Insta360 just gave its 360º cameras a wild new trick that turns videos into explorable 3D worlds – for free
Spatial Capture uses 360 video to recreate real-world spaces you can virtually move around in
by Matt Kollat · T3
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
Insta360 has announced a major new feature for its flagship X6 camera that goes considerably further than the usual resolution tweaks and shooting modes.
Spatial Capture can turn ordinary 360-degree footage into an interactive 3D recreation of the space you filmed, allowing you to virtually move around it afterwards and view the scene from different positions and angles.
Despite being announced alongside the Insta360 X6, the new feature also works with the Insta360 X5 and the Insta360 X4 Air, which is great news for owners of previous-gen 360-degree cameras.
Latest Videos FromT3
Watch full video here:
It uses a technology called 3D Gaussian Splatting, or 3DGS, which creates three-dimensional scenes from a collection of images or video frames.
Traditionally, producing convincing results can involve deliberately photographing an environment from many different angles before processing everything with specialist software.
As such, using just one handheld (pocketable, even) device should be fairly obvious.
The X6 already records everything around it, so instead of carefully pointing a conventional camera at every wall, object, and corner, you can simply walk through the space while recording.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Your camera roll just became somewhere you can visit
There are some genuinely interesting applications here beyond simply creating cool-looking clips.
Insta360 suggests Spatial Capture could preserve places like a childhood home before moving away, a favourite travel destination, or a temporary exhibition.
Artists and small businesses could similarly create explorable versions of studios, shops and venues without investing in dedicated 3D capture hardware.
The workflow also sounds relatively painless. You record a 360 video of up to two minutes, select the footage from the Spatial Capture section of the Insta360 app and hit Generate.
Everything is then processed in the cloud, which Insta360 says normally takes around one to two hours.
Once finished, the resulting environment can be navigated using touch controls, a virtual joystick or your phone's gyroscope.
You can also create custom camera movements and export them as conventional videos, or send someone an interactive link that lets them explore the environment without downloading an additional app.
Spatial Capture will initially roll out in the US on 28 September 2026, and users can generate up to four 3D scenes per month for free.