Video Resolutions and 4K Standards: The Decisions That Matter
The common frame sizes used in video production and delivery, from HD to UHD, DCI 4K and 8K.
Tomas Lindqvist
Why does it matter?
Mixing resolutions without planning causes soft images, cropping and mismatched deliverables.
What are the numbers?
- HD 1920 by 1080 pixels
- UHD 3840 by 2160 pixels
- DCI 4K 4096 by 2160 pixels
- 8K UHD 7680 by 4320 pixels
What should I do?
- Confirm delivery resolution before shooting
- Shoot higher than delivery for reframing
- Keep timelines at delivery resolution
- Check scaling settings
- Label deliverables clearly
What should I avoid?
Avoid:
- Confusing UHD and DCI 4K
- Upscaling without disclosure
- Mismatched timeline settings
- Delivering wrong resolutions
When should I get help?
Short answer Bring in help when deliverables span cinema, broadcast and web.
Where this comes from
- International Telecommunication Union — Recommendation ITU-R BT.2020
- Netflix Partner Help Center — Netflix Full Technical Specifications
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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