Video Resolution from First Principals

Just how much resolution do you actually need when shooting video? That's the question I'm exploring in this video. We'll look at how the human eye sees things, and work from there back to just how much resolution is needed in our recordings.
Of course, as with most things in photography, we rarely deal with hard numbers, and you can always create situations where things don't work out. However, it's also important to remember that while resolution and technical quality is important, ultimately the content and story you're creating is the most important thing to focus on.
My previous discussion on still image resolutions: • How Much Resolution is...
THX's what size TV should I buy page: www.thx.com/qu...
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Gear I Use to Make Videos
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(Affiliate links)
⯈ Canon EOS R5 - amzn.to/3uJNNVI
⯈ Canon EOS R5C -
⯈ Anker 747 USB Power Bank for R5C - amzn.to/3i5hIEd
⯈ Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM - amzn.to/37SuLDw
⯈ Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM - amzn.to/3Oi7YBO
⯈ Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM - amzn.to/3M9I0yQ
⯈ Rode NTG2 -
⯈ Rode Wireless Go -
⯈ Zoom F6 - amzn.to/2TWsSvo
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Chapters
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00:00 Intro
01:24 Bounding the Problem
02:11 Quantifying human vision
02:17 Normal vision
03:49 Best visual acuity
04:47 Diffraction limit for the eye
06:11 What does visual acuity mean for resolution?
08:36 Vision is more complicated than just resolution
09:54 Foveal resolution
14:05 Cloning out blind spots and other issues...
16:07 Getting from angular resolution to linear resolution
17:23 The question of viewing distance
27:11 Converting angles to pixels...
28:45 Movies are not stills, and we don't see them the same way...
37:03 Summarizing mitigating factors
39:09 What resolution do you really need?

[@stevenrayphoto1280]

Jason this is really an awesome video with eye opening information!!! Thank you for all of the hard work putting these videos together!

[@rptaraporevala]

Thanks. I find your videos very informative. It was a bit long, but I stuck with it and am happy that I did.

[@PointsInFocus]

Glad it was helpful!
I know the videos have been trending towards the longer side lately, and I'm trying hard to find ways to get back to shorter videos without compromising the content. Unfortunately, being concise is not something that I'm naturally good at.

[@AnthonyCook-fs6ts]

Excellent research and solid conclusions. I told a graphic designer friend of mine (who is also a videographer) that I had just bought a camera with 8k video (the EOS R5) and he laughed himself silly. It's nice to have some science to support my 'gut feel' that 8k video is not necessary for most of us. I had already set my R5 to 4k U and that is where it is likely to stay now that I have watched this video.

[@darylcheshire1618]

I used to think you need high res for big pictures but advertising billboards on the side of buildings are only 1024 pixels or something and the individual pixels are the size of a small coin, so seen from the ground to the building the advert looks fine.

[@neighborsgoat]

I have the R5 and I shoot short videos in 8K. I'm an enthusiast wildlife videographer, I cannot afford expensive ultra zoom lenses or L primes to really close in on the wildlife. All the animals I "hunt" are extremely camera shy. I am not using the entire video surface, therefore I zoom and crop a lot; so I get very good 4K videos or simply amazing 2K clips. So thank God for Canon making 8K on a full frame sensor affordable on a DSLR such as the R5.

[@PointsInFocus]

This is one example of where I'm disappointed in the R5's lack of raw video in APS-C crop mode. In situations where you need the extra reach, you end up getting stuck shooting in 8K just so you can crop later, but that also means you don't get the advantage of having the added viewfinder/screen magnification when shooting either.

[@PizzlesTechTime]

I haven't finished the series of videos yet but I hope you do a video on exposing CLOG 3 and then maybe color correcting as well. I've never had someone in the camera space break things down as well as you do

[@PointsInFocus]

I really want to dig into log and raw video at some point. What's held me up is figuring out how to both test everything I want to cover, and demonstrate and visualize all of that.

[@PizzlesTechTime]

@@PointsInFocus You have one person who would thoroughly enjoy that video! Your channel is exceptional. I absolutely love it

[@robs3557]

@@PointsInFocusyou have 2 people now😊

[@ikbo]

When you are frame grabbing in 8k are you shooting in cinema raw or compressed formats like clog or h.264? Also how much of an issue is motion blur in 8k when frame grabbing? Would love to see a dedicated frame grabbing in 8k video! Thanks for this in-depth r5 series. Love it!!

[@PointsInFocus]

Good to know there's interest, I've already got some video for stills topics on my short list to cover in the near future.

[@ItsBerg]

Do more on the r5c!!

[@PointsInFocus]

I'm absolutely working on that.
My two big personal goals for this year are to increase the amount and quality of the content I post, and expand the content to cover more than just the R5, including spending more time on the R5C among other things.

[@ItsBerg]

@@PointsInFocus thanks bro love your vids

[@darylcheshire1618]

I have the R5 and I’m not a pro, I use the camera for stills and when I take movies, I just press the button which is the default values in C3 so just 1080p until I know more.