Ultra HD 4K – Resolution Goes Big

For most of us, we remember the TV resolution hype starting with 720p when flat panels first came out. Then 1080p was the resolution to have. Save for 3DTV, 1080p has been the standard for the last few years. But all that may change.

Many companies have been developing televisions and cameras that capture and display pictures at an amazing 4K resolution – 3840 pixels × 2160 lines.

This new technology promises great things for large 100+ inch televisions, but it’s met with a cloud of negative comments from some techno buffs. The argument being, do we really need Ultra HD TVs in our homes?

The arguments are based in the average distance the typical user sits from the TV, roughly 9 to 10 feet away. At that distance, the extra resolution is almost indiscernible to the eye. If audiences sat closer to their new 4K TV, the difference would be noticeable over that of a standard 1080p TV. But how much closer? Researchers are saying in order to discern the difference, viewers would need to position their couch 3 feet away from the TV!

Ultra high resolution TVs may very well have a place in our living rooms in the future, but currently – and especially with most TV broadcasting still happening in standard definition – the need for such high resolution equipment in our homes doesn’t seem to be present.

However, 4K resolution cameras offer great creative freedoms to video production studios like Orlando based Skystorm Productions. Shooting in an ultra high resolution format allows for more extensive editing in post production. For example, a static video clip can be edited to include pushes or crops. Much like cropping a still picture taken with a digital camera – the higher the resolution, the clearer the cropped photo.

Shooting interviews in 4K also holds great promise. Rather than shooting the subject with two cameras set for a wide and tight angle, one 4K camera can capture a wide angle that can be cropped tight for effect in post production.

Skystorm Productions, a HD Video Production Company, is excited to embrace the new 4K technology and will be integrating it into our equipment inventory within the next six months. We have experienced the benefits of 4K first hand at 2013 National Association of Broadcasters exhibition in Las Vegas and feel our clients can benefit from the technology. We strive to bring the best possible product to our clients and we feel shooting in ultra high resolution will aid in that endeavor.

Photo credit: jvc.com