SD, HD, and 4k technology, will certainly make your head spin!
Fear not, for the concepts are surprisingly straightforward. In this lesson, we will cover the basics of high definition video and provide you with a working understanding of the terminology. In addition, we will look at 4k technology, also known as ultra HD. This technology is used by the groundbreaking Red One camera, introduced by the Red Digital Cinema Company in 2007.
To understand high definition video, we must start at the beginning and examine how images are recorded by a video camera.
Recording
When you shoot video, magnetic tape travels across the camera’s recording head. The head is essentially an electromagnet, which is activated by the electrical signal from the image processor. As the videotape travels over the head, the iron particles in the tape are magnetized. This, in essence, becomes the recorded image.
The latest generation of video cameras can record to hard drive or removable card. This allows the files to be transferred directly to your computer for editing.
Scan Lines
The video image is recorded one horizontal line at a time. These lines are called scan lines and the process is known as scanning. If you look closely at a TV screen you will see the scan lines. You probably can’t see them on your computer monitor because the lines are narrower than on a TV.
Standard Definition (SD)
The term “definition” basically means the visible detail in the video image. It is measured by the number of horizontal scan lines in a single frame. In the United States and Japan, standard definition video is 525 lines. In most European countries, standard