself to film your desk, which can be useful.

All these features are accessible on mobile through a web app. However, I had trouble using it: connection problems, latency, in short, I didn’t dwell on it.

Image Settings

The main attraction of the Insta360 Link 2, besides its gimbal, is its 4K resolution. The software allows you to manipulate everything: exposure, shutter speed, exposure curve, focus, image temperature, brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and more. If you have a window behind your desk, it can create backlighting that detracts from image quality. The Insta360 Link 2 has an HDR setting that helps mitigate this issue.

I admit that I left everything on automatic, but those more knowledgeable than me, such as photographers, can adjust everything to get an image that suits them. For my part, by leaving everything on automatic, the image quality satisfies me. It’s possible to save your image setting preferences, which is convenient.

Virtual Background

You can choose virtual backgrounds that are provided by the software. You can also add photos to use as backgrounds. Overall, I find this feature to be improvable, due to somewhat crude outlining.

However, one background that I really like and think I will often use is called Bokeh. It’s a slight blur effect that simulates focusing with a large aperture lens. As the blur effect is mild, the outlining is less annoying. It’s also possible to adjust the intensity of the blur.

Touching Up Your Makeup

The software has a feature that made me smile: you can add a makeup effect. So I immediately tried the Fresh and Pink effects to improve my complexion. My first disappointment: these effects are not available in 4K.

These makeup effects are similar to filters found in just about any app today. Now I know what I look like with smoothed features and a bit of gloss on my lips. My kids got a good laugh out of it. More seriously, filters are offered to compensate for your lighting. For example, the neon filter warms up the image to counteract the too-white lighting of some office lights.

Microphone Sound Quality

The webcam has only one microphone but uses algorithms (nowadays, AI is mentioned everywhere…) to improve quality, but it’s no miracle worker. If you often have remote meetings, I strongly recommend having a dedicated microphone if you want good sound quality. However, the quality of the microphone is decent, certainly much better than what’s found on the Apple Studio Display and the Logitech StreamCam. Background noises are better masked, and the voice appears clearer. The application offers several audio modes that process to isolate your voice by filtering out background noises. It works decently even though it can add some artifacts.

Image Comparison

Here’s a small comparison with the webcams I have at my disposal. Note that everything was taken leaving the respective software on automatic. It’s therefore possible to get better image quality by configuring the image settings as you wish. I compared the Insta360 Link 2 with a Logitech StreamCam, the built-in webcam of the Apple Studio Display, and my iPhone 16 Pro used with Continuity mode.

Tripod

I also got a tripod to position the webcam as I please. Essential for those using it on their laptop screen. Otherwise, it’s too low (even though the gimbal raises it a bit) and the camera looks up your nose.

The tripod is very practical and works well, nothing to complain about on that front.