How a concert experience birthed the era of invisible selfie sticks
In short: The goal wasn't just to record a scene, but to capture it from every possible angle simultaneously. By pioneering 360-degree video as a tool for traditional filmmaking, Insta360 allows creators to reframe footage after the fact, using clever software to remove mounting hardware and create unique third-person perspectives.
Founded in 2015 by J. K. Liu and his co-founders in Shenzhen, Insta360 was born from a specific observation: the limitations of standard cameras at live music concerts. Liu wanted to capture "powerfully moving events" without being restricted by a single fixed perspective.
The company's core innovation lies in using 360-degree video as a raw material for traditional flat-framed content. This allows users to film first-person POV shots or third-person angles and then "reframe" the footage later using AI or manual editing. A key visual hallmark of this technology is the "Invisible Selfie Stick" effect, which automatically removes the mounting hardware from the final shot to create a floating perspective.
The brand has scaled rapidly through strategic high-end partnerships and extreme use cases. They co-engineered products with Leica Camera, including the 1-Inch 360 Edition and Ace Pro series. Their hardware reliability was notably demonstrated by NASA, which used Insta360 Pro and Pro 2 cameras to live stream the landings of both the InSight Mars Lander in 2018 and the Perseverance rover in 2021.
Today, the company operates globally with over 500 employees and a diverse portfolio ranging from tiny wearable cameras like the GO series to professional VR rigs like the Titan, which features eight Micro Four Thirds sensors for 11K video. Insta360 achieved a significant corporate goal during June 2025, debuting as a listed entity on the Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Market.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Insta360
- Also: Wikidata — Insta360 · CC0
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