Video Frame Size Calculator

How Uncompressed Video Frame Size Is Calculated

Raw or uncompressed video storage depends on resolution, bit depth, color channels, and frame rate. Compressed codecs such as H.264 or HEVC reduce size dramatically, but uncompressed math is the baseline for bandwidth and storage planning.

Frame Size Formulas

$$\text{frame bytes} = \text{width} \times \text{height} \times \frac{\text{bit depth}}{8} \times \text{channels}$$ $$\text{bytes per second} = \text{frame bytes} \times \text{fps}$$ $$\text{bytes per minute} = \text{bytes per second} \times 60$$

Example: 1920 × 1080, 8-bit RGB (3 channels), 30 fps gives about 5.93 MB per frame, 178 MB/s, and about 10.4 GB per minute uncompressed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why multiply by channels?

Each color channel stores its own sample values. RGB uses three channels; RGBA uses four including alpha transparency.

What bit depth should I use?

8-bit per channel is common for delivery video. 10-bit and 12-bit are used in professional capture and grading for smoother gradients.

How big is one minute of 4K uncompressed video?

At 3840 × 2160, 8-bit RGB, 30 fps, about 23.7 GB per minute before compression.

Does this match compressed MP4 file sizes?

No. This calculator estimates uncompressed raw frame storage. Compressed files are usually much smaller depending on codec, bitrate, and content complexity.

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How Uncompressed Video Frame Size Is Calculated

Frame Size Formulas

Frequently Asked Questions

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