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Video Recording Storage Calculator

Higher resolutions require more storage but provide better video quality.

Higher frame rates (e.g., 120fps) make motion smoother but significantly increase storage needs.

H.264/H.265/AVCHD/XAVC: Compressed, efficient. ProRes/DNxHD: Edit-friendly, larger files. Log profiles and RAW: High dynamic range, larger files.

Higher bit depth (10-bit, 12-bit) and chroma (4:2:2, 4:4:4) improve color accuracy but increase storage.

All-I: Intra-frame, higher bitrate, edit-friendly. IPB/IPB Light/Long GOP: Inter-frame, lower bitrate, efficient storage.

MP4: Widely compatible. MOV: Preferred for editing. MXF: Professional workflows.

Low: Static scenes (e.g., webinars). Medium: Moderate motion (e.g., interviews). High: Fast motion (e.g., sports).

Higher audio bitrates (e.g., 512 kbps) improve sound quality but increase storage needs.

SD: UHS-II V90 (720 Mb/s). CFexpress: Type B (1500 Mb/s). SSD: USB-C (1000 Mb/s). Internal NVMe: PCIe 3.0-5.0 (3500-12000 Mb/s). External NVMe: USB 3.2/Thunderbolt (1000-2800 Mb/s).

Enter the expected duration of your recording (hours and/or minutes) to estimate total storage usage.

Understanding the Results

  • Min. Write Speed (🚀): The minimum sustained write speed (Mb/s) required for the storage media, including a 5% headroom for professional codecs (ProRes, DNxHD, DNxHR, BRAW, REDCode) or 20% for others.
  • Min. Device Capacity (💾): The minimum storage capacity (GB or TB) needed, rounded to standard sizes (e.g., 32 GB, 1 TB) and ensured to be at least as large as the estimated file size.
  • Est. File Size (🎥): The estimated file size (GB) for the recording, based on the maximum bitrate and duration.
  • Warning: If the minimum write speed exceeds the selected storage media’s limit, a warning will suggest using a faster media type.

The results include a bar chart visualizing the minimum write speed, minimum device capacity, and estimated file size. Use these values to select appropriate storage media and plan your recording setup.

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How to Use the Video Recording Storage Calculator

This calculator helps you estimate the storage requirements for video recordings based on settings commonly used by cameras from Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic, GoPro, RED, ARRI, Blackmagic, and DJI. Follow these steps to use it:

  1. Select Video Resolution: Choose a resolution (e.g., 1080p, 4K) by clicking one of the buttons. Higher resolutions increase storage needs but improve image quality.
  2. Choose Frame Rate: Select a frame rate (e.g., 24 fps, 60 fps). Higher frame rates (e.g., 120 fps) create smoother motion but require more storage.
  3. Select Codec: Use the dropdown to pick a codec (e.g., H.264, ProRes, REDCode RAW). Professional codecs like ProRes or BRAW use more storage but are edit-friendly. The dropdown indicates supported camera brands.
  4. Choose Bit Depth & Chroma Subsampling: Select from the dropdown (e.g., 10-bit 4:2:2). Higher bit depths (10-bit, 12-bit) and chroma subsampling (4:4:4) improve color accuracy but increase file size.
  5. Select Compression Type: Choose a compression type (e.g., All-I, IPB). All-I is intra-frame and edit-friendly but uses more storage, while IPB and Long GOP are efficient but complex to edit.
  6. Choose Container Format: Select MP4, MOV, or MXF. MP4 is widely compatible, MOV is preferred for editing, and MXF is used in professional workflows.
  7. Select Motion Complexity: Choose Low (static scenes like webinars), Medium (interviews), or High (fast motion like sports). Higher complexity increases bitrate for codecs like H.264/H.265.
  8. Choose Audio Bitrate: Select an audio bitrate (e.g., 128 kbps, 512 kbps). Higher bitrates improve sound quality but slightly increase storage needs.
  9. Select Storage Media: Choose SD Card (720 Mb/s, UHS-II V90), CFexpress (1500 Mb/s, Type B), External SSD (1000 Mb/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2), Internal NVMe (3500 Mb/s, PCIe 3.0-5.0), or External NVMe (2800 Mb/s, Thunderbolt 3/4 or USB 3.2 Gen 2×2). Ensure the media supports the required write speed.
  10. Enter Recording Duration: Input the duration in hours and/or minutes. You can use either or both fields (e.g., 1 hour or 30 minutes). If left blank, it defaults to 1 hour.
  11. Calculate: Click the “Calculate Storage” button. The calculator will display results after a brief loading animation.