GoPro MAX 2 Review: Features, Price, and Comparisons to Insta360 X5 and DJI OSMO 360

DC Rainmaker

Introduction to the GoPro MAX 2 [0:00]

The video introduces the new GoPro MAX 2, the latest iteration of GoPro's 360 camera after a six-year hiatus [Image 0]. The reviewer details extensive testing across various scenarios, including above water, underwater [Image 6], and aerial shots [Image 7], and announces a full comparison with the Insta360 X5 and DJI OSMO 360 [Image 1].

Price and Hardware Design [0:48]

• Price: The GoPro MAX 2 is priced at $499 USD, which the reviewer notes is competitive within the 360 camera market [0:49] [Image 18].
• Hardware Form Factor: The MAX 2's design is similar to the DJI OSMO 360, being shorter and slightly heavier than the Insta360 X5 [0:57]. The reviewer suggests the optimal form factor depends on where the camera will be mounted (e.g., on a helmet vs. a pole) [Image 20] [Image 21] [Image 8].
• Weight: The GoPro MAX 2 weighs 194g, placing it between the DJI OSMO 360 (184g) and the Insta360 X5 (200g) [1:29] [Image 25]. A comparison with the GoPro Max 1 is also shown [Image 14].

Mounting Options [1:34]

• The GoPro MAX 2 features standard GoPro mounting fingers, which can be folded down to reveal a tripod mount [1:38] [Image 27].
• The camera also has a magnetic base, allowing it to attach to metal surfaces [1:50].
• It is compatible with GoPro's bidirectional clip system for quick attachment and detachment [2:01].

"Real" 8K Resolution [2:17]

• The GoPro MAX 2 boasts 8K resolution, which GoPro emphasizes as "true 8K" compared to competitors' "7-ish K" resolutions [2:19] [Image 30].
  • Understanding 360 Camera Resolution: 360 cameras use two lenses to capture footage, which is then stitched together. The active pixels from both 180° captures form the usable resolution [2:33] [Image 31].
  • Competitor Resolution Claim: Previous comparisons (e.g., by YouTuber iPhonedo) showed that some competitors include unused black pixels in their stated 8K resolution [2:55] [Image 33] [Image 34].
  • GoPro's Advantage: GoPro highlights that the MAX 2 provides approximately 20% more actual usable resolution than its competitors by focusing on active pixels [3:14] [Image 36] [Image 37].
  • GoPro's Transparency: GoPro has published a document explaining how to compare 360 camera resolutions to demonstrate the MAX 2's superior usable pixel count [3:32] [Image 39] [Image 40].
  • Image Quality Comparison: Overall, the reviewer finds the image quality of the GoPro and Insta360 to be superior to the DJI, which tends to over-sharpen [3:54] [Image 44].

Reframing Options and Features [4:21]

• The primary goal of 360 cameras is not to watch content in a full 360-degree interactive view, but to reframe shots after recording [4:26] [Image 48] [Image 49].
  • Invisible Selfie Stick Effect: When mounted on a long pole, the pole itself disappears from the 360 footage, creating a unique "hovering" perspective [4:50] [Image 23] [Image 55].
  • GoPro Quik Mobile App: The GoPro Quik app offers advanced reframing tools, including object tracking, where the camera automatically follows a selected subject [5:06] [Image 57] [Image 58] [Image 59] [Image 60] [Image 61] [Image 62] [Image 63] [Image 64] [Image 65] [Image 66] [Image 67] [Image 68].
  • Manual vs. Smart Tracking: Users can manually adjust framing or use the new smart tracking feature for automated subject tracking [5:15].

Desktop App Limitations [6:07]

• GoPro's desktop app currently lacks the automatic tracking features available in the mobile app, forcing manual reframing for desktop users [6:07] [Image 71] [Image 72] [Image 73] [Image 74].
• Insta360 is noted for having a significant lead in desktop software capabilities, with DJI following with a buggier suite, emphasizing GoPro's need for investment in this area [6:19] [Image 75].

USB-C Download to Phone [6:30]

• To facilitate efficient workflow with the mobile app, the GoPro MAX 2 allows direct USB-C connection to a phone for much faster footage transfer compared to Wi-Fi [6:31] [Image 77] [Image 78].

Dedicated Camera Modes for Reframing [6:47]

• The MAX 2 introduces two dedicated on-camera modes to simplify reframing:
  • POV Camera Mode: Automatically frames shots as if looking forward (e.g., from a chest or helmet mount), defaulting to 5.6K/60fps but upgradable to 8K [6:51] [Image 80] [Image 81] [Image 82] [Image 83].
  • Selfie Camera Mode: Automatically frames the user when holding the camera on a selfie stick [7:20] [Image 85] [Image 86].

Single Lens Mode [7:38]

• Single Lens Mode allows the user to capture video using only one of the two lenses, saving storage and producing a standard 4K video file (at 60fps) instead of a 360 file [7:38] [Image 88] [Image 89].
• This mode offers various digital lens views (Linear, Wide, Ultra Wide, Max SuperView, Max HyperView) similar to a regular GoPro Hero camera [7:57] [Image 90] [Image 91].

Slow Motion Performance [8:30]

• The MAX 2, like its competitors, shoots slow motion in 360 mode at 4K resolution (100fps) [Image 93] [Image 97]. However, when reframed, this punches down to 1080p, resulting in less crisp footage compared to a dedicated action camera like the GoPro Hero 13 Black (which offers 5.3K/120fps) [8:34] [Image 95] [Image 99].
• This is identified as a trade-off due to shared sensor limitations across 360 cameras [9:29].

Low Light Footage [9:40]

• The low-light performance of the GoPro MAX 2 is deemed poor, with the reviewer expressing disappointment that GoPro did not invest in a better sensor for this aspect [9:40] [Image 101].
• GoPro cited a trade-off in camera size; improving low-light capabilities would have increased the camera's physical dimensions to match competitors, which was undesirable [10:00] [Image 103].

User Replaceable Lenses [10:30]

• A key positive feature is the user-replaceable lenses, which can be popped off in the field [10:30] [Image 115] [Image 116] [Image 117]. This is a significant advantage over competitors like DJI, where lens replacement requires sending the camera in for service.
• The reviewer demonstrates the durability of the GoPro MAX 2's lens by striking it against a table without visible damage [11:46] [Image 118]. Insta360's lens replacement requires tools [Image 109] [Image 110] [Image 111] [Image 112] [Image 113] [Image 114].

GPS Included Inside [12:12]

• The MAX 2 includes built-in GPS, enabling data overlays (like speed and compass direction) in edited videos [12:12] [Image 120] [Image 121] [Image 122].
• The GPS can be turned off to conserve battery life [12:17].

Battery Details and Specs [12:24]

• The MAX 2 uses a new Enduro battery, which offers good low-temperature performance for activities like skiing [12:24] [Image 124].
• The battery is not compatible with previous GoPro MAX or Hero 13 Black batteries [12:30].
• Official battery life claims: 66 minutes for 8K/30FPS, 59 minutes for 5.6K/60FPS, 90 minutes for 5.6K/30FPS, and 76 minutes for 4K/100FPS. The reviewer's tests confirm these numbers [12:41] [Image 125].

Overheating Test - 8K/360 Mode [12:51]

• The camera did not overheat when in motion due to airflow [12:51] [Image 128].
• In a static test under direct sunlight (~75°F/24°C), the GoPro MAX 2 overheated after 14 minutes and 18 seconds, while Insta360 X5 lasted 21 minutes and 16 seconds, and DJI OSMO 360 lasted 25 minutes and 50 seconds [12:57] [Image 126].

Playing in the Water [13:17]

• The GoPro MAX 2 is fully waterproof down to 5 meters (16.4 feet) without a housing [13:20] [Image 129] [Image 130].
• However, like all 360 cameras with curved lenses, underwater footage appears blurry without a dive case due to optical distortion [13:31] [Image 131].
• GoPro is developing a dive case, but a timeline and price are not yet available. For comparison, a regular GoPro Hero 13 Black provides clearer underwater footage [Image 133].

Bluetooth Audio Pairing [14:00]

• The camera supports pairing with up to two Bluetooth headphones, allowing them to be used as microphones for improved audio quality, especially when the camera is mounted far from the user (e.g., on a car) [14:00] [Image 135] [Image 137] [Image 138].

The 6 Onboard Mics [14:23]

• The MAX 2 has six onboard microphones, providing 360-degree audio. This means that if supported by headphones, the audio perspective changes as the user moves around the camera [14:23] [Image 140].
• The microphones also offer wind reduction capabilities [14:37].

The Photo Modes [14:55]

• The camera includes all the photo modes expected from a GoPro Hero 13 Black, such as standard photo, burst, and night photo [14:55] [Image 142].
• There is no RAW option in 360 mode, only in single lens mode [15:01].

TimeLapse Modes [15:17]

• Various TimeLapse modes are available, including TimeWarp, Star Trails, Light Painting, and Vehicle Lights, similar to a regular GoPro camera. These modes are available in 5.3K and 8K resolution [15:17].

Night/Light Effects [15:23]

• Night effects like Star Trails and Light Painting are included, automatically compiling unique long-exposure videos [15:23] [Image 143].

Supports 10-Bit and GP-Log [15:39]

• The MAX 2 supports 10-bit color and GP-Log for advanced color grading and post-production flexibility [15:39] [Image 144].

GoPro Labs Support [15:47]

• At launch, the camera supports GoPro Labs, a beta program offering experimental firmware with advanced features beyond stock capabilities, accessible via QR codes [15:47] [Image 145] [Image 146] [Image 149].
  • Features: These include higher bitrates (up to 300Mbps), dual hemisphere capture, larger chapter sizes, live streaming initiation, and various trigger options (GPS speed, accelerometer, gyroscope, motion detection, sound pressure, USB power) [15:57].

GoPro Quik App CameraFX [16:16]

• The GoPro Quik app offers special "CameraFX" for unique camera movements and effects (e.g., spin left/right, front/back flip, tiny planet), though these are exclusively available on the mobile app [16:16] [Image 151].

Full Support for GoPro Cloud [16:36]

• The MAX 2 fully integrates with GoPro's cloud service, allowing unlimited full-resolution footage uploads when connected to Wi-Fi, providing automatic backup [16:36] [Image 153].

Final Thoughts and Recommendations [16:59]

• For users already in the GoPro ecosystem, the MAX 2 is a strong choice due to its familiar mounting, cloud integration, app accessibility, and replaceable lenses [17:01].
• Its high usable 8K resolution is a significant advantage [17:21].
• However, competitors offer more robust desktop software features and better low-light/slow-motion performance [17:25].