Recording timeStorage planningLocal calculation
Video calculator
Video Recording Time Calculator
Enter your recording bitrate and memory-card capacity to estimate how long you can record, or calculate the storage required for an upcoming shoot.
Estimated result
A 128 GB card can record approximately 2 hr 42 minUsing 95% of the selected capacity.Calculation breakdown
Recording and storage estimate
Assumptions
The result uses 95% usable capacity and is an estimate.
Copyable result
Shoot-planning summary
Calculating…
Important limitations
Real recording times can differ because of variable bitrate, audio and metadata overhead, file-system formatting, camera file splitting, maximum clip-length restrictions, battery life, temperature or overheating, and reserved or unavailable card space. Treat this as a reliable planning estimate, not a guaranteed recording duration.
Video storage guide
Understanding recording time and bitrate
How is video recording time calculated?
Usable storage is converted to bits and divided by the total bitrate in bits per second. The calculator keeps full precision internally and rounds only the displayed values.
What is video bitrate?
Bitrate is the amount of data recorded each second. Higher bitrates usually create larger files, but bitrate alone does not describe image quality or a specific resolution.
What is the difference between Mbps and MB/s?
Mbps means megabits per second; MB/s means megabytes per second. Since eight bits equal one byte, 100 Mbps equals 12.5 MB/s.
How much video fits on a 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB card?
It depends on the total bitrate and usable space. The reference table below compares these capacities using the same exact utility as the calculator.
Does 4K video always use the same amount of storage?
No. Codec, frame rate, colour depth, chroma sampling, compression mode and camera implementation can change the bitrate substantially.
Why is the real recording time sometimes shorter?
Variable bitrate peaks, audio, metadata, reserved space, formatting and camera limitations can all reduce the usable time shown by a simple bitrate calculation.
How much spare storage should I allow?
The 95% default leaves a modest capacity buffer. For important or unrepeatable shoots, carry more headroom for variable bitrate, duplicate media, unexpected takes and cards that cannot be filled completely.
Quick reference
Approximate recording time at common bitrates
Calculated with 95% usable decimal card capacity and no separate audio bitrate.
| Total bitrate | 64 GB | 128 GB | 256 GB |
|---|
Are my values uploaded or saved?
No. Every calculation happens locally in your browser, and the tool does not upload or store your inputs.
Should I add audio separately?
Only enable separate audio when the entered video bitrate excludes it. Many camera specifications already quote a total recording bitrate.
Can I combine several cards?
Yes for planning pooled or sequential capacity. The calculator does not imply that a particular camera supports automatic card spanning.
