4K webcam uses built-in gimbal to follow you, enable gesture control

Webcams have experienced something of a renaissance over the last couple of years as the opportunity to get the personal feel of a virtual meeting has become more valuable than ever. This renaissance included the introduction of useful features, many of which focus on keeping the user in the spotlight. We’ve seen cameras play with AI, and in the case of Dell’s magnetic wireless webcam concept, even with magnets to make sure your face is perfectly framed. Insta360 Link, announced Tuesday, also uses AI auto framing but adds a much more obvious but rare tool for capturing a moving subject: physical mobility.

Headquartered in Guangdong, China, founded in 2015, Insta360 is primarily known for sports and 360-degree cameras. The Insta360 Link is his first webcam, and it looks like the DJI Pocket 2 and Apple Center Stage are having a baby.

Link is a 4K camera with a patented half-inch sensor and f/1.8 aperture, mounted on top of a 3-axis gimbal (the webcam can also be mounted on a tripod or stand, sold separately). The Insta360 camera is similar to the $269 Obsbot Tiny 4K, but the latter has a 2-axis gimbal.

Link Insta360 uses a gimbal in coordination with artificial intelligence algorithms to keep the user in place through automatic framing and zooming. It would be interesting to see how smoothly and frequently Link makes his moves; sudden changes can be disorienting to the people you interact with.

The combination of gimbal and AI also allows the webcam to respond to hand gestures, which can activate features such as zoom and various picture modes.

The Link is not the first to use artificial intelligence to keep users in focus. The $180 Dell 4K UltraSharp webcam (at the time of writing) does what some webcams in premium laptops do these days. However, these auto-framing features are highlighted as a way to keep you centered in the frame within the camera’s field of view (up to 90 degrees in the case of an UltraSharp webcam). The Link gimbal offers 3-axis movement, and the Insta360 is aimed at a wider range of motion than moving around in an office chair, like walking.

Link can also rotate to portrait mode for a 9:10 image. Hopefully the gimbal isn’t too audible when in use, as the noises and vibrations are distracting in and of themselves.

Motion also helps the private camera mode, where the camera automatically points down after 10 seconds of inactivity.

Other picture modes include HDR mode (limited to 1080p at 30 fps); True Focus Mode, which, according to Insta360, “uses phase-detection autofocus and auto-exposure technology to focus almost instantly”on subjects at least 4 inches away; Whiteboard mode to zoom in and focus on the whiteboard; and a DeskView mode that lets you switch between focusing on you and the top of your desk.

Unlike the Dell 4K webcam, the Link includes microphones, a noise-cancelling duo on the camera mount. However, there is no Windows Hello support that 4K competitors like UltraSharp and Logitech Brio have because the camera does not use infrared sensors.

We can’t confirm the image quality without trying the shooter ourselves, but on paper, the Link is the most feature-packed device to make it into the second act of a webcam. For those who want one of the most powerful consumer webcams out there, the Link will cost $300.