When Does 4K Really Make A Difference?

Apart from being a great buzzword to add to your video title to increase it’s search optimization, when does 4K video resolution actually make a difference when comparing it to standard HD? Funny, but standard might not actually be the right word anymore since 4K is slowly taking over as the standard for video resolution.

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So, is 4K the best option for your video?

First, let’s understand resolution. Every video has a certain set of dimensions that are measured in pixels, so when you see 1080 X 720 it means that video is 1080 pixels wide, by 720 pixels high. 4K is generally 4096 X 2160.

Here’s a table of video resolutions:

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The difference between 1080 and 4K is undeniable with 4K providing 4 times as many pixels. So the question is -- is the human eye capable of seeing that many pixels? There are two factors to consider before answering: Screen size and distance from screen.

If you want a video created exclusively for Instagram, where everyone who will see this video will do so on a screen no bigger than a tablet, then no, 4K is not needed.

If your plan is to have your video on various platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, or your website, then yes, 4K is the way to go since your video will be displayed on a larger format.

The graph below shows the capabilities of the human eye and where 4K really makes a difference.

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It’s been quite the buzzword for video for the last 10 years but now more than ever, it should be used for all your videos.

Rubino Media