The question of Insta360 Luna Ultra vs Luna Pro arises: is the Luna Ultra really worth the extra cost compared to the Luna Pro? To answer this, I tested both cameras in the field, using them to film the same scenes and alternating shots in my comparative video.
At the time of this shoot, I had been using the Luna Ultra for several weeks and the Luna Pro for a few days. I wanted to see what differentiates them in real-world situations: filming facing the camera, zooming in on a subject, capturing a close-up flower, tracking my movements, and recording my voice.
Both models share a main lens paired with a 1-inch sensor and many features. The big difference is the Ultra’s telephoto lens. But is it an advantage you’ll actually benefit from?
Here’s my feedback to help you choose.
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Insta360 Luna Ultra vs Luna Pro: Key Differences
Before discussing my tests, here are the characteristics that help understand the positioning of the two cameras. The technical data in the table comes from the manufacturer’s information; my field observations are detailed afterwards.
| Characteristic | Luna Ultra | Luna Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Main Lens | Leica Summicron, 1-inch sensor | Same main lens and 1-inch sensor |
| Telephoto Lens | Yes | No |
| Max Video | 8K at 30 fps, Dolby Vision | 8K at 30 fps, Dolby Vision |
| Slow motion | 4K at 120 fps | 4K at 120 fps |
| PureVideo Mode | Up to 4K at 60 fps | Up to 4K at 60 fps |
| Zoom Range | Up to ×12 | Up to ×4 |
| Advertised Lossless Zoom | Up to ×6 | Up to ×2 |
| Stabilization | 3-axis mechanical and electronic | 3-axis mechanical and electronic |
| Screen | 2-inch detachable OLED touchscreen | 2-inch detachable OLED touchscreen |
| Subject Tracking | Deep Track 5.0 | Deep Track 5.0 |
| Photo | UltraPhoto 37 MP and panorama up to 200 MP | UltraPhoto 37 MP |
| Log Profile | 10-bit I-Log, ACES compatible | 10-bit I-Log, ACES compatible |
| Processors | Triple AI chip | Dual AI chip |
| Battery | 1,550 mAh | 1,550 mAh |
| Advertised Weight | 233 g | 215 g |
| Price | €729 | €529 |
My quick take: the Luna Pro already meets many needs for vlogging and daily use. The Ultra becomes particularly interesting when you want to film distant subjects or vary your framing more.
View Luna range models and prices
How I Conducted This Real-World Comparison
For the first test, I held both cameras side-by-side, with the same settings at 8K 30 frames per second. In my video, I present the footage in a split screen so you can compare the level of detail and colors.
I then performed several tests:
- A comparison of ×4 zoom with both models.
- ×6 and ×12 shots with the Luna Ultra.
- A portrait filmed at ×12 using the detachable screen.
- A close-up of a flower with each camera.
- A test of my face tracking in motion.
- A comparison of the built-in microphones with the same audio settings.
I also alternated cameras during the face-to-camera sequences. The name of the model used appears on screen.
This comparison is therefore based on real-world use of both products. The characteristics serve to explain the differences, but it’s the shooting situations that help understand their relevance.
Le choix Drone&Cam
Quelle Luna pour vos prochaines vidéos ?
J’ai testé les deux sur le terrain : la Pro pour le vlog et le quotidien, l’Ultra pour profiter du téléobjectif et varier les cadrages.
Pour filmer à distance
Luna Ultra
Un téléobjectif pour capturer les sujets éloignés et varier les portraits et les gros plans.
Voir les offres Luna Ultra →
Pour le vlog et le quotidien
Luna Pro
Le capteur de 1 pouce, la vidéo 8K et l’écran détachable pour filmer vos voyages et vos moments en famille.
Voir les offres Luna Pro →Liens affiliés : je peux percevoir une commission sur vos achats, sans surcoût pour vous. Merci de soutenir Drone&Cam.
Video Quality: Should You Choose the Ultra for Wide-Angle Filming?
Both cameras share a very similar foundation: the same Leica Summicron main lens and a 1-inch sensor. They can both film in 8K at 30 frames per second.
That’s why I started with a side-by-side comparison. Before being swayed by the name “Ultra,” you need to see what you get when simply filming the same scene with the main lens.
In this test, I let you observe the images in split screen (see the YouTube video). I wouldn’t choose the Ultra solely hoping for a big leap in quality for wide shots. For filming daily life, family, or speaking to the camera, the Pro retains the essential functions that make this range appealing.
These include 3-axis mechanical stabilization, complemented by electronic stabilization, and slow motion in 4K at 120 frames per second.
For those who color grade their footage in editing, both also offer 10-bit I-Log. This allows for color grading or applying a LUT. Leica profiles offer another option for those who prefer to choose their look directly in the camera.
Both models also feature PureVideo mode up to 4K at 60 frames per second. I did not conduct a dedicated low-light comparison in this video, so I won’t declare a winner in low light based solely on this.
Telephoto Lens and Zoom: The Difference That Really Matters
It’s in this area that the Luna Ultra distinguishes itself most clearly. Its second lens opens up possibilities that the Pro doesn’t offer in the same way.
To demonstrate this, I compared the two cameras at ×4, then took shots at ×6 and ×12 with the Ultra. The idea was to see what these magnifications actually allow you to frame.
Being able to film a distant subject without having to get closer changes the way you compose your images. When traveling or hiking, you can’t always move closer to what you want to show. This could be a detail in a landscape, an animal, or a person located at a distance.
With the Ultra, you can alternate between a wide shot and a much tighter frame. For storytelling during a trip, these variations are interesting: they allow you to show the environment, then draw attention to a detail.
However, it’s important to distinguish between zoom levels. The Luna Pro goes up to ×4, with an advertised lossless zoom up to ×2. The Ultra reaches ×12, with an advertised lossless zoom up to ×6. The ×12 should therefore not be presented as an optical ×12 zoom or as an entirely lossless magnification.
Another practical point noted during my test: in 8K at 30 frames per second, the zoom was limited to ×3. To reach ×4 on the Pro or ×12 on the Ultra, you had to switch to 4K.
If you primarily film at arm’s length, this telephoto lens won’t necessarily be a decisive factor. However, if you like to seek out details and film from a distance, that’s the main reason I would steer you towards the Ultra.
Portraits and Close-ups: What I Observed During My Tests
I used the Luna Ultra’s detachable screen to film myself in 4K at 30 frames per second with the ×12 zoom. This allows you to see the rendering on a face, with a very different framing from a face-to-camera sequence shot at arm’s length.
The advantage is being able to set up the camera at a distance and control your image from the screen. This opens up other possibilities for filmed portraits and presentation shots.
I also tested both models on a flower. With the Luna Ultra, I was much further from the subject than with the Luna Pro. This was the point that interested me most in this comparison.
Nevertheless, the results in this example seemed quite similar to me. The Pro therefore remains perfectly suitable for capturing details, even if it requires getting closer.
I mainly note a difference in comfort and shooting distance. The Ultra offers more freedom when you don’t want to, or can’t, place the camera right in front of your subject.
Photo: Does the Luna Ultra Offer a Useful Advantage?
Both cameras offer 37-megapixel UltraPhoto images. The Ultra also adds a panorama mode that can reach 200 megapixels thanks to the telephoto lens.
This mode may interest those who want to produce detailed panoramas, reframe their images, or prepare certain prints. Just keep in mind that the 200 megapixels correspond to a panorama mode, not to all photos taken with the camera.
The Ultra also has a triple AI chip, compared to a dual chip on the Pro. This is a technical difference, but it alone is not enough to prove that every photo will be better.
In this video, I didn’t conduct a series of photo tests to precisely differentiate their processing. My advice therefore remains linked to usage: for travel memories and social media posts, the Pro seems suitable to me. The Ultra is more interesting if you have a concrete need for its telephoto lens or its panorama mode.
Deep Track and Detachable Screen: I Tested Both for Solo Filming
Both models offer Deep Track 5.0. This function allows the camera to track a subject when placed on a tripod.
I tested it with the Luna Pro, then with the Luna Ultra, moving in front of the lens. In the presented sequences, both tracked my face without losing track.
This is a feature I find practical for vlogging. You can set up the camera, move around, and show what’s around you while staying in frame. For someone filming alone, it offers freedom.
In this test, I didn’t encounter any particular problem with the Pro that would justify choosing the Ultra solely for tracking.
The 2-inch OLED touchscreen is also detachable on both models. It allows you to check your framing without staying behind the camera. This is what I used for my remote portrait test with the Ultra.
Audio Quality: My Test of the Built-in Mics and My Opinion on the MIC Pro
There’s an essential detail to understand my video: before the audio-dedicated sequence, my voice was recorded with the MIC Pro. Therefore, the sound in all sequences should not be attributed to the cameras’ built-in microphones.
For the audio comparison, I switched to the Luna Ultra’s microphones, then to the Luna Pro’s. On both, I chose a forward sound direction and automatic wind noise reduction.
The excerpts allow you to hear the voice rendering and determine if it’s sufficient for you. I prefer to let you hear the result rather than asserting that one camera necessarily has better sound.
Both models also allow you to use the detachable screen as a microphone, by bringing it closer to your mouth.
Personally, for regular vlogging, I recommend planning for a MIC Pro. This is also an element to factor into the budget: the choice isn’t just about the camera body. If you talk a lot in your videos, sound recording deserves as much attention as zoom capabilities.
I also made a separate video to compare the Luna Ultra’s microphones to the MIC Pro.
Weight and Battery Life: What Are the Daily Differences?
The Luna Pro weighs 215 grams, compared to 233 grams for the Ultra, according to the advertised specifications. This represents an 18-gram difference.
The Pro is therefore lighter, but personally, that’s not the difference that would primarily guide my choice. I would mainly look at whether I need the telephoto lens.
Both models have a 1,550 mAh battery. The manufacturer advertises up to four hours of battery life, under its measurement conditions. This figure does not mean four hours guaranteed in 8K or with any settings.
During my period of use, I didn’t feel the need to constantly recharge them. For my filming style, with occasional sequences, their battery life seemed sufficient for a day of travel.
However, I did not perform a timed comparative measurement until shutdown. I am speaking here of my user experience, not an endurance test that would give a precise advantage to one of the two.
Luna Ultra or Luna Pro: Which to Choose After My Field Test?
After using both cameras, I always come back to the same question: will you actually use the telephoto lens?
If you want to film your daily life, your family, your vacations, or do face-to-camera vlogging, I find the Luna Pro interesting. It retains the 1-inch sensor, 8K video, detachable screen, and subject tracking. So you’re not giving up essential functions for these uses.
The Luna Ultra seems more relevant if you want to film distant subjects, vary your framing, or work more on your portraits and close-ups. Its value is especially evident when you utilize its second lens.
| Your Filming Style | My Choice |
|---|---|
| Face-to-camera vlogging, family, and daily life | Luna Pro |
| Travel with mostly wide shots | Luna Pro |
| Travel with many distant details | Luna Ultra |
| Filmed portraits and tight framing from a distance | Luna Ultra |
| Occasional close-ups with ability to get closer | Luna Pro |
| Need to maintain more distance from the subject | Luna Ultra |
| Regular vlogging with a lot of talking | Plan for a MIC Pro with the chosen model |
Regarding budget, I advise you to compare equivalent packages and consider the accessories you’ll truly need. Between a Luna Pro with a MIC Pro and an Ultra alone, the choice will mainly depend on what you film.
My opinion after this real-world comparison: the Luna Pro can largely suffice for many users. The Ultra especially deserves your attention if its telephoto lens meets a need you’ve already identified.
Consult Luna range prices and packages
And you, do you mostly film facing the camera or do you also look to capture distant subjects? Tell me in the comments: that’s often what helps differentiate these two models.
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