Getting the settings right
Resolution, codecs, white balance, and other image controls are critical to capturing not just a good-looking image but also one that can be easily edited and manipulated. Technical settings are key, regardless of what kind of camera you use, so even if you don’t plan on shooting a video yourself, these are the tech specs you’ll need to know.
Resolution
Video is essentially a series of still images, and each frame has a horizontal and vertical dimension in pixels. Common resolutions use abbreviations, including the following:
- Ultra HD (UHD, commonly referred to as 4K): 3840 x 2160
- 1080p: 1920 x 1080
- 720p: 1280 x 720
To visualize those numbers, here’s a diagram:
Figure 2.1: Several common resolutions you might shoot and deliver
While it’s true that 3840 is a little less than 4000 (4K), there’s not much in it. Some cinema purists use a size of 4096 x 2160, one of the...
