Why File Sizes Are Worth Estimating Before You Shoot

Running out of storage mid-shoot, or discovering a project is too large to back up overnight, is almost always avoidable with a quick estimate beforehand. Data rate depends on resolution, frame rate, and codec — not just runtime — so doubling your frame rate or stepping up from 1080p to 4K can multiply your storage needs several times over even for the same length of footage.

How the Estimate Is Calculated

Intra-frame codecs like ProRes and DNxHR encode each frame independently, so their data rate scales almost linearly with total pixel throughput (width × height × frame rate). This calculator uses published reference data rates at 1920×1080 23.976fps for common ProRes and DNxHR flavors, then scales them to your chosen resolution and frame rate. Long-GOP delivery codecs like H.264 and H.265 are rated directly in Mbps at typical settings — their real-world rate varies more with content complexity, so treat those figures as rough planning estimates rather than exact numbers.

Don’t Forget Audio

Audio is usually a small fraction of total file size compared to video, but uncompressed multichannel audio on long shoots can still add up meaningfully — this calculator adds your chosen audio bitrate on top of the video estimate for a more complete total.

This tool is especially useful for:

• Producers and DITs planning storage and backup capacity before a shoot day.
• Editors estimating how much drive space an ingest will need.
• Anyone choosing between codecs and wanting to see the storage trade-off before committing.

Related Tools & Guides

• Livestream Bitrate Calculator — the delivery-side counterpart — recommended bitrate for streaming to YouTube, Twitch, and other platforms.