The resolution of the video file you download will depend on what you’re creating, where it’s being posted or delivered, and how much storage space you have. We offer HD, 4K, and 8K resolution for our stock footage and motion graphic video files in the Storyblocks library.
The primary thing to understand is that the higher a video resolution is, the higher the pixel count and file size.
HD - 1080p
4K - Native 4096p and UHD 3840p
8K - 7680p
While exact file sizes can vary, a 10 second footage clip in HD will be around 1.8 MB, 4K will be around 5.6 MB, and 8K will be around 175 MB. Editing with higher resolution video will require more processing power from your computer, as well as more storage space for the files themselves.
For content creators, HD and 4K resolutions will be the best option, as social media platforms compress uploaded videos. So any extra detail or quality you have in 8K will disappear the minute you hit post.
However, even with 4K, the effort isn’t always worth it with social media. If you’re uploading a YouTube video, 4K is becoming more widely used, but HD is still the norm. And while YouTube does support 8K upload and playback, most people don’t have the monitors required to see the difference in quality between it and 4K.
8K is typically reserved for specific scenarios like high-end commercial work, green screens or keying, and shots where you need to crop the footage significantly without losing quality.
Here are 2 questions you can ask to help determine the right resolution to download a file in for your project:
What is the final resolution you need for your project?
What file space and processing power do you have available for editing your project?