Link Series: Issues Related to Poor Image Quality

Link Series: Issues Related to Poor Image Quality

Applicable Models: Link, Link 2, Link 2C, Link 2 Pro, and Link 2C Pro

Scenario 1: Poor image quality or excessive visual noise in Insta360 Link Controller or third-party platforms

Description

When using the camera, if you enable any of the following settings: 4K Resolution, Filter, or HDR Mode, or when taking photos and videos in low-light environments, noticeable visual noise appears in the image, along with generally poor image quality.

Reason

1. Dust or dirt on the lens guard: Dirt can directly affect light intake, leading to reduced image quality and increased visual noise.
2. Filter or HDR enabled: The overall dynamic changes may brighten darker scenes, making noise more noticeable.
3. 4K resolution: To leverage the clarity advantage of 4K, higher sharpening settings are used, which can also increase the visibility of noise.
4. Low-light scenes: The hardware's limited ability to capture light in such conditions further exacerbates noise visibility.

Solution

Step 1: Basic checks

Before shooting, wipe the lens guard to ensure the surface is clean and free of dirt. It is also recommended to shoot in a well-lit environment.

Step 2: Troubleshooting by scenario

1. Image quality issues within Insta360 Link Controller

If you are using Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1 or later

• Turn off HDR: Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Image" on the right > turn off "HDR".
• Turn off Filter: Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Effects" on the right > click "Filter", and turn off "Filter".
• Adjust sharpening settings: Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Image" on the right > "Sharpness".

If you are using a version earlier than Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1

• Turn off HDR: Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Effects" on the right navigation bar > click "Color", scroll down and toggle off "HDR".
• Turn off Filter: Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Effects" on the right navigation bar > click "Filter", and turn off "Filter".
• Adjust sharpening settings: Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Effects" on the right navigation bar > click "Color", scroll down and adjust "Sharpness".

1. Image quality issues within third-party platforms

Third-party platforms may compress the video quality. Furthermore, the final image quality is affected by multiple factors including device-platform compatibility, network quality, and platform parameter settings. Additionally, due to varying resolution limits imposed by different third-party platforms when accessing webcam feeds, it is normal that there are differences in image clarity between third-party platforms and Insta360 Link Controller.

Scenario 2: Unnatural image details & over-sharpening

Reason

To ensure overall image clarity, the camera's default sharpening parameters are set relatively high, which can sometimes result in an over-sharpened look.

Solution

If you are using Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1 or later

Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Image" on the right > adjust "Sharpness".

If you are using a version earlier than Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1

Open Insta360 Link Controller, click "Effects" on the right navigation bar > "Color" > scroll down and adjust "Sharpness".

Scenario 3: Poor or unexpected HDR effect

Description

When turning the HDR Mode on and off, the change in the image is not noticeable, or the result does not meet expectations.

Solution

Link cameras perform some image optimization by default, which can result in high-quality images even without HDR enabled. This can sometimes make the HDR effect less noticeable, which is normal.

You can improve this issue with the following steps:

1. Clean the lens: Gently wipe the lens with a clean, soft cloth to ensure it is clean.
2. Adjust the shooting scene: HDR effects are more prominent in backlit scenes with rich background details. Try shooting under different lighting conditions.
3. Adjust Exposure Settings manually: It is recommended that you turn off the HDR Mode, then adjust "ISO", "Shutter", and "Exposure curve" to achieve your desired image effect.
   • If you are using Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1 or later: open Insta360 Link Controller > click "Image" > adjust the settings.

   

• If you are using a version earlier than Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1: Open Insta360 Link Controller > click "Effects" on the right navigation bar > click "Color" > select "M" (Manual), then adjust the settings.

Scenario 4: Overexposed image

Reason

The current exposure settings of the camera do not match the actual lighting conditions of the environment, resulting in suboptimal image quality. For example, if the ambient light is bright but the exposure settings are too high, the resulting image will be overexposed.

Solution

If you are using Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1 or later

1. Enable the auto exposure: Open Insta360 Link Controller > click "Image" on the right > turn on "Exposure".
2. Manual fine-tuning: For further optimization, you can also directly adjust "Exposure curve" to achieve your desired image effect.

If you are using a version earlier than Insta360 Link Controller v2.2.1

1. Enable the auto exposure: Open Insta360 Link Controller > click "Effects" on the right navigation bar > click "Color" and set the exposure mode to "Auto". The camera will automatically adjust exposure based on the lighting.
2. Manual fine-tuning: For further optimization, select the manual exposure mode (set the exposure mode to "M") and fine-tune the parameters until the image brightness is normal.

Scenario 5: Automatic resolution switching / resolution drops in Insta360 Link Controller

If the resolution drops when using a third-party platform

The resolution set in Insta360 Link Controller is primarily a "Preview Resolution" and does not directly dictate the output resolution in third-party platforms. To resolve image quality issues caused by resolution drops, enter the video settings of the third-party platform and adjust its resolution to match the one set in Insta360 Link Controller.

If the resolution drops only in Insta360 Link Controller

Please refer to the instructions below to contact customer support.

If none of the above solutions resolves your issue, please contact Insta360 Customer Support for assistance.