
DivXĭivX, along with the open source version XviD, is an older codec that is designed to maximize video quality at the expense of having significantly larger file sizes. MPEG-4 is still very much usable, but you might have to search to find compelling reasons to choose it over H.264 or H.265. There were multiple standards within MPEG-4, with some of them being identical to H.264. MPEG-4 was another extremely common codec for online streaming, though it has lost popularity to H.264 and H.265. If you’re worried about compatibility and don’t mind having a somewhat larger file, H.264 is still probably the safest option. It offers very good image quality and efficient compression, but it’s not as powerful as the newer H.265. It was developed for BluRay discs, but found wide adoption across all kinds of players and streamers. H.264 was more or less the standard for video streaming for quite a while. H.265 is perhaps the most efficient codec currently available, at least until the recently announced H.266 becomes available. There are still some compatibility challenges with H.265, but at this point most of the streaming video players will readily play it. It’s designed specifically for 4K video streaming and offers very efficient compression, giving high quality video with relatively small file sizes. H.265, also called HEVC, has become the preferred codec for many people. There are a few common video codecs that will meet most of your needs. When you decide on what codec to use, you need to consider compatibility as well as the compromise between video quality and file size. Not all codecs are compatible with all video players. You do, however, end up with larger files. This gives you higher video quality and prevents progressive degradation from multiple saves. Lossless compression, on the other hand, keeps all of the data from the original file. This is especially apparent with repeated compressions that lead to a cumulative loss of significant amounts of data. Lossy compression creates smaller file sizes, but it leaves out some of the data, resulting in lower video quality. This compression can be either lossy or lossless.
DIFFERENT FILE FORMATS PHOTOGRAPHY PLUS
Remember, the codec plus the container equals the video file format.Ī codec is used to compress and then decompress a video file. There’s a codec, which compresses (and decompresses) your video and a container that bundles everything together and makes it work with whatever video player you are going to use. Your final video format takes both of these components into consideration. You have not only the actual video portion, but also the audio streams and additional information such as optional subtitles, metadata, in some cases menu structures, and more that has to all work together. The second is that videos have a lot of different parts that need to be put together into the final package. What format you choose will play a huge role in determining the final size of your video file. The importance of video file formats is the result of two primary factors.įirst, video files are significantly bigger than most other files you are likely to save, and as video resolutions continue to increase, their file sizes only grow.

With video, you have to make some decisions about how you want to save your file to ensure that it will work where you want it to.Īre you unsure of where to start with choosing a video file format? We’re here to help you figure it out. If you’re saving a document or spreadsheet, you don’t have to think much beyond just hitting save. Unfortunately, video file formats are not as straightforward as many other computer file types. This makes choosing the right video file format incredibly important. You can spend all of the time and effort you want making amazing video content but it won’t mean anything if you can’t give it to people in a way that they can watch it.
