Shooting in 1080 vs 4K: SEE the difference

Update (2023-01-03): Better video here: https://youtu.be/T5z7YvXib-Q It turns out my camera has soft 1080, so this isn't a great comparison. The new video does a much better job illustrating the difference.

I’m about 8ft away from a 43in 4K tv. I was able to accurately spot the 4K clips due to the details in smaller objects like grass or the folds in the flag. The night time scenes were the hardest for me. I didn’t have as many of the tell tale signs I was looking for, and I would imagine that higher ISO can soften an image more. My take away was that I was actively looking for differences in parts of the image the ultimately didn’t matter. If these were dialogue scenes, I wouldn’t care about the detail in the foliage.

I was viewing your footage on my laptop in 4k, and it was really easy to spot the difference. I don't export in 4k so I guess it doesn't matter if I don't film in 4k, but I can see the clear benefit of filming in 4k for those who do

Viewed on my iMac 2019 27 inch 5K on full screen, the difference is huge. The 1080 footage is way softer, but not in a pleasing cinematic way. 1080 still good more than enough when viewed on smaller screens with less definition. Thank you for posting this test.

I love how short sweet and to the point your videos are. Great job!

This video was SO WELL DONE. Thank you for making it so clear between the two while keeping it clear of common cognitive biases.

All other things being equal, it's all about the size of the monitor you are viewing with. Smaller monitor = cant tell 1080 vs 4k. Its that simple. Larger screens means the higher resolution makes a difference because of the pixel size. IMO, a monitor 50" or less means a 4K is most likely a waste of money. Those of us who were around back when SD (480) was the standard remember how 480 seemed crisp and detailed on 12" or less TV's. The bigger the screens became in those days (up to 30" or a little more) the more obvious it became that 480 was terrible. So again, it's all about monitor size.

Hey man, I watched some of your vids and it really helped! just keep up the good work :)

In doing some research on video related content...you have been suggested to me 3 times now... Gotta say, YouTube nailed this one...as your channel fits exactly what I want in information and delivery. Thank you

Such an important video! Because of how well you created the comparison between 4k and 1080p it was easy for me to decide: I will definitely be shooting the vast majority of any future video documentary in 1080p, NOT 4k. I found NO difference in the videos with my macbook pro with M1 chip. People have little idea of how significant it is to shoot in 4k in terms of storage space issues. Thanks again.

Hi James, I could clearly see the difference too. I was viewing your video on my 2K resolution monitor, thus it makes perfect sense that the 1080p looked a bit blurry. I find this all the time (and do struggle a bit with it) when editing my travel videos as I alternate between footage from my action cam shot at 2.7k and that shot on my DSLR shot on 1080p

Thanks, James, for yet another informative video! I was watching it on a 1080p 40 inch tv screen and I could see the difference though it was pretty subtle. I got 6/8 correct.

75” Samsung. 9 feet away. Easily could see the difference. Thanks for posting this experiment. I’m not longer considering 1080.

I’m genuinely surprised by this. I’m 46 years old and going long sighted and am watching this sat up in bed tired on an old iPhone XS. The difference is clear. 😮 A real surprise.

I didn't think I could tell the difference since I'm watching on a 1080p monitor, but I actually got every single one of the tests right. I am amazed by how much better 4K looks even when you don't have a 4K display.

I think it depends on whether the camera is with or without movement. With movement, FHD will not be much different. But without movement, you can see every detail or sharpness. In your video examples, 4K is clearly better. Thank you for your comparison!

I know this video was done a few years ago, but I still want to thank you. I'm struggling with the decision as to what resolution to use. In any case, I did, in fact, get all but one of the clips correct in the test. I couldn't tell the difference between the two clips at #2. All the others I got correct. (I was kinda hoping I wouldn't see any difference so I could more easily justify using 1080). Thanks again.

Hi, Thank you for taking the time. I found your video very informative and helpful. I viewed the comparisons twice on my 19.5" desktop monitor. The first time, I focused on particular areas containing detail, e.g., trees, leaves, etc. Then again, from edge to edge, as you would when viewing a video. In the first viewing, I noticed a slight improvement in the 4K footage; there was more detail. But when watching the video from edge to edge, I could not discern one from the other despite knowing one was better. On a large monitor/TV, the difference might be more pronounced. But if your target audience intends to view the video on their desktop or mobile device, I don't see the benefit of recording in 4K.

great content man keep the good work !!

Watched only 2 videos and subscribed. Amazing content. Thanks.