Calculate the storage your whole production needs—not just the camera-card total. Add multiple sources, then separate fast active storage from protected local backup and offsite/archive capacity.
Plan the complete video-editing storage workflow
Start with one row per recording source. Choose a manufacturer-documented preset or enter the exact bitrate shown in your own camera manual. All percentages and copy counts are editable.
Choose the next hardware step
Use the calculated capacity to choose a role first. These guides are separate from the calculator so product recommendations can be maintained without changing the storage math.
JavaScript is off. The calculator cannot update, but the method is still usable: multiply Mbps by 0.45 for decimal GB per recorded hour, total each source, then apply the visible percentages and copy counts described below.
How to read the three results
Fast working capacity
Originals plus project assets, masters and any proxies, optimized media, previews or cache you intend to keep online—then enough capacity to preserve the free-space percentage you selected.
Local backup capacity
An additional local copy of the protected set. By default the calculator excludes proxies and cache because they can be rebuilt; change that setting if regeneration time matters more than capacity.
Offsite or archive capacity
A copy away from the active volume and local backup destination. The calculator reports it separately so “three copies” does not become three folders on one physical device.
Do not size storage by “4K,” “6K” or “8K” alone
Two cameras can both record 4K while writing dramatically different amounts of data. In Sony’s ILCE-6700 documentation, for example, XAVC S 4K settings range from 60 to 200 Mbps, while XAVC S-I 4K settings shown on the same official page reach 600 Mbps. Blackmagic’s published 30 fps 6K BRAW storage rates also vary by compression ratio. Frame rate, bit depth, chroma sampling, compression mode and scene complexity can all matter.
For 8K footage, use Custom bitrate. There is no universal 8K storage rate, so this calculator intentionally does not invent a generic 8K preset. Find the Mbps or storage-per-minute figure for the exact camera, recorder, frame rate and codec mode you will use, then enter that documented rate.
The safest input is the exact bitrate or storage rate for the recording mode you will actually use. Presets here are starting points tied to named official source rows—not generic accuracy claims about every device.
Methodology and formulas
1. Convert each source to decimal gigabytes
Why 0.45? There are 3,600 seconds in an hour and 8 bits in a byte: Mbps × 3,600 ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000 = GB/hour. The result uses decimal GB/TB, the convention normally used on drive packaging.
2. Classify data by whether it can be recreated
Adobe describes proxies as lower-resolution copies linked to full-resolution originals and says media-cache files can be deleted and recreated. That supports a practical distinction, not a command to discard anything. If your deadline makes regeneration costly, include generated media in backups.
3. Preserve free space correctly
At 20% preserved free space, a project may fill only 80% of the volume. Dividing by 0.8 is more precise than merely adding 20%.
4. Keep copies physically meaningful
Local and offsite capacities are calculated from the protected set as separate destinations. CISA’s 3-2-1 guidance describes three copies, two media types and one offsite. NIST likewise treats backup scope and frequency as risk/criticality decisions and identifies offsite storage as good practice. Neither source says three folders on one SSD are three protected copies.
Cite, inspect or reuse the data
Citable contribution: TPTK’s component-aware storage model separates protected originals, project assets and masters from regenerable proxies, optimized media, previews and cache, then provisions active, local-backup and offsite capacity as three distinct outputs.
Suggested attribution: The Pro Tool Kit, Video Editing Storage Calculator: 4K, 6K and 8K Footage, version 1.0, August 10, 2026.
Stable deep link: https://theprotoolkit.com/video-editing-storage-calculator/#cite
Dataset v1.0.0 · source rows checked August 10, 2026 · CC BY 4.0 applies to TPTK’s original selection, arrangement, conversions and notes; manufacturer facts remain attributable to their publishers. Changelog: initial release with 24 Apple, Sony and Blackmagic setting rows.
Primary sources behind the presets
Apple ProRes
Apple’s official ProRes page publishes target data rates at specified resolution/frame-rate conditions. The dataset preserves those conditions in each row.
Sony XAVC
Sony’s ILCE-6700 Help Guide provides bitrate options for named XAVC S and XAVC S-I 4K recording settings.
Blackmagic RAW and ProRes
Blackmagic’s camera technical specifications publish storage rates based on 30 fps and flag constant-quality figures as indicative.
Proxy behavior
Adobe’s ingest and proxy workflow explains the relationship between full-resolution originals and lower-resolution working copies.
Cache behavior
Adobe’s media-cache guidance documents cache files and their recreation after deletion.
Copy strategy
CISA’s backup-options guide and NIST SP 800-34 Rev. 1 inform the separated-copy model.
Need a shared post-production storage workflow?
If you are moving from individual drives to a shared NAS, review/approval workflow, automated backup or documented handoff process, TPTK can help map the system before you buy hardware.
Turn the plan into a repeatable production system
TPTK can help connect intake, file naming, proxy generation, review links, archival triggers and backup checks into one documented workflow for a creator business or production team.
Frequently asked questions
How much storage does one hour of 4K video use?
It depends on bitrate, not the 4K label alone. At 100 Mbps, one recorded hour is about 45 decimal GB. At 600 Mbps, it is about 270 GB. Add each camera or source separately.
How do I calculate storage for 8K footage?
Use the Custom bitrate option and enter the documented Mbps for the exact 8K camera, recorder, codec, frame rate and quality mode. There is no universal storage figure for 8K resolution alone.
Should proxies be included in backup capacity?
Not always. Proxies are derived from the originals and can normally be regenerated, so this calculator excludes them from protected copies by default. Include them when the time or compute cost of rebuilding would disrupt delivery.
Why separate active, local backup and offsite storage?
They solve different problems. Active storage supports editing performance; a local backup provides another nearby copy; an offsite or archive copy protects against a problem affecting the work location or local devices.
Are the codec presets accurate for every camera?
No. Each preset is tied to a specific manufacturer-published setting and condition. Use the custom-bitrate field when your camera, recorder, frame rate or quality mode differs.
Does the calculator upload project information?
No. The calculation and JSON downloads run locally in your browser. The page does not submit your source names, durations or capacity assumptions to TPTK.