8K video
Also known as: 8K, 7680 x 4320, 8K 360
Video around 7680 pixels wide, four times the pixels of 4K. In action cameras it mainly matters for 360 footage, where pixels spread over a whole sphere.
Updated
What it means
8K UHD measures 7680 x 4320 pixels, four times the pixel count of 4K and sixteen times 1080p. Few people watch 8K directly, and few screens can show it, but the extra resolution is valuable as a source for cropping, stabilization and reframing.
For 360 cameras the number means something different. An 8K 360 video spreads its pixels across the entire sphere, so any normal-looking view you reframe from it is only a small slice. That is why 360 cameras push to 8K and beyond: a flat export from an 8K sphere looks closer to a regular 1080p or 2.7K clip.
Some drones and cinema cameras also record 8K for flexible framing.
How it works in practice
With 360 footage, higher sphere resolution directly improves the sharpness of reframed shots. When you export a flat view from an 8K 360 clip in the app, the result holds detail better than from a 5.7K sphere, especially after reframing tight angles.
For flat 8K from drones or cinema cameras, editors often downscale to 4K for delivery. The downscaled image is very sharp and low in noise, similar to oversampling, and leaves plenty of room to crop.
Editing native 8K needs a powerful computer or proxies, and plenty of fast storage for the source files.
What to watch out for
File sizes and processing loads are enormous. An 8K clip can overwhelm laptops, phones and storage, and exports take a long time. Plan storage and use proxies when editing.
Higher resolution does not fix bad light. Small sensors at 8K still produce noise in dim scenes, and heavy compression can hide the extra detail. A clean, well-exposed 4K file often looks better than a noisy 8K one.
Finally, 8K recording often limits frame rates and can heat the camera quickly, so test before relying on it for long sessions. Keep a lower setting ready for days when the camera has to run for hours.
How RawClip handles it
RawClip accepts footage up to 4K and 5.3K and does not read 360 files. Reframe 8K 360 clips to a flat MP4 or MOV at 4K or below first, then upload them for your highlight.