Video Frame Size Calculator

4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) and DCI 4K (Digital Cinema Initiatives) are two different 4K standards with distinct specifications:

• 4K UHD: 3840×2160 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is the consumer 4K standard used in televisions, streaming platforms, and most consumer cameras. It has exactly four times the pixels of Full HD (1920×1080).
• DCI 4K: 4096×2160 pixels with a 1.9:1 aspect ratio (sometimes described as 17:9). This is the professional cinema standard established by major Hollywood studios. It's slightly wider than 4K UHD, with 256 more pixels in width.

Content shot in DCI 4K is typically cropped or letterboxed when displayed on consumer 4K UHD displays. Most consumer devices and streaming platforms use the UHD standard, while cinema projectors and professional production often use the DCI standard.

Optimal frame sizes for major social media platforms:

• Instagram Feed: 1080×1080 (1:1 square) or 1080×1350 (4:5 vertical) for photos; 1080×1080 or 1080×608 (16:9) for videos
• Instagram Stories/Reels: 1080×1920 (9:16 vertical)
• TikTok: 1080×1920 (9:16 vertical)
• YouTube: 1920×1080 (16:9) for standard videos; 3840×2160 (16:9) for 4K
• Facebook Feed: 1280×720 (16:9) minimum; 1920×1080 recommended
• Twitter: 1280×720 (16:9) recommended

These platforms continuously update their specifications, so check their developer documentation for the most current recommendations. The calculator can help you determine the exact dimensions for any aspect ratio you need.

Frame size significantly impacts file size and streaming requirements. File size increases with the square of the resolution—4K UHD has four times the pixels of Full HD, resulting in roughly four times larger file sizes at the same compression level. Higher resolutions require higher bit rates for equivalent quality—while Full HD streaming typically uses 5-8 Mbps, 4K streaming needs 15-25 Mbps for comparable quality. Most streaming platforms automatically adjust resolution based on available bandwidth, serving lower resolutions to viewers with slower connections. When exporting video for online distribution, balancing resolution with compression is crucial—too high a resolution with too low a bit rate often looks worse than a lower resolution properly encoded. Our calculator helps you determine frame dimensions, but remember to consider appropriate bit rates for your chosen resolution.

For optimal quality on YouTube, follow these recommendations:

• Standard quality: 1280×720 (720p) minimum
• High quality: 1920×1080 (1080p) recommended
• Premium quality: 3840×2160 (4K UHD) for maximum quality and future-proofing
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 is strongly preferred

YouTube accepts other aspect ratios, but content not in 16:9 will be letterboxed or pillarboxed. Even if your audience primarily watches on mobile devices, uploading at higher resolutions is beneficial because YouTube uses better encoding for higher-resolution uploads, resulting in improved quality even when viewed at lower resolutions. For specialized content like 360° video or VR, consult YouTube's specific technical requirements.

Yes, shooting in 4K even for 1080p delivery offers several significant advantages:

• Downsampling quality: 4K footage downsampled to 1080p looks noticeably sharper and contains more detail than native 1080p footage
• Reframing flexibility: You can crop, pan, or zoom within the 4K frame while maintaining full 1080p resolution
• Stabilization: Digital stabilization works better with 4K source material because it has margin for cropping
• Future-proofing: Your content remains viable as 4K displays become more common
• Green screen/VFX: Higher resolution provides better results for keying and effects

The main trade-offs are larger file sizes, higher storage requirements, and potentially more demanding editing hardware. If these factors aren't constraints, shooting in 4K for 1080p delivery is generally recommended for professional and prosumer video production.

When cropping video to a different aspect ratio, you're essentially removing pixels from the top/bottom (for wider ratios) or sides (for taller ratios) of the frame. This process reduces the total resolution and may eliminate important visual information if not planned carefully. For example, cropping a 1920×1080 (16:9) video to 1920×1080 (1:1) means removing 540 pixels from both the top and bottom, leaving you with 1920×1080 resolution. Professional productions often shoot with "safe areas" in mind, keeping critical elements centered if they anticipate cropping for different platforms. Alternatively, you can frame for the widest distribution format and accept letterboxing/pillarboxing on other platforms. Our calculator's crop mode shows exactly how many pixels will remain after cropping to your target dimensions, helping you make informed decisions during both production and post-production.

Social media and video sharing platforms compress videos heavily for several reasons: to reduce bandwidth costs (video streaming represents a massive expense for these companies), to ensure smooth playback across varying connection speeds, to conserve user data plans on mobile devices, and to efficiently store billions of video files. The extent of compression varies by platform—YouTube typically maintains higher quality than Instagram or Twitter. To minimize quality loss from compression, capture in the highest quality your equipment allows, export at a higher bitrate than the platform's recommended rate (this gives the compression algorithm more data to work with), avoid multiple generations of compression, use optimal export settings for your specific platform, and choose frame sizes that match platform specifications. Our calculator helps identify optimal dimensions for different platforms to prevent unnecessary resolution adjustments during upload.

Pixel dimensions and aspect ratio are directly related concepts in video:

• Pixel dimensions are the absolute width and height in pixels (e.g., 1920×1080).
• Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between width and height, expressed as W:H (e.g., 16:9).

To calculate aspect ratio from dimensions, divide both numbers by their greatest common divisor. For example, 1920×1080 simplifies to 16:9 because both numbers are divisible by 120. Conversely, to calculate dimensions from an aspect ratio, multiply the ratio by a scaling factor. For instance, 16:9 becomes 1920×1080 when multiplied by 120.

While videos with the same aspect ratio maintain the same proportions, their absolute resolution can differ significantly (e.g., both 3840×2160 and 1280×720 are 16:9). Our calculator helps convert between specific pixel dimensions and aspect ratios, ensuring your video maintains the correct proportions for your intended display medium.