nsta360 X5 Dive Case Pro vs. Standard Dive Case – Is the Size Really Worth It?

For my last diving trip, I used an Insta360 X5 to capture some behind-the-scenes footage while I was shooting underwater.

I had the X5 mounted on a selfie stick, which was attached directly to my Nauticam housing. For protection, I used the Insta360 Dive Case Pro.

I have to say, though: the Dive Case Pro is a seriously bulky piece of equipment. 😄 When you are already diving with a Canon R5 in a Nauticam housing, strobes, arms and all the other accessories, every additional piece of gear makes a noticeable difference.

So I was wondering if anyone here has had the chance to directly compare the Dive Case Pro with the regular Insta360 X5 Dive Case.

How noticeable is the difference in actual image quality between the two, especially underwater?

I understand that the Dive Case Pro is designed to provide better stitching and overall image quality, but I am mainly using the X5 for casual behind-the-scenes clips, short reels and Instagram content rather than professional underwater 360° productions.

For that kind of use, is the improvement from the Dive Case Pro really significant enough to justify carrying such a substantially larger housing?

Or would you say that the regular Dive Case delivers more than sufficient quality for social media and occasional BTS footage?

I’d especially appreciate feedback from people who have actually used both housings under similar diving conditions. If the difference is only noticeable when closely inspecting the footage, I might prefer the much more compact setup.

My R5 in the Nauticam housing already keeps me busy enough underwater. 😄