Thread: 4K resolution

4K resolution

4K is an emerging standard for resolution in digital films and computer graphics. The name comes from its approximately 4,000 pixels of horizontal resolution. The fact that it describes the horizontal resolution is contrary to the standard resolutions 720p and 1080p, which represent the number of vertical pixels. 4K represents the horizontal resolution because there are numerous aspect ratios used in film — so while the horizontal resolution stays constant, the vertical resolution depends on the video source (a.k.a. letterboxing). There are several different resolutions that qualify as 4K.

Quad Full High Definition(QFHD), at 3840 x 2160 pixels, doubles the 1080p high-definition televison standard in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions. However, it has often been debated if this resolution should be classified as 4K since it is fewer than 4000 pixels horizontally.


Digital Films

Standard		Resolution	DAR	Pixels
Full Aperture 4K		4096 × 3112	1.32:1	12,746,752
Academy 4K		3656 × 2664	1.37:1	9,739,584
Digital cinema 4K		4096 × 1714	2.39:1	7,020,544
Digital cinema 4K		3996 × 2160	1.85:1	8,631,360

YouTube and 4K resolution

YouTube is now supporting video resolution that's high enough to satisfy those persnickety cinematographers who shoot digital cinema? That resolution is called 4K, and at 4,096 x 3,072 pixels, it's way higher than the sharpest Blu-ray discs. But don't get too excited. Resolution isn't the only benchmark of quality, as a quick glance at these 4K files from YouTube will reveal.

First of all, you probably don't have a monitor that's capable of displaying this ultra high-resolution. This footage is captured using high-end digital cinema cameras with scary names such as Viper and Red One. Second, although the resolution might be more than 4,000 pixels wide, it's so highly compressed that you can see lots of blocky looking artifacts on board. Some clips look better than others.


As you may have guessed, this is more of a technological exercise than a practical application. It's called bragging rights, and now YouTube has them: "Now in 4K resolution!," the YouTubers might shout. Is it an improvement? Yes and no. It's the best-looking video YouTube's ever streamed, but there are still plenty of blocky blurs.

‪The Birth of a Violin‬‏ - YouTube

Click on the video above (that'll take you to YouTube's site), and select the "original" resolution for these files and you'll see for yourself why resolution isn't everything.

Okay, I am all for bigger resolution, crisper picture quality and stuff, but does this mean there's going to be another physical medium like Blu-ray, and then every single movie is going to be re-re-re-re-released? If so, count me out. If, however, 4K is going to be primarily on streaming services like Netflix, that would be very interesting.

yes i feel production companies might release might movie packs with this resolution!

with the hologram disks in development anything can happen