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4K resolution - technical definition
Refers to approximately 4,000 pixels of horizontal resolution used in several digital formats for shooting the highest-quality video or scanning 35mm frames. 4K movies can be used intact for digital cinema theater projection or downsized to HD and other formats. With the huge number of pixels captured in 4K resolution, scaled down images also retain more detail. Following are the 4K (and 2K) digital resolutions for common cinema formats. See aspect ratio and digital cinema.
4K
Horizontal Aspect Megapixels
Cinema Formats Resolution Ratio Per Frame
Academy Standard 3626x2664 1.37:1 9.7 MP
Academy Flat 3996x2160 1.85:1 8.6 MP
Anamorphic Scope 4096X1714 2.39:1 7.0 MP
2K
Academy Standard 1828x1332 1.37:1 2.4 MP
Academy Flat 1998x1080 1.85:1 2.2 MP
Anamorphic Scope 2048x858 2.39:1 1.8 MP
A 4K Camera
Introduced in 2004, the DALSA Origin was the first digital video camera to capture 4K images and use standard 35mm cinematography lenses. The size of a 35mm frame, the Origin's image sensor is four times larger than the sensor in an HD camcorder. Located in Southern California, the company rents the camera to movie studios and videographers who want to shoot scenes with the highest digital quality. (Image courtesy of DALSA Digital Cinema, www.dalsa.com)
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