The only RUclipsr that has done a video on this important topic. Love how you spent some minutes on the unicycle just to make people see well. NICE JOB! Thank you.
I’m happy I watched this, my standard lens covers were fitted in store and installed with the blue dots in the 10 o’clock position, so I’ve corrected this, I was just about to order premium covers as I expected them to be better to record through as well as being tougher but after seeing your demonstrations, I will just order some spare standard covers just in case I need them one day. Well done for sharing something different 😊
From what I've seen online, this camera appears to be quite impressive. However, upon reflection, I realize that while I admire its features, I may not utilize it to its full potential as much as I initially anticipated. But great comparison, I think many of 'us' will find it very helpful. Looking at 1:13 It feels like the beginning of something magic is starting.. 😉 Grass look like an ocean / breathing.
Oh wow thanks a lot, I added the Premium Lens Guard to my order but after seeing your comparison I'm having second thoughts. I was thinking about using the Premium/Glass ones for trail running where I know they're gonna rub against branches etc, as plastic might show scratches quickly. I didn't expect the Premium ones to underperform optically so poorly tho, their shape and coating are not good enough.
Yes I was a little surprised too. However, my tests were intended to find the worst scenarios. I have been using the glass ones for a couple of days outdoors and I really can't complain about the image quality. I'm in the process of testing how tough they are compared to the plastic ones and I can say I am glad to have the glass ones. I think they are going to last a lot longer than the plastic ones in terms of scuffs and rubs etc.
@@Roos-Reviews your methodology to get observable visual quality differences between each setup was balanced and representative IMO. I'm looking forward to the durability comparison too, although I already have a good idea of what it's gonna show 😆
I got the Premium ones now and I actually prefer them quite a bit over the standard. They definitely don't scratch nearly as easy and quite larger. They feel super durable too. As for image quality it just comes down to how you operate the camera. Going having the sun beside you or behind gives the best results. Keeping them dust free is a must. My Standard ones I actually dropped and it scratched way too easily so I bought premium.
I have the X2 and keep the protector on and will be picking up the X4. This is a fantastic test. The premium were pretty bad. Thanks for the unbiased and straight review.
the image quality looks not bad with the premium lens guard on, I can accept a bit of image quality lost but with better protection for my lens tho and the fact that I barely noticed the image loss on my camera, great review as always!
I feel the same. In most everyday situations the premium lenses look fine. And they are much more scratch resistant than the plastic lenses, so I am using the premium ones, except in low light.
The premium ones are significantly better than the regular ones. But for optimal quality you shouldnt point the edges of the lenses in the sun. Otherwise you will get nasty reflections. If the middle of the lenses catch sunlight its no problem.
Thanks for the helpful test!! I already had the Pro in my shopping cart, but now I'm glad to have seen your video and will use the existing ones as long as it fits. Best regards from Austria 😀👍
Thanks for this review. I am actually quite confused that the premium ones created so much glare despite having antireflective coating. They may have to improve and adjust this coating a bit - this seems off. I'll keep the standard ones on though. This is such a mind-calmer!
thought the lens guard would affect the image quality a little, surprisingly it turned out okay! are you filming the first test away from the sun at roughly the same time? Seems like the premium ones deliver the colors more accurately or the sun was just stronger😇 anyways, would also love to know which one is more resistant for scratches and drops.
Great review Another review had said premium is better if entire lens directly facing sun, and get more artifact if lens at angle to sun.. Guess that applies to standard also but was worse.
awesome. thanks for demonstrating that there is no discernible difference in video quality using either the standard or premium lens protectors. Nonetheless, got to have microfiber wipes on hand to remove the dust! I opt to get the utility rig instead of the premium protectors now!
Thanks, great comparison video. I upgraded to the X4 for a trip to Europe, forgot to fit my lens guards and yep, dropped the camera while on a bus in London. End result, damaged the front lens. Funny thing is, I have had my X3 for almost 2 years, never used lens guards, never dropped it lol. Oh well, I had travel insurance that is covering the repair.
Oh wow the premium lens has way more reflective glare than the standard lens protector that comes stock with the X4. I think ill be sticking with that, ive been doing testing in mine and have found that my videos have not been looking as clean as others in daylight. It seems to have a too soft of an image at Low sharpness but a grainy distorted look at medium sharpness with high sharpness looking way too sharp. This is without the lens protector as well. Its far worse with it on. Im even wondering if mine has a defect and planning on exchanging it for another one.
I had a faulty bike mount snap and drop my 20 hour old X4 onto the asphalt at ~20 mph. It broke a big chunk out out of 1 lens protector and badly scuffed the other, but the camera lens remained perfectly intact. I am concerned that the premium tempered glass protector would have just broken. As result, I am just going to stick with the standard protectors and the expectation that I have to replace them more frequently.
After breaking my x3 lenses (thank god for insurance) I've just upgraded to the X4 simply for that lens guard, however I was worried about quality but it looks very impressive with just the standard lens guards on. 👍
I think that no lens protector looked best in all of your comparisons. And premium looked the worst. For piece of mind against damage, I will go with the standards! Thanks for the review.
Thanks for this video! i did one video with the plastic ones that came with the camera and will not be using those ever again but this video makes it look like the premium are not any better. much appreciated. maybe i need to clean up my standards and try again. I also didn't change the setting so that may have been a part of the issue i had.
The benefit of the premium ones is that they are more resistant to scratching and will last longer. But in my experience they produce more glare than the plastic ones.
Good thing is, the Standard are better for impacts and saving the real lens. And swap easy if they get unusable. No fear of glas shrapnel and the overall look is better than the premium. Why they sell the premium? What is the usage?
A great comparison review and thanks for taking the time and effort to make the video and a BIG thumbs 👍up. Most reviews that I've seen about the 2 types of lens protectors say the same as yourself, stick to the standard ones. Cheers
Thumbs up just cause I learned it mattered which way the blue dot was facing lol. thanks for the comparison I think I'll save 30 $ and run standard for awhile.
I just bought a pair of glass ones from a 3rd party manufacturer on Amazon. Saved $5, but they have all the same issues. Plus, these 3rd party ones don't have the serrated edges, so putting them on and taking them off is almost impossible without the special tool they included. I definitely preferred the plastic ones, so I think I'll be going back to those. I just wish someone would make a lens guard case so I have somewhere to put all of these spare lens guards.
Very interesting, thanks so much, great video 👏👏. Maybe I will use the premium protectors for storage and the normal ones for filming. What do you think ? Best greetings from Northern Germany 👋👋
Great review. I did the same thing with my X3. Dropping it. Not the first time. Another 110usd to fix huhu. For an 'action cam' it is fragile. Good they have made a removable lens protector for the X4. The sticky lens guard was a joke. Hard to line up which made the stitching bad. Not sure if I want to by the X4. It takes a lot to process the clips.
SUPER useful video. Good comparison and conclusion. I agree with your decision and will also keep the standard ones. Thanks for the "clear" comparison!!😊
I have the x4 now for several months. Using standard and original premium lens guards. In backlight conditions the standard has washed out, smudged look around the rim, not the center. Because it isn't possible to keep the premiums clean from dust more than two seconds, it makes worse distractions than the standard protection. Nevertheless there is no alternative for action sports, if you like to keep your lenses damage free. I will try now cheaper lenses from other brands. Avoid direct sunlight is my recommondation.
Nice review! Sorry about your mishap! Apparently, lens replacement is expensive. I wish they'd get their heads out of their asses on this and install replaceable lenses. Ben Claremont has the same opinion; standard protectors are better than "premium".
Nice review. The dust at low light does get inside. Did you happen to blow it before shooting? Do you think you'll use Iens protectors in low light scenarios? Cheers
i can say the premium ones might have early production issues as more 3rd parties start making the premium glass protectors, they will tweak the shape and maybe use a different glass. or use a different coating to reduce reflections/glare btw have you tried anti-fog spray for eyeglasses/spectacles on the basic guard. i know its not a perfect seal between the lens and the guard but it should help against fogging. question is.. will it affect the basic guards negatively?
do test again but select the differnt lens settings in camera. Example no lense protector but select the plastic lense settings to see the effects and so on. do for all settings and lenses. no lense with plastic setting and premium setting. then with plastic protector on then no lense setting you get it right.
Thanks for your video. But, I ask myself about your test. We can see in some shot that your lense protection are very durty / not clean. Durty lense have a big impact on the glare… From my point of view it’s difficult to make a big conclusion with your test (between basic or prenium lense guard). Without lense, for sur the quality is great (with clean lense). Maybe the prenium lense are more sensitive to finger dirt 🤔
The only RUclipsr that has done a video on this important topic. Love how you spent some minutes on the unicycle just to make people see well. NICE JOB! Thank you.
I was wondering about this and you're the only RUclipsr I so far see made a video on it. Thank you
No problem
Exactly the review I was looking for, thank you!
Wow it's amazing how much WORSE the "premium" lens guards are. Thanks for this.
How are premium going to be worse haha watch some videos where you clearly see that plastic ones break so easy and premium don’t
@@mavicprah8063it’s not about ruggedness, it’s about picture quality. And premium are worse , watch the video again, and read the title
@@mavicprah8063video quality
@@mavicprah8063 Send link?
@@mavicprah8063in terms of image quality
I’m happy I watched this, my standard lens covers were fitted in store and installed with the blue dots in the 10 o’clock position, so I’ve corrected this, I was just about to order premium covers as I expected them to be better to record through as well as being tougher but after seeing your demonstrations, I will just order some spare standard covers just in case I need them one day. Well done for sharing something different 😊
Great review! Finally :)
But I see a much bigger problem with the premium ones. You can see the reflection of the lens in some conditions.
Wow. You are so thorough. I get the feeling that only time will tell whether the premiums possible longevity will make them the better buy.
I plan to time travel by "generously applying friction" to both in my next video.
This was really helpful. I was considering getting the premium lens protectors but think I'll stick with the standard ones instead. Thank you.
I like having the standard lens on.
Btw, thanks for telling us where the blue dot is supposed to be. I had mine on the top left side.
Me too on the first day.
Thanks, I RTFM ( Read The F****** Manual ) 😂
That's what the 3-page micro guide says. Lol
From what I've seen online, this camera appears to be quite impressive. However, upon reflection, I realize that while I admire its features, I may not utilize it to its full potential as much as I initially anticipated. But great comparison, I think many of 'us' will find it very helpful. Looking at 1:13 It feels like the beginning of something magic is starting.. 😉 Grass look like an ocean / breathing.
Oh wow thanks a lot, I added the Premium Lens Guard to my order but after seeing your comparison I'm having second thoughts.
I was thinking about using the Premium/Glass ones for trail running where I know they're gonna rub against branches etc, as plastic might show scratches quickly.
I didn't expect the Premium ones to underperform optically so poorly tho, their shape and coating are not good enough.
Yes I was a little surprised too. However, my tests were intended to find the worst scenarios. I have been using the glass ones for a couple of days outdoors and I really can't complain about the image quality. I'm in the process of testing how tough they are compared to the plastic ones and I can say I am glad to have the glass ones. I think they are going to last a lot longer than the plastic ones in terms of scuffs and rubs etc.
@@Roos-Reviews your methodology to get observable visual quality differences between each setup was balanced and representative IMO.
I'm looking forward to the durability comparison too, although I already have a good idea of what it's gonna show 😆
I got the Premium ones now and I actually prefer them quite a bit over the standard. They definitely don't scratch nearly as easy and quite larger. They feel super durable too. As for image quality it just comes down to how you operate the camera. Going having the sun beside you or behind gives the best results. Keeping them dust free is a must. My Standard ones I actually dropped and it scratched way too easily so I bought premium.
Yes, very durable. Keep them pointed away from strong light sources and they're very useful.
Literally! Same as me mine got marks while in my pocket! Hence why I’m getting the premium ones now!
I have the X2 and keep the protector on and will be picking up the X4. This is a fantastic test. The premium were pretty bad. Thanks for the unbiased and straight review.
Totally unrelated, you have the most calming voice.
Also thank you for the content in the video. I won't be buying the premium guards.
I was using the standard one thinking about buying the premium ones. After I saw this video, I will just skip the purchase. Thanks.
the image quality looks not bad with the premium lens guard on, I can accept a bit of image quality lost but with better protection for my lens tho and the fact that I barely noticed the image loss on my camera, great review as always!
I feel the same. In most everyday situations the premium lenses look fine. And they are much more scratch resistant than the plastic lenses, so I am using the premium ones, except in low light.
a hello from EUC rider. I guessed you will go for the premium one on the ride. A very useful video. thx.
Very helpful! I was about to recommend getting the Premium lens protectors but the standard ones seem better. Thank you!
Standard lens protectors looks better than premium.
The premium ones are significantly better than the regular ones. But for optimal quality you shouldnt point the edges of the lenses in the sun. Otherwise you will get nasty reflections. If the middle of the lenses catch sunlight its no problem.
Thanks for the helpful test!! I already had the Pro in my shopping cart, but now I'm glad to have seen your video and will use the existing ones as long as it fits. Best regards from Austria 😀👍
Thanks for this review. I am actually quite confused that the premium ones created so much glare despite having antireflective coating. They may have to improve and adjust this coating a bit - this seems off.
I'll keep the standard ones on though. This is such a mind-calmer!
thought the lens guard would affect the image quality a little, surprisingly it turned out okay! are you filming the first test away from the sun at roughly the same time? Seems like the premium ones deliver the colors more accurately or the sun was just stronger😇 anyways, would also love to know which one is more resistant for scratches and drops.
Great review
Another review had said premium is better if entire lens directly facing sun, and get more artifact if lens at angle to sun.. Guess that applies to standard also but was worse.
awesome. thanks for demonstrating that there is no discernible difference in video quality using either the standard or premium lens protectors. Nonetheless, got to have microfiber wipes on hand to remove the dust! I opt to get the utility rig instead of the premium protectors now!
Thanks for this I was gonna buy premium and now I see I don’t need them👍
Thanks, great comparison video. I upgraded to the X4 for a trip to Europe, forgot to fit my lens guards and yep, dropped the camera while on a bus in London. End result, damaged the front lens. Funny thing is, I have had my X3 for almost 2 years, never used lens guards, never dropped it lol. Oh well, I had travel insurance that is covering the repair.
but it was cosmetic damage ONLY which is not covered, IS IT?
@@andrask.485 My travel insurance did indeed cover everything.
Thanks for this review. Note that it is not recommended to use lenses for underwater shots (less than 10meters)
Oh wow the premium lens has way more reflective glare than the standard lens protector that comes stock with the X4. I think ill be sticking with that, ive been doing testing in mine and have found that my videos have not been looking as clean as others in daylight. It seems to have a too soft of an image at Low sharpness but a grainy distorted look at medium sharpness with high sharpness looking way too sharp. This is without the lens protector as well. Its far worse with it on. Im even wondering if mine has a defect and planning on exchanging it for another one.
I had a faulty bike mount snap and drop my 20 hour old X4 onto the asphalt at ~20 mph. It broke a big chunk out out of 1 lens protector and badly scuffed the other, but the camera lens remained perfectly intact. I am concerned that the premium tempered glass protector would have just broken. As result, I am just going to stick with the standard protectors and the expectation that I have to replace them more frequently.
Thanks for this comparison test, very helpful
After breaking my x3 lenses (thank god for insurance) I've just upgraded to the X4 simply for that lens guard, however I was worried about quality but it looks very impressive with just the standard lens guards on. 👍
Thanks for the review!!! Good thing I saw this, now I know to get the regular protectors.
I think that no lens protector looked best in all of your comparisons. And premium looked the worst. For piece of mind against damage, I will go with the standards! Thanks for the review.
They tell you that no protectors gives you the best image.
curious which one (if Insta360 listened) has a hydrophobic coating to avoid Rain Drops from sticking on the lens. Thanks for this comparison.
Thanks for this video! i did one video with the plastic ones that came with the camera and will not be using those ever again but this video makes it look like the premium are not any better. much appreciated. maybe i need to clean up my standards and try again. I also didn't change the setting so that may have been a part of the issue i had.
The benefit of the premium ones is that they are more resistant to scratching and will last longer. But in my experience they produce more glare than the plastic ones.
03:38 my heart has stopped and died at this moment... 😅
Thanks. I was thinking to go premium but those dirt reflections are terrible.
Very helpful. Thanks for putting this together!
Thank you for creating this useful video. I just got my X4 and had been considering to purchase premium lens guard. You video helped me to rethink. 👍🏽
Finally an honest review. Thank you for putting this together. I'll stick with the standard for now.
Premium is worse
Nah, they are better if you dont point them with the edges in the sun like Hugh Hou mentioned in his video
Very useful info… 😢 you get better image when using x3 with glass protector on. But when you use x4 with premium protector, you get a lot of glare .
Thanks Mate, that is vey useful and informative
This helped me to decide to use the standard ones. I made a video on my channel showing the x3 vs the x4 if anyone wants to see it.
Good thing is, the Standard are better for impacts and saving the real lens.
And swap easy if they get unusable.
No fear of glas shrapnel and the overall look is better than the premium.
Why they sell the premium? What is the usage?
The premiums last longer as they are more scratch resistant.
@@Roos-Reviews ok. That's a point. :)
A great comparison review and thanks for taking the time and effort to make the video and a BIG thumbs 👍up. Most reviews that I've seen about the 2 types of lens protectors say the same as yourself, stick to the standard ones. Cheers
I was waiting for this - thanks!!!!
Thumbs up just cause I learned it mattered which way the blue dot was facing lol. thanks for the comparison I think I'll save 30 $ and run standard for awhile.
Now this is some great info!!! ❤❤❤
Thank you, I was about to order some glass ones. 😊
I just bought a pair of glass ones from a 3rd party manufacturer on Amazon. Saved $5, but they have all the same issues. Plus, these 3rd party ones don't have the serrated edges, so putting them on and taking them off is almost impossible without the special tool they included. I definitely preferred the plastic ones, so I think I'll be going back to those. I just wish someone would make a lens guard case so I have somewhere to put all of these spare lens guards.
Very interesting, thanks so much, great video 👏👏. Maybe I will use the premium protectors for storage and the normal ones for filming. What do you think ?
Best greetings from Northern Germany 👋👋
Great review.
I did the same thing with my X3. Dropping it. Not the first time. Another 110usd to fix huhu. For an 'action cam' it is fragile. Good they have made a removable lens protector for the X4. The sticky lens guard was a joke. Hard to line up which made the stitching bad.
Not sure if I want to by the X4. It takes a lot to process the clips.
Excellent video! Thanks, man ;)
Mmm thanks for the test, probably a couple of standard one can be the better soluction for moat users
Thanks and I love problems Premium for the go!
SUPER useful video. Good comparison and conclusion. I agree with your decision and will also keep the standard ones.
Thanks for the "clear" comparison!!😊
I haven't even used the camera yet and the standard are scratched. I have been very careful with it as well. Not sure when it happened
The dark room really showed the warping movement on the right side. Weird.
Incredibly helpful and like the other commentor said exactly what I wanted to know.
I have the x4 now for several months. Using standard and original premium lens guards. In backlight conditions the standard has washed out, smudged look around the rim, not the center. Because it isn't possible to keep the premiums clean from dust more than two seconds, it makes worse distractions than the standard protection. Nevertheless there is no alternative for action sports, if you like to keep your lenses damage free. I will try now cheaper lenses from other brands. Avoid direct sunlight is my recommondation.
thank you for the review the premium lens a bit expensive .
The video that i was looking for!!!
Cheeky Roo makin me pull up the video 3 times side by side by side to compare vs adding it into the vid.....lol
Thumps up from India 🇮🇳
Nice review! Sorry about your mishap! Apparently, lens replacement is expensive. I wish they'd get their heads out of their asses on this and install replaceable lenses.
Ben Claremont has the same opinion; standard protectors are better than "premium".
Good that there is a premium option for the pros .......so they can clean the lenses to stay pro.......
I really like your irony, are you a native English person ?
@@bluepawni live in the flemish part of belgium......so no native english one .......
Nice review. The dust at low light does get inside.
Did you happen to blow it before shooting?
Do you think you'll use Iens protectors in low light scenarios? Cheers
Yes I used a camera lens dust blower. I don't use them in low light because of the glare.
I really want to know this! Great video!
I'm surprised roo haven't made reviews of gopros black 11 and 12.!
Last gopro he reviewed was the 10.
Probably cause since 9-12 it's basically the same series with minor improvements
I stopped buying them because of how unstable the firmware is.
Nice job! I agree standard is best.
Thanks ! Standard seems better it's incredible !
Amazing review video. Thanks much. Subscribed.
Thank you for making this dude!
The good news is that you now have the discretion of removing the protectors when you see fit.
i can say the premium ones might have early production issues
as more 3rd parties start making the premium glass protectors, they will tweak the shape and maybe use a different glass.
or use a different coating to reduce reflections/glare
btw have you tried anti-fog spray for eyeglasses/spectacles on the basic guard.
i know its not a perfect seal between the lens and the guard but it should help against fogging.
question is.. will it affect the basic guards negatively?
Thank you for this video ❤
No problem 😊
Nice comparison! thx!
very true, the base plastic ones just scruff up with anything! more or less useless.
great review thank you
Thanks, just what we wanted.
Interesting, thank's a lot
do test again but select the differnt lens settings in camera. Example no lense protector but select the plastic lense settings to see the effects and so on. do for all settings and lenses. no lense with plastic setting and premium setting. then with plastic protector on then no lense setting you get it right.
I did.
I do need additional test - how the stich lines looks like in no/standard/premium situation. Can you add that to the test?
I already did. Check my channel.
Thanks for test. Do you have a footage that would show better how each option affects stitching? It was hard to see from here.
I'm working on it
This one is for you: ruclips.net/video/O2g-iCwVeF0/видео.html
@@Roos-Reviews Thank you. I'll give you a like and comment under the new video
Thank you very much 👊🏼👍🏼
Standard are cheaper and dont attract dust.
I prefer standard.
Thanks a lot
Thanks for your video.
But, I ask myself about your test. We can see in some shot that your lense protection are very durty / not clean. Durty lense have a big impact on the glare…
From my point of view it’s difficult to make a big conclusion with your test (between basic or prenium lense guard). Without lense, for sur the quality is great (with clean lense).
Maybe the prenium lense are more sensitive to finger dirt 🤔
The protectors were cleaned right before the test, but they attract dust quickly.
I wanna see stitching comparisons.
I will see if I can make a video to test that for you.
Thanks for this review, i’ll skip the premium ones, using that money to buy the alloy cage then haha
Thanks, Roo!
Without lens protector on the EUC...bold move 😅
well my eyes are not fantastic the standard ones are as good if not better than the premium
Thanks!
what's happening with the power line? which stage of the process degrades em?
Thanks for the video - very helpful
please do share the link to purchase these protective glasses
Great comparisons.
Super disappointed in the “premium” ones…
Thanks for the video.
Can the camera be stored with the lens guard on with any cases on the market
The case that comes with the camera allows the camera to fit inside with either of the lens protector types fitted.