XAVC-L storage requirements
One hour of XAVC-L in UHD at 25p takes 44 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. The same data rates apply to H.264 100 Mbit/s — those formats differ in bit depth or structure, not in storage footprint.
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.
XAVC-L: GB per hour
XAVC-L is per-frame constant (0.50 MB per UHD frame per the spec) — the data rate scales linearly with frame rate and pixel count. That is why 50p is exactly twice 25p, and 8K four times UHD.
| Resolution | 24p | 25p | 30p | 50p | 60p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 1920×1080 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 26 |
| UHD 3840×2160 | 42 | 44 | 53 | 88 | 105 |
| 4K DCI 4096×2160 | 45 | 47 | 56 | 94 | 113 |
| 6K 6144×3240 | 101 | 105 | 127 | 211 | 253 |
| 8K 8192×4320 | 180 | 188 | 225 | 375 | 450 |
From GB to a shoot day
A typical shoot day produces 2–4 hours of footage per camera. At XAVC-L in UHD 25p that is 88–176 GB per camera — before copies. With 3-2-1 backup (three copies) it multiplies to 0.4 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 | 88 GB | 1 | 0.26 TB | 4 min |
| 4 h | 176 GB | 1 | 0.51 TB | 8 min |
| 8 h | 352 GB | 1 | 1.03 TB | 15 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 XAVC-L need?
In UHD at 25p: 44 GB. At 50p, double that. Every resolution is in the table above.
Are the numbers exact?
ProRes/DNxHR are specified target rates; real files land within a few percent. For capacity planning, use the nominal value plus 10 % headroom.