Right off the bat, that’s kind of confusing to some folks, as we are used to seeing resolution expressed in terms of the vertical pixel account (1080p, 720p, etc.).

Strictly speaking, 4K refers to a video frame that’s at least 4000 pixels wide. What isn’t particularly clear is just what “4K” means. “4K” is the thing a lot of TV and camera manufacturers are throwing around as “The Next Big Thing.” Cameras as small and inexpensive as the Panasonic G7, to much larger systems like the Sony FS7, all include 4K shooting in their list of specifications. UHD, Full HD, HD, and SD resolutions in outlined in a frame from 4K video. In the image below (and all the other examples included), I’ve taken a “true” 4K frame from a video shot on a Panasonic GH4 and outlined the various resolutions in red boxes for reference and comparison. In this example, it’s 1920 pixels wide, by 1080 pixels high. When you see something like “1920 X 1080” or 1080p, that is referring to the dimensions of that picture. Let’s start with understanding exactly what we mean by “resolution.” Every digital video file has certain set dimensions, measured in the number of pixels. What’s a Resolution? For That Matter, What’s an Aspect Ratio? This article will try and demystify that morass a bit. And that’s before you begin diving into the world of aspect ratios, too.

That variety can be somewhat confusing when you’re trying to sort out just which camera you need to rent and what resolution to actually shoot at once you’ve rented it. Here at BorrowLenses, we carry cameras that shoot everything from 720p HD all the way out to 6K. Video resolutions are confusing enough for consumers but as a content creator they are even more confounding.

1980 x 1080 screen resolution