Plan your multi-camera BRAW shoots with precision. Estimate total storage and data rates for simultaneous recordings.
Calculation Results
Total Data Rate: 0 MB/s
Total Storage: 0 GB
What is the BRAW Multi-Cam Storage Estimator?
The BRAW Multi-Cam Storage Estimator is an essential tool for filmmakers and production teams utilizing multiple Blackmagic Design cameras recording in BRAW format. This calculator allows you to accurately predict the total storage space and data bandwidth required when shooting with several cameras simultaneously. By inputting the number of cameras, resolution, frame rate, compression ratio, and recording duration, you can get a precise estimate of your project’s data footprint, helping you plan your media acquisition and storage strategy effectively.
Why is Multi-Cam Storage Planning Crucial?
In multi-camera productions, storage requirements can escalate rapidly. Underestimating these needs can lead to critical issues on set, such as running out of recording media, needing to offload footage prematurely, or encountering slow transfer speeds that disrupt the workflow. Accurate planning ensures:
- Cost Efficiency: Avoid overspending on unnecessary storage or, conversely, facing unexpected costs for emergency media purchases.
- Workflow Smoothness: Prevent delays during production and post-production by having adequate storage and transfer capabilities.
- Data Integrity: Ensure all your valuable footage is captured and stored without compromise.
- Resource Allocation: Optimize your DIT (Digital Imaging Technician) and data management resources.
This tool empowers you to make informed decisions, ensuring your technical setup supports your creative vision without bottlenecks.
How to Use the BRAW Multi-Cam Storage Estimator
- Enter Number of Cameras: Specify how many Blackmagic cameras will be recording simultaneously.
- Select Resolution: Choose the recording resolution (e.g., 12K, 8K, 6K, 4K) that all cameras will be set to.
- Input Frame Rate: Enter the frames per second (fps) for your recording.
- Choose BRAW Compression: Select your desired BRAW compression ratio (e.g., 3:1, 5:1, Q0, Q5).
- Set Recording Duration: Input the estimated total recording time in hours, minutes, and seconds.
- Click Calculate: The tool will instantly display the total estimated data rate (MB/s) and total storage (GB/TB) required for your multi-camera setup.
Remember to factor in a safety buffer (20-30% extra storage) for unexpected takes and variations in footage complexity, especially with Constant Quality (Q) compression modes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) is a revolutionary video codec developed by Blackmagic Design. It combines the visual quality and workflow benefits of RAW with the speed and data efficiency of traditional video formats. It allows for smaller file sizes and faster post-production while retaining extensive color grading flexibility.
Multi-camera shoots generate significantly more data. An estimator helps you accurately predict the total storage and data rate needed, preventing on-set issues like running out of media or encountering slow transfer speeds, ensuring a smooth production workflow.
Our calculations are based on official Blackmagic Design specifications for BRAW data rates. While actual file sizes can vary slightly (±5%) due to scene complexity, especially with Constant Quality (Q) compression, the estimates provide a highly reliable basis for planning.
Constant Bitrate (e.g., 3:1, 5:1): Provides a predictable file size by maintaining a consistent compression ratio. Quality may vary slightly with scene complexity. Constant Quality (e.g., Q0, Q5): Prioritizes image quality by allowing the bitrate to fluctuate based on scene complexity, resulting in variable file sizes but consistent visual fidelity.
For the most accurate estimation with this tool, it’s assumed all cameras are recording with identical resolution, frame rate, and compression settings. If your cameras have different settings, you would need to calculate each camera’s storage individually and then sum them up.
A safe storage buffer is an additional percentage of storage (typically 20-30%) added to your calculated needs. This accounts for unexpected takes, B-roll, sound recordings, and variations in file sizes, ensuring you don’t run out of space during a shoot.
The calculator primarily focuses on video data rates for BRAW. While audio data is relatively small compared to video, it’s a good practice to include it within your overall storage buffer. For precise audio storage, separate calculations would be needed.
The total data rate calculated by this tool is crucial. Your recording media (SSDs, CFast cards) must have a sustained write speed equal to or greater than the **Total Data Rate** shown to prevent dropped frames or recording interruptions.
No, this calculator is specifically designed for Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) based on its unique compression and data rate characteristics. Other RAW formats (like CinemaDNG or REDCODE RAW) have different specifications and would require a dedicated calculator.
If your cameras are recording with different resolutions, frame rates, or compression settings, you should calculate the storage and data rate for each camera individually using a standard BRAW calculator, and then sum those results to get your total multi-cam requirements.