PhotoCalcs
Video Storage Calculator — By Resolution & Codec
Estimate storage requirements for video shoots based on resolution, codec and duration.
How We Calculate This
File size (GB) = bitrate (Mbps) × duration (hours) × 3600 / 8 / 1024
Bitrate depends on resolution and codec. Higher frame rates increase the effective bitrate roughly proportionally (60 fps ≈ 2.5× the data of 24 fps) — real codecs are not perfectly linear, so treat the multiplier as an estimate.
Cloud cost estimated at £0.0045/GB/month (Backblaze B2 at $6/TB ≈ £0.0045/GB after USD→GBP conversion). Mainstream object storage such as AWS S3 Standard is far dearer at roughly £0.017/GB/month.
Transfer time assumes a USB 3.0 card reader at ≈ 400 MB/s — practical throughput varies from 200–450 MB/s depending on reader and card.
Frequently Asked Questions
At 24 fps, a full day of 4K shooting (6-8 hours of actual recording) produces roughly 400-530 GB at H.264, around 1.2-1.6 TB at ProRes 422, and 3-4 TB for RAW. Higher frame rates scale these up proportionally — at 60 fps (2.5×) ProRes 422 reaches 3-4 TB and RAW exceeds 7 TB. Always bring at least 50% more storage than you estimate.
H.264 is widely compatible but has larger files than H.265. H.265/HEVC offers similar quality at roughly half the file size. ProRes is much larger but offers better editing performance and quality. RAW gives maximum flexibility but the largest files.
Follow the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of your data, on 2 different media types, with 1 copy off-site (cloud). For professional work, never delete original cards until the project is delivered and archived.
Yes, linearly. 60 fps produces roughly 2.5x the data of 24 fps at the same quality. 120 fps (slow motion) generates 5x the data. Plan your storage accordingly when shooting high frame rates.
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Last updated: March 2026
All calculations are estimates based on standard optical and photographic formulas. Results may vary with specific equipment.