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On this page · 10 sections
The best camera for filming kids is the Insta360 X5, because it records in every direction at once — so the moment that happens behind you is still in the file — and it is rated to 15 m without a case, so it can go in the pool. If you would rather wear the camera and keep both hands free, the Insta360 GO Ultra is the pick; for a flat clip you can share straight away, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 at $369.99 (Insta360 store, checked 28 September 2026) is the cheapest of the four picks; and for the school play or sports day from the back of the hall, the Insta360 Luna Ultra is the only pick with an optical telephoto.
The method, in one breath: eight questions asked in order, and the first one that separates two cameras decides. Every specification is the manufacturer's own, and every figure and price was checked on 1, 3 or 28 September 2026, with each price dated.
The honest preview: DJI's Osmo Pocket 3 is $330.99 cheaper than the Luna Ultra ($439.00 against $769.99, both checked 28 September 2026) and has a larger sensor than three of the four picks. The section on where DJI wins says where that matters.
At a glance
The four picks, then two DJI cameras that are not picks. The concession is about them, so their numbers sit in the same grid. Columns run in criterion order.
| Capture | Built to be worn | Water, no case | Optical reach | Sensor · aperture | Runtime, in the maker's stated mode | Weight | Price (dated) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Insta360 X5 | 360, 8K30 | none recorded | 15 m | not recorded | 2 × 1/1.28", F2.0 | 93 min @8K30 · 208 min @5.7K24 Endurance | 200 g | $549.99, Insta360 store, 28 Sep 2026 — Labor Day promotion ended |
| 2. Insta360 GO Ultra | flat, 4K60 | magnet pendant · magnetic easy clip · quick-release mount (maker-listed, Limited Edition bundle) | 10 m, IPX8 (camera) · Action Pod IPX4 splashproof only | not recorded (156° FOV) | 1/1.28", F2.85 · PureVideo | 70 min camera alone · 200 min with Action Pod (1080p24, Endurance Mode, screen and Wi-Fi off) | 52.9 g camera · 108.5 g Action Pod | $449.99, store and B&H, 28 Sep 2026 — no promotion marker |
| 3. Insta360 Ace Pro 2 | flat, 8K30 | none recorded | 12 m | not published | 1/1.3", F2.6 · PureVideo | 180 min (1080p24, Active HDR off) | 184 g (Insta360's figure) | $369.99, Insta360 store, 28 Sep 2026 |
| 4. Insta360 Luna Ultra | flat, "8K" (marketing figure) | none recorded | no waterproofing at all | 20mm + 60mm, 1×–12× | 1" + 1/1.3", F1.8 / F2.0 | 240 min (mode not stated) | 233 g | $769.99, Insta360 store, 28 Sep 2026 |
| DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (not a pick — see Where DJI wins) | flat, 4K60 · 4K120 slow motion | none recorded | not rated | digital only, 2× at 4K | 1", f/2.0 | 166 min (1080p24, Wi-Fi and screen off) | 179 g | $439.00, B&H, 28 Sep 2026 |
| DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro (not a pick — see Where DJI wins) | flat, 4K120 | none recorded | 20 m | not published | 1/1.3", f/2.8 | 240 min (mode not stated) | 146 g | $319.00, B&H, 28 Sep 2026 |
Swipe for 4 more columns →
- Capture
- 360, 8K30
- Built to be worn
- none recorded
- Water, no case
- 15 m
- Optical reach
- not recorded
- Sensor · aperture
- 2 × 1/1.28", F2.0
- Runtime, in the maker's stated mode
- 93 min @8K30 · 208 min @5.7K24 Endurance
- Weight
- 200 g
- Price (dated)
- $549.99, Insta360 store, 28 Sep 2026 — Labor Day promotion ended
- Capture
- flat, 4K60
- Built to be worn
- magnet pendant · magnetic easy clip · quick-release mount (maker-listed, Limited Edition bundle)
- Water, no case
- 10 m, IPX8 (camera) · Action Pod IPX4 splashproof only
- Optical reach
- not recorded (156° FOV)
- Sensor · aperture
- 1/1.28", F2.85 · PureVideo
- Runtime, in the maker's stated mode
- 70 min camera alone · 200 min with Action Pod (1080p24, Endurance Mode, screen and Wi-Fi off)
- Weight
- 52.9 g camera · 108.5 g Action Pod
- Price (dated)
- $449.99, store and B&H, 28 Sep 2026 — no promotion marker
- Capture
- flat, 8K30
- Built to be worn
- none recorded
- Water, no case
- 12 m
- Optical reach
- not published
- Sensor · aperture
- 1/1.3", F2.6 · PureVideo
- Runtime, in the maker's stated mode
- 180 min (1080p24, Active HDR off)
- Weight
- 184 g (Insta360's figure)
- Price (dated)
- $369.99, Insta360 store, 28 Sep 2026
- Capture
- flat, "8K" (marketing figure)
- Built to be worn
- none recorded
- Water, no case
- no waterproofing at all
- Optical reach
- 20mm + 60mm, 1×–12×
- Sensor · aperture
- 1" + 1/1.3", F1.8 / F2.0
- Runtime, in the maker's stated mode
- 240 min (mode not stated)
- Weight
- 233 g
- Price (dated)
- $769.99, Insta360 store, 28 Sep 2026
- Capture
- flat, 4K60 · 4K120 slow motion
- Built to be worn
- none recorded
- Water, no case
- not rated
- Optical reach
- digital only, 2× at 4K
- Sensor · aperture
- 1", f/2.0
- Runtime, in the maker's stated mode
- 166 min (1080p24, Wi-Fi and screen off)
- Weight
- 179 g
- Price (dated)
- $439.00, B&H, 28 Sep 2026
- Capture
- flat, 4K120
- Built to be worn
- none recorded
- Water, no case
- 20 m
- Optical reach
- not published
- Sensor · aperture
- 1/1.3", f/2.8
- Runtime, in the maker's stated mode
- 240 min (mode not stated)
- Weight
- 146 g
- Price (dated)
- $319.00, B&H, 28 Sep 2026
"None recorded" means no maker-listed mount appears in the specifications we cite, not that no mount exists; "not recorded" means the same for zoom. Each price prints its own check date. The X5's early-September Labor Day promotion has ended; $549.99 is its price at both Insta360 and B&H. The Ace Pro 2's 184 g is Insta360's figure; B&H lists 177.2 g.
What actually matters when the subject will not stand still
Eight questions, in order. The rule comes first, because it makes the order checkable: each criterion is a yes-or-no question, and the first question that separates two cameras decides which ranks higher. Margins on later questions are reported in full but do not reorder the picks.
- Does it catch the moment you did not aim at? 360 capture, framed afterwards. Children do not wait to be framed.
- Is it built to be worn? The maker describes it as a wearable or lists body-worn mounts for it, so a parent's hands stay free.
- Can it go in the pool without a case? A published bare water rating, of any depth. It is a gate, not a ruler: this page cites no pool or depth guidance because none of its sources carries any, and the gap between 10 m and 20 m is a question for divers, not for a family pool.
- Can it film from where a parent has to stand? A published optical telephoto or zoom range, for the school hall and the sports-day touchline.
- Does it cope indoors? Larger sensor first; if equal, the wider aperture; if still equal, a named low-light mode. Birthday parties and bedtimes happen inside.
- How fast is the clip on your phone? Whether the file is shareable as recorded or has to be reframed first, plus any published fast-charge or phone-connection figure.
- Will it last the day, and what does it weigh? Runtime in the maker's own stated mode, and weight.
- Price. Dated, with the list price beside every promotion.
highlight A criterion nobody publishes cannot be scored, so subject tracking is retired: no specification we rank on records a tracking feature for any camera here, and this page does not say any of them has or lacks one.
No maker publishes a phone-transfer or reframing time either, so criterion 6 is scored on what the file is when it comes off the camera. And "8K" is not one thing: the X5's 8K30 covers a whole sphere, and the Luna Ultra's "8K" is a marketing figure with no supporting specification.
01Insta360 X5
Insta360 X5
- Capture
- 360 at 8K30
- Water, no case
- 15 m · 60 m in the dive case
- 360 stills
- 72MP (11904×5952)
The verdict in one line: it records every direction at once, so the goal, the first wobbly bike ride and the face behind you are all in the same file — and it can go in the pool without a case.
The X5 ranks first on criterion 1: it is the only 360 camera among the four picks. Two 1/1.28" sensors behind F2.0 lenses record the whole sphere, and you choose the frame afterwards, because the thing worth keeping is rarely the thing you were pointing at. A 72MP 360 still lets you pull a frame from the moment after it happened.
Its 15 m bare rating (60 m in the dive case) is the deepest of the four picks. Insta360 publishes 13.5 stops and −20 °C to 40 °C, stabilisation is FlowState Stabilization with 360 Horizon Lock, the lenses are replaceable, and it runs 93 min at 8K30 or 208 min at 5.7K24 in Endurance Mode.
The costs: no clip is shareable until it has been reframed, the slowest route to a phone of the four picks, and no maker publishes how long that takes. At 200 g it is the second-heaviest pick, 16 g more than the Ace Pro 2, and Insta360 publishes no peak brightness for its 2.5" LCD. At $549.99 it is $180.00 more than the Ace Pro 2's $369.99 and $100.00 more than the GO Ultra's $449.99 (all checked 28 September 2026).
The cheaper 360: Insta360 X4 Air — $399.99 (checked 28 September 2026; its Labor Day promotion has also ended), $150.00 less than the X5. It is 35 g lighter at 165 g, with the same 15 m and 8K30, but it has 2 × 1/1.8" sensors at F1.95, 29MP stills against 72MP, and 88 min at 8K30. It loses criterion 5; see our Insta360 X4 Air review.
The full picture, including the brightness figure Insta360 does not publish, in our Insta360 X5 review.
＋ Pros
- The only 360 camera among the picks: no aiming required
- 15 m bare, the deepest of the four picks
- 72MP 360 stills; 13.5 stops published
− Cons
- Nothing is shareable until it is reframed
- Peak screen brightness not published
- $549.99, $180.00 more than the Ace Pro 2
02Insta360 GO Ultra
Insta360 GO Ultra
- Weight
- 52.9 g camera · 108.5 g Action Pod
- Water, no case
- 10 m, IPX8 (camera) · Action Pod IPX4 splashproof
- Max video
- 4K60 · 1080p at 240fps
The verdict in one line: the one you wear — a 52.9 g camera with a maker-listed magnet pendant and magnetic clip, so both hands stay on the swing — and it records a flat clip that needs no reframing.
The GO Ultra ranks second on criterion 2: it is the only pick with maker-listed body-worn mounts. Insta360 lists a magnet pendant, a magnetic easy clip and a quick-release mount, plus a Mini 2-in-1 Tripod 2.0 for setting it down. That list is the contents of the Insta360 GO Ultra × Hello Kitty Limited Edition bundle; we have no source for what the Standard Bundle includes, so check the box if the mounts are the point.
The 52.9 g camera is the lightest of the four picks. Its 1/1.28" sensor matches each of the X5's, behind an F2.85 lens (14.27 mm equivalent, 156° FOV), with PureVideo. It records flat 4K60, shareable as recorded, plus 1080p at 240fps, Active HDR up to 4K30 and 50MP stills. It runs 70 min on the camera alone and 200 min with the Action Pod (1080p24, Endurance Mode on, screen and Wi-Fi off), with FlowState Stabilization and a published −20 °C to 40 °C. Bluetooth 5.4 + Wi-Fi is the only phone-connection specification we can cite for any pick.
The costs: the 2.5" flip touchscreen is on the Action Pod, and the Action Pod is IPX4 splashproof only — in the pool, the camera goes in and the screen stays on the side. 70 min alone is the shortest standalone figure among the picks. We have not verified a screen-brightness or dynamic-range figure; that gap is ours, not necessarily Insta360's. It needs a microSD card (up to 2 TB) and tops out at 4K60. Its $449.99 is $80.00 more than the Ace Pro 2's $369.99 (both checked 28 September 2026). The Hello Kitty edition was $569.99 on 3 September 2026, $120.00 more than the Standard Bundle's 28 September price; its availability signals conflicted three ways that day and have not been re-checked.
The rival: DJI Osmo Nano, a two-piece wearable. It passes criterion 2 and ties criterion 3, and the GO Ultra takes it on criterion 5, 1/1.28" against 1/1.3" — a narrow margin. Its figures, price and US status are in where DJI wins.
The lighter option: Insta360 GO 3S. A 39.1 g camera, 13.8 g lighter, and a 96.3 g Action Pod. The camera is rated to 10 m, IPX8, with the lens guard fitted; the Pod is IPX4 splashproof only with the camera installed. It shoots 4K30 and runs 38 min alone or 140 min with the pod (1080p30, screen and Wi-Fi off). It loses criterion 5 clearly: 1/2.3" against 1/1.28" (from the comparison table on Insta360's GO Ultra page), and no PureVideo. Its Standard Bundle is $349.99 (64GB) or $379.99 (128GB) (checked 28 September 2026).
The worn camera in full in our Insta360 GO Ultra review.
＋ Pros
- Worn, not held: maker-listed magnet pendant, magnetic easy clip and quick-release mount
- 52.9 g camera, the lightest of the four picks
- Camera rated to 10 m, IPX8; flat 4K60 with PureVideo
− Cons
- Screen is on the Action Pod, which is IPX4 splashproof only
- 70 min alone, the shortest standalone figure among the picks
- Screen brightness and dynamic range not verified
03Insta360 Ace Pro 2
Insta360 Ace Pro 2
- Water, no case
- 12 m
- Max video
- 8K30 flat · 4K120
- Charging
- 18 min to 80% at 30 W
The verdict in one line: the cheapest of the four picks, a flat clip ready to share the moment it is recorded, and it goes in the pool without a case.
The Ace Pro 2 ranks third on criterion 3: it is the remaining pick with a bare water rating. At $369.99 it is the cheapest of the four picks at the prices we recorded, $180.00 under the X5 and $80.00 under the GO Ultra (all checked 28 September 2026). Its 8K30 is a flat frame, so the clip is finished when you stop recording, and 4K120 covers slow motion of the jump into the pool.
A 2.5" flip screen at 900 nits faces you when you turn it round. The 1/1.3" sensor sits behind an F2.6 Leica SUMMARIT lens, 13 mm equivalent, with PureVideo, 13.5 stops published, 50MP stills and FlowState Stabilization with 360 Horizon Lock. It runs 180 min at 1080p24 with Active HDR off, 18 min to 80% at 30 W is the fastest published top-up on the page, and Insta360 publishes −20 °C to 45 °C.
The costs: 184 g by Insta360's figure (B&H lists 177.2 g; we use the maker's number). Its sensor is the smallest of the four picks, by a hair: 1/1.3" against 1/1.28". It records only where you point it, no mount is recorded for it in the specifications we cite, and its 12 m is 8 m short of the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.
The rival: DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro — $319.00 (B&H, checked 28 September 2026). It ties the Ace Pro 2 on criteria 1 to 4 and loses criterion 5 narrowly: the same 1/1.3" sensor, f/2.8 against F2.6, and no named low-light mode we can cite. DJI publishes −20 °C to 45 °C, the same range. It wins on depth, runtime, weight and price, at $50.99 less — see where DJI wins. DJI's US store showed it out of stock in every combo on 28 September 2026; B&H had it in stock.
Everything above in full, including the 184 g / 177.2 g conflict, in our Insta360 Ace Pro 2 review.
＋ Pros
- $369.99, the cheapest of the four picks
- 12 m bare; flat 8K30, shareable as recorded
- 18 min to 80%, the fastest published top-up here
− Cons
- 184 g by Insta360's figure (B&H: 177.2 g)
- Records only the direction you point it
- $50.99 more than the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, which is not a pick
04Insta360 Luna Ultra
Insta360 Luna Ultra
- Lenses
- 20mm + 60mm, 1×–12× zoom
- Rated runtime
- 240 min
- Screen
- 2.0" OLED, 1000 nits
The verdict in one line: the camera for the school play and the sports day, filmed from where parents are actually allowed to stand — and the one camera here that must stay away from water entirely.
The Luna Ultra ranks fourth: it fails criteria 1 to 3 and wins criterion 4 against its real rival. It is the only pick with an optical telephoto: a 20mm F1.8 main camera on a 1" sensor plus a 60mm F2.0 telephoto on a 1/1.3" sensor, with 1×–12× zoom in the manual. From the back of a school hall, that second lens is the difference between a face and a crowd.
It sits on a 3-axis gimbal rated to ±0.005°, runs 240 min, the longest rated runtime among the picks (mode not stated), and charges to 80% in 23 min at 45 W. Its 2.0" OLED at 1000 nits is the highest published brightness among the picks, and it has 47 GB of internal storage.
The costs are why it is fourth. 🚫 The Luna Ultra has no waterproofing at all, and it is not dustproof or splashproof either: no pool, beach, paddling pool or garden sprinkler. At 233 g it is the heaviest pick. At $769.99 it is the most expensive: $220.00 more than the X5's $549.99 and $320.00 more than the GO Ultra's $449.99 (all checked 28 September 2026). Its "8K" is a marketing figure with no supporting specification, and Insta360 publishes no operating temperature for it.
The rival: DJI Osmo Pocket 3 — $439.00 (B&H, checked 28 September 2026): a 1" sensor at f/2.0, 4K60 with 4K120 slow motion, 166 min at 1080p24 with Wi-Fi and screen off, 179 g, no water rating, and a published 0 °C to 40 °C. It loses criterion 4 — digital zoom only, 2× at 4K — and that is the only reason it is not the #4 pick. DJI's US store showed it out of stock, one unit per customer, on 28 September 2026; B&H had it in stock. See our DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review.
The telephoto pick in full in our Insta360 Luna Ultra review.
＋ Pros
- The only optical telephoto among the picks: 20mm + 60mm, 1×–12×
- 240 min rated, the longest among the picks
- 1000-nit OLED, the brightest published screen among the picks
− Cons
- No waterproofing at all — not dustproof or splashproof either
- 233 g, the heaviest pick
- $769.99, the most expensive pick
Where DJI wins
Four concessions, each with its margin. Criteria 6 to 8 never decide an order on this page, and they are exactly where DJI wins: runtime, weight and price. If you rank price first, the order changes. Neither the Pocket 3 nor the Action 5 Pro carries a US-availability caveat: DJI lists both on its US store, where both showed out of stock on 28 September 2026 while B&H had them in stock. That changes none of the margins below.
1 · DJI's Osmo Pocket 3 beats the Insta360 Luna Ultra on price by $330.99 — $439.00 against $769.99, both checked 28 September 2026 — and on weight by 54 g, 179 g against 233 g, with the same 1" main-sensor class. If you will not use the 60mm telephoto, the Pocket 3 is the better buy. What the $330.99 buys is just as plain: 1×–12× zoom against digital-only 2× at 4K, F1.8 against f/2.0, 240 min against 166, 1000 nits against 700, and 47 GB on board against none. Neither has any water rating. The full head-to-head is DJI Osmo Pocket 3 vs Insta360 Luna Ultra.
2 · The Pocket 3 wins criterion 5, indoor light, against three of the four picks outright. Its 1" sensor is larger than the X5's and GO Ultra's 1/1.28" and the Ace Pro 2's 1/1.3", and its f/2.0 is wider than the GO Ultra's F2.85 and the Ace Pro 2's F2.6, matching the X5's F2.0. It ranks below them only because each wins an earlier question: 360 capture, being built to be worn, a water rating.
3 · DJI's Osmo Action 5 Pro beats the Ace Pro 2 on bare depth by 8 m, 20 m against 12 m; on rated runtime by 60 min, 240 against 180; on weight by 38 g, 146 g against 184 g; and on price by $50.99, $319.00 against $369.99 (both checked 28 September 2026). It is also 5 m deeper than the X5 and 10 m deeper than the GO Ultra's camera. It ranks below the Ace Pro 2 only on criterion 5, f/2.8 against F2.6 on the same sensor size plus PureVideo, and that margin is narrow.
4 · DJI's Osmo Nano beats the GO Ultra on weight and standalone runtime. Its module is 0.9 g lighter, 52 g against 52.9 g, and its Vision Dock 36.5 g lighter, 72 g against 108.5 g. It runs 20 min longer on its own, 90 against 70, and matches 200 min with the dock. It publishes an 800-nit screen, on the dock, where we have no verified GO Ultra figure. The module is rated to 10 m and the dock IPX4, and DJI publishes −20 °C to 45 °C. B&H had it on promotion at $349.00 (64 GB) and $368.00 (128 GB), against regular prices of $389 and $409, on 28 September 2026: $100.99 and $81.99 under the GO Ultra's $449.99.
Separately: DJI does not officially sell the Osmo Nano in the USA. Its US store says "Not available in your country/region", and DJI publishes no USD price for it. That does not change the margins above.
The Insta360 picks hold their places on 360 capture, a maker-listed wearable design, a water rating and an optical telephoto — the questions this page asks first. Not on runtime, weight or price, where DJI wins.
Buying guidance and what to skip
If you will never reframe, do not buy a 360 camera. The X5 only pays off if you will sit down afterwards and choose the frame. If the clip needs to be in the family group chat before bath time, the Ace Pro 2 or the GO Ultra gives you a flat file that is shareable as recorded. See what is a 360 camera for how reframing works, and our mobile video editing apps comparison for what a phone can finish.
Keep the Luna Ultra and the Pocket 3 dry. The Luna Ultra has no waterproofing at all and the Pocket 3 is not rated. For a pool day, the water-rated picks are the X5 at 15 m, the Ace Pro 2 at 12 m and the GO Ultra's camera at 10 m — and the GO Ultra's Action Pod, which carries its screen, is IPX4 splashproof only, so it stays out of the water. For the day it goes wrong anyway, see action camera water damage recovery; for a snorkelling trip, the best camera for snorkeling.
If tracking is what you want, buy a phone gimbal, not a camera. The Insta360 Flow 2 Pro — $159.99 (checked 28 September 2026; its Labor Day promotion has ended) — publishes DeepTrack 4.0 and 360 Infinite Pan Tracking, Apple DockKit support across 200+ iOS apps, and 10 h from its 1100 mAh battery at 357 g. It is not waterproof, and Insta360's own retail copy says it is optimised for iOS and that not every feature works on Android.
Do not buy on the word "8K". The X5's 8K30 is a sphere, the Ace Pro 2's is a flat frame, and the Luna Ultra's "8K" has no supporting specification. No maker here publishes a reframed-output resolution, so we do not calculate one.
Do not buy on a promotional price. The Labor Day promotions that set the X5, X4 Air and Flow 2 Pro prices in early September had ended by 28 September 2026, and prices move again. Check the current price first.
DJI's newer cameras. DJI does not sell the Osmo Action 6 in the USA and shows no USD price for it, and the Osmo Pocket 4 and 4P are not officially sold there either. DJI's US store now lists the Osmo 360 at $549.99, but it was out of stock in every combo on 28 September 2026.
Signed verdictWilliam Madden · 2026-09-28
Which one to actually buy
Buy the Insta360 X5 at $549.99 (checked 28 September 2026) if you want every moment and will reframe afterwards.
Buy the Insta360 GO Ultra at $449.99 (checked 28 September 2026, no promotion marker) if you want to be in the moment with both hands free.
Buy the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 at $369.99 (checked 28 September 2026) for a clip on the phone the same afternoon, a pool without a case and the lowest price among the picks.
Buy the Insta360 Luna Ultra at $769.99 (checked 28 September 2026) for the school hall and the touchline, kept dry — or the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 at $439.00 (checked 28 September 2026), $330.99 cheaper, if you will not use the telephoto.
Ready to decide?
Checked 28 September 2026 at the Insta360 US store, after its Labor Day promotion ended. The price may change; check it before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best cameras for filming kids?
The Insta360 X5 is the best camera for filming kids, followed by the Insta360 GO Ultra for hands-free filming, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 for a flat clip that goes in the pool, and the Insta360 Luna Ultra for school plays and sports days from a distance. If you will not use the Luna Ultra's telephoto, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is $330.99 cheaper ($439.00 against $769.99, both checked 28 September 2026).
Can Insta360 cameras go in the pool?
Most can without a case, but not all. The Insta360 X5 is rated to 15 m, the Ace Pro 2 to 12 m and the GO Ultra's camera to 10 m, IPX8; the GO Ultra's Action Pod, which carries its screen, is IPX4 splashproof only. The Insta360 Luna Ultra has no waterproofing at all. For comparison, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is not rated.
Which waterproof camera gets a clip onto my phone fastest?
No maker here publishes a transfer time, so the answer is about the file. The GO Ultra (camera 10 m, IPX8) and the Ace Pro 2 (12 m) record flat files that are shareable as they come off the camera; the X5's need reframing first. The only phone-connection specification we can cite is the GO Ultra's Bluetooth 5.4 + Wi-Fi.
Can I film my kids without holding the camera?
Yes, two ways. Wear the Insta360 GO Ultra yourself: it is a 52.9 g camera for which Insta360 lists a magnet pendant, a magnetic easy clip and a quick-release mount. Or use the X5, which records every direction, so there is no need to aim at all.
Which one lasts through a whole party or day out?
On rated figures: the Luna Ultra at 240 min (mode not stated), the X5 at 208 min in 5.7K24 Endurance Mode (93 min at 8K30), the GO Ultra at 200 min with its Action Pod (70 min alone, both at 1080p24 in Endurance Mode), the Ace Pro 2 at 180 min at 1080p24, and the Pocket 3 at 166 min at 1080p24. The fastest published top-up is the Ace Pro 2's 18 min to 80% at 30 W.