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The Definitive Aspect Ratio & Resolution Guide For Video: 2K, 4K, 6K, 8K & Every Other Major Format

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Below, you will find a detailed aspect ratio and resolution guide. Among other things, you can use it to help identify which resolution to use in post-production when setting up a new project or timeline.

For example – if you want to master your project to 2.39:1 aspect ratio in 4K, you can use this guide to find the correct resolution settings: 4096 x 1716

There are of course many other reasons you may need to reference this document, so feel free to bookmark the page for future use.

Huge thanks to Wes of Firehouse Creative for putting much of this together, and allowing me to share it with all of you here.

Scroll down to view each format and aspect ratio combination – starting with 12K resolution at the top and moving down to standard definition at the bottom. I’ve also included some common social media formats at the very end too.

12K

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)12288 x 9216
1.66 (5:3)12288 x 7372
1.78 (16:9)12288 x 6912
1.8512288 x 6642
1.9012288 x 6480
1.9412288 x 6468
2.0012288 x 6144
2.3512288 x 5228
2.3712288 x 5184
2.3912288 x 5142
2.4012288 x 5120
2.4412288 x 5036

8K

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)8192 x 6144
1.66 (5:3)8192 x 4915
1.78 (16:9)8192 x 4608
1.858192 x 4428
1.908192 x 4320
2.008192 x 4096
2.358192 x 3486
2.378192 x 3456
2.398192 x 3428
2.408192 x 3413
2.448192 x 3357

8K UHD

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)7680 x 5760
1.66 (5:3)7680 x 4608
1.78 (16:9)7680 x 4320
1.857680 x 4151
1.907680 x 4042
2.007680 x 3840
2.357680 x 3268
2.377680 x 3240
2.397680 x 3213
2.407680 x 3200
2.447680 x 3148

6K

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)6144 x 4608
1.66 (5:3)6144 x 3686
1.78 (16:9)6144 x 3456
1.856144 x 3321
1.906144 x 3240
1.946144 x 3234
2.006144 x 3072
2.356144 x 2614
2.376144 x 2592
2.396144 x 2571
2.406144 x 2560
2.446144 x 2518

5K

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)5120 x 3840
1.66 (5:3)5120 x 3072
1.78 (16:9)5120 x 2880
1.855120 x 2768
1.905120 x 2700
2.005120 x 2560
2.355120 x 2179
2.375120 x 2160
2.395120 x 2142
2.405120 x 2133
2.445120 x 2098

4K DCP

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
Flat (1.85)3996 x 2160
Scope (2.39)4096 x 1716
Full Container (1.90)4096 x 2160

4K DCI

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)4096 x 3072
1.66 (5:3)4096 x 2458
1.78 (16:9)4096 x 2304
1.854096 x 2214
1.904096 x 2160
2.004096 x 2048
2.354096 x 1743
2.374096 x 1728
2.394096 x 1714
2.404096 x 1707
2.444096 x 1679

4K UHD

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)3840 x 2880
1.66 (5:3)3840 x 2304
1.78 (16:9)3840 x 2160
1.853840 x 2076
1.903840 x 2021
2.003840 x 1920
2.353840 x 1634
2.373840 x 1620
2.393840 x 1607
2.403840 x 1600
2.443840 x 1574

3K

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)3072 x 2304
1.66 (5:3)3072 x 1843
1.78 (16:9)3072 x 1728
1.853072 x 1661
1.903072 x 1620
2.003072 x 1536
2.353072 x 1307
2.373072 x 1296
2.393072 x 1285
2.403072 x 1280
2.443072 x 1259

3K UHD

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)2880 x 2160
1.66 (5:3)2880 x 1728
1.78 (16:9)2880 x 1620
1.852880 x 1557
1.902880 x 1516
2.002880 x 1440
2.352880 x 1226
2.372880 x 1215
2.392880 x 1205
2.402880 x 1200
2.442880 x 1180

2.5K

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)2560 x 1920
1.66 (5:3)2560 x 1536
1.78 (16:9)2560 x 1440
1.852560 x 1384
1.902560 x 1348
2.002560 x 1280
2.352560 x 1089
2.372560 x 1080
2.392560 x 1073
2.402560 x 1049
2.442560 x 984

2K DCP

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
Flat (1.85)1998 x 1080
Scope (2.39)2048 x 858
Full Container (1.90)2048 x 1080

2K DCI

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)2048 x 1536
1.66 (5:3)2048 x 1229
1.78 (16:9)2048 x 1152
1.852048 x 1107
1.902048 x 1078
2.002048 x 1024
2.352048 x 871
2.372048 x 864
2.392048 x 858
2.402048 x 839
2.442048 x 787

Full HD 1080p

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)1920 x 1440
1.66 (5:3)1920 x 1152
1.78 (16:9)1920 x 1080
1.851920 x 1038
1.901920 x 1011
2.001920 x 960
2.351920 x 817
2.371920 x 810
2.391920 x 803
2.401920 x 800
2.441920 x 787

HD 720p

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)1280 x 962
1.66 (5:3)1280 x 768
1.78 (16:9)1280 x 720
1.851280 x 692
1.901280 x 674
2.001280 x 640
2.351280 x 545
2.371280 x 540
2.391280 x 536
2.401280 x 533
2.441280 x 525

SD 480p

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
1.33 (4:3)640 x 480
1.66 (5:3)640 x 384
1.78 (16:9)640 x 360
1.85640 x 346
1.90640 x 337
2.00640 x 320
2.35640 x 273
2.37640 x 270
2.39640 x 268
2.40640 x 267
2.44640 x 263

Social Media (HD)

ASPECT RATIORESOLUTION
Vertical (9:16)1080 x 1920
Horizontal (16:9)1920 x 1080
Portrait (4:5)1080 x 1350
Landscape (1.91:1)1080 x 608
Square (1:1)1080 x 1080

That should just about cover it. If there is anything you would like added or corrected, please leave a comment below!

You may also enjoy my article on picking the best aspect ratio for your film.

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About Author

Noam Kroll is an award-winning Los Angeles based filmmaker, and the founder of the boutique production house, Creative Rebellion. His work can be seen at international film festivals, on network television, and in various publications across the globe. Follow Noam on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more content like this!

5 Comments

  • Daniel
    at

    What happened to 2.7k? Action cameras, such as the DJI Osmo series, GoPro, and possibly others, they also output 2.7k 16:9.

    Reply
  • Oz
    at

    Great chart!
    One question though ….
    You went from 3072 x 2304 (3k) to 3840 x 1574 (4k).
    What happened to 3200 x 1400?

    Reply
  • Alex
    at

    I don’t wanna bag on these charts because clearly a lot of energy went in to making them but there are a few things that really stick out to me.

    1st is that if you’re still working in standard definition then you’re not working with square pixels. The pixel aspect ratio is going to be different depending on whether or not you’re mastering for NTSC or PAL, and also anamorphic widescreen or 1.33:1. Kind of a nitpick because I doubt anyone is really setting up their main timeline in standard definition anymore, but worth keeping in mind.

    2nd, I would say is that it seems unwise to use a chart like this to dictate your project’s resolution instead of basing it off of your acquisition specs. As an example, let’s say I’m shooting with an Ursa 12K and I want to frame for and generate a 4:3/1.33:1 master. Using this chart, I would want to set my project’s resolution to 12288 x 9216, right? Well, the problem there is that the Ursa 12K’s sensor isn’t able to acquire in that resolution. Its full frame acquisition format is 12288 x 6480, so if I set the project’s resolution to 12288 x 9216 then I would have to crop and scale the 4:3 centre of the Ursa’s sensor to fit that resolution. That doesn’t really add detail though, and it would add a ton of computational overhead and storage bloat, so it would make a lot more sense for the “12K 1.33:1” preset to be something around 8618×6480—the 1.33:1 crop from the 12288×6480 sensor.

    I guess what I’m saying is that this chart is nice but it’s also kind of divorced from some best practices that could save a lot of time and aggravation over the course of a project. Also—as other folks have said—there are a lot of aspect ratios included here that I can’t imagine working with, but I will definitely concede that aspect ratio is more of a creative decision. Still, I can’t imagine working in 2.35, 2.37, 2.40, or 2.44 when 2.39:1 is the cinematic standard and yields functionally the same frame as those other aspect ratios.

    Reply
  • name
    at

    sorry this 2304*1296 ? this 16:9

    Reply
  • Michael Stevens
    at

    Now if only there could be some agreement to what aspect ratios are “necessary” and/or “normal?” Do we really need 2.35, 2.37, 2.39, 2.40, 2.45? 1.78, 1.85, 1.90, 2.0?

    Reply

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