Planning video production workflows requires accurate storage estimation to ensure camera SD cards, external SSDs, and editing RAID arrays have sufficient capacity before recording starts. This video file size calculator determines total gigabytes and gigabytes-per-hour based on recording duration, resolution, framerate, and compression codec bitrates.

### Storage Estimation Formulas

Video file sizes depend directly on aggregate data bitrates (video stream plus audio channels): 1. **Total Bits Generated:** $$\text{Bits} = \text{Bitrate (Mbps)} \times 10^6 \times \text{Duration (seconds)}$$ 2. **Megabytes Conversion ($1\text{ Byte} = 8\text{ bits}$):** $$\text{Megabytes (MB)} = \frac{\text{Bitrate (Mbps)} \times \text{Duration (seconds)}}{8}$$ 3. **Gigabytes & Terabytes (Binary 1,024 Base):** $$\text{Gigabytes (GB)} = \frac{\text{MB}}{1024}, \quad \text{Terabytes (TB)} = \frac{\text{GB}}{1024}$$

### Codec Bitrate Profiles

- **4K ProRes 422 HQ (~1,768 Mbps):** Broadcast mezzanine codec requiring ~777 GB per hour, necessitating high-speed CFexpress Type B media or direct NVMe recording. - **4K ProRes 422 (~503 Mbps):** High-fidelity production codec generating ~221 GB per hour. - **4K H.265 / HEVC (~60 Mbps):** Modern efficient compression producing ~26.4 GB per hour on standard V30 SD cards. - **1080p H.264 (~15 Mbps):** Web delivery standard producing ~6.6 GB per hour.

### Worked Storage Example

Shooting a **30-minute** interview in **4K Apple ProRes 422** at 30fps (503 Mbps): - **Total Seconds:** $30 \times 60 = 1,800$ seconds - **Total Megabytes:** $(503 \times 1,800) / 8 = 905,400 / 8 = 113,175\text{ MB}$ - **Total Storage Required:** $113,175 / 1024 \approx \mathbf{110.5\text{ GB}}$ - A minimum 128 GB or 256 GB V90 UHS-II SD card is recommended to ensure uninterrupted recording.

### In-Browser Calculation Guarantee

All bitrate formulas and storage estimations compute locally inside your browser. No project lengths, client specs, or media schedules leave your computer.