ARRIRAW 4.6K (Alexa 35) storage requirements
One hour of ARRIRAW 4.6K (Alexa 35) in UHD at 25p takes 1,185 GB. The table below runs the numbers for every common resolution and frame rate — including how many cards and how much backup volume a shoot day actually needs.
Footage Storage Calculator
- Footage per day
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- With all copies
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- Cards needed
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- Offload time (1 copy)
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Data rates: ProRes/DNxHR are per-frame constants from the Apple/Avid specs; RAW derives from resolution × bytes/pixel (nominal). Details further down this page.
ARRIRAW 4.6K (Alexa 35): GB per hour
ARRIRAW 4.6K (Alexa 35) is a RAW format: data volume follows from resolution × 1.625 bytes per pixel per frame (nominal, derived from the manufacturer spec) × frame rate. Content-adaptive compression can land slightly below — you budget the nominal value, because the card has to survive the busiest take.
| Resolution | 24p | 25p | 30p | 50p | 60p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 1920×1080 | 284 | 296 | 355 | 592 | 711 |
| UHD 3840×2160 | 1,137 | 1,185 | 1,422 | 2,369 | 2,843 |
| 4K DCI 4096×2160 | 1,213 | 1,264 | 1,516 | 2,527 | 3,033 |
| 6K 6144×3240 | 2,729 | 2,843 | 3,412 | 5,686 | 6,823 |
| 8K 8192×4320 | 4,852 | 5,054 | 6,065 | 10,109 | 12,131 |
From GB to a shoot day
A typical shoot day produces 2–4 hours of footage per camera. At ARRIRAW 4.6K (Alexa 35) in UHD 25p that is 2,369–4,739 GB per camera — before copies. With 3-2-1 backup (three copies) it multiplies to 10.4 TB per three hours of material. The table runs three full shoot-day scenarios:
| Footage | Raw data | 1 TB cards | 3-2-1 volume | Offload per copy (400 MB/s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 h | 2.31 TB | 3 | 6.94 TB | 1 h 41 min |
| 4 h | 4.63 TB | 5 | 13.88 TB | 3 h 22 min |
| 8 h | 9.25 TB | 10 | 27.76 TB | 6 h 44 min |
Planning offload and backup
Offload is the underrated line: securing a 1 TB card over a 400 MB/s link takes about 42 minutes per copy. Book the DIT only for wrap and you have booked a night shift.
In the schedule this number belongs in two places: as a card budget on the equipment list and as an offload window in the day plan. TillyGen keeps both in the same plan — change the shooting hours and the offload window moves with them.
Frequently asked
How much storage does 1 hour of ARRIRAW 4.6K (Alexa 35) need?
In UHD at 25p: 1,185 GB. At 50p, double that. Every resolution is in the table above.
Are the numbers exact?
RAW rates are manufacturer nominal values; content-adaptive compression can land slightly below. For capacity planning, use the nominal value plus 10 % headroom.