How much storage do I need for a day of 4K video?

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 vs H.265 vs ProRes?

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.

How many backup copies should I keep?

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.

Does frame rate affect file size?

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.

Video Storage Calculator — Shoot Storage Needs

Estimate storage requirements for video shoots based on resolution, codec and duration.

ResolutionRecording resolution — 4K holds ~4× the data of 1080p; 8K ~4× of 4K.

CodecCompression format — H.265 ≈ half the size of H.264; ProRes/RAW are far larger but edit-friendly.

Frame RateVideo frame rate in frames per second

Shoot Duration

Total recorded footage in hours (not on-set hours). A typical full day yields 6–8 hours of actual recording.

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 &dollar;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

Related Calculators

Video File Size Calculator

Estimate video file size from resolution, bitrate and recording duration. Plan storage and transfer needs before a shoot. Free online video calculator.

Frame Rate Calculator

Convert between shooting and playback frame rates and calculate final duration. Plan slow-motion and speed-ramp effects with precision. Free online calculator.

Bitrate Calculator

Calculate the video bitrate needed for your target quality and file size. Compare codec efficiency for optimal quality-to-size ratio. Free online calculator.

Storage Calculator

Estimate total storage needed for a video shoot based on resolution, bitrate and recording hours. Plan memory cards and drives. Free online video calculator.

Video Aspect Ratio Calculator

Calculate pixel-perfect video dimensions for common aspect ratios including 16:9, 21:9 and vertical formats. Avoid odd-number scaling issues. Free calculator.

Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard optical and photographic formulas. Results may vary with specific equipment.