REDCODE MQ storage requirements
One hour of REDCODE MQ in UHD at 25p takes 255 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
- —
- With all copies
- —
- Cards needed
- —
- Offload time (1 copy)
- —
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.
REDCODE MQ: GB per hour
REDCODE MQ is a RAW format: data volume follows from resolution × 0.35 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 | 61 | 64 | 77 | 128 | 153 |
| UHD 3840×2160 | 245 | 255 | 306 | 510 | 612 |
| 4K DCI 4096×2160 | 261 | 272 | 327 | 544 | 653 |
| 6K 6144×3240 | 588 | 612 | 735 | 1,225 | 1,470 |
| 8K 8192×4320 | 1,045 | 1,089 | 1,306 | 2,177 | 2,613 |
From GB to a shoot day
A typical shoot day produces 2–4 hours of footage per camera. At REDCODE MQ in UHD 25p that is 510–1,021 GB per camera — before copies. With 3-2-1 backup (three copies) it multiplies to 2.2 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 | 510 GB | 1 | 1.50 TB | 22 min |
| 4 h | 1,021 GB | 1 | 2.99 TB | 44 min |
| 8 h | 1.99 TB | 2 | 5.98 TB | 1 h 27 min |
Planning offload and backup
Cards are the second calculation: the calculator on the main page derives card count from daily volume and card size — including the spare that stays locked while offloading.
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 REDCODE MQ need?
In UHD at 25p: 255 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.