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2K resolution
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<h2 id="resolutions">Resolutions</h2> Examples of 2K resolutions<table><tbody><tr><th>Format</th><th>Resolution</th><th><a href="/facts/Display_aspect_ratio/hK5LYHN7">Display aspect ratio</a></th><th>Pixels</th></tr><tr><td>2K scan from 35 film (typical)</td><td>2048 × 1556</td><td>1.32:1 (512:389, ≈4:3)</td><td>3,186,688</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Digital_Cinema_Initiatives/p2mpyz0w">DCI</a> 2K (<a href="/facts/Native_resolution/vgRQG533">native resolution</a>)</td><td>2048 × 1080</td><td>1.90:1 (256:135, ≈17:9)</td><td>2,211,840</td></tr><tr><td>DCI 2K (<a href="/facts/Widescreen/SpJ8gcnV">flat</a> cropped)</td><td>1998 × 1080</td><td>1.85:1</td><td>2,157,840</td></tr><tr><td>DCI 2K (<a href="/facts/CinemaScope/2tIqWPnu">CinemaScope</a> cropped)</td><td>2048 × 858</td><td>2.39:1</td><td>1,755,136</td></tr><tr><td>QXGA</td><td>2048 × 1536</td><td>1.33:1 (4:3)</td><td>3,145,728</td></tr><tr><td>WUXGA</td><td>1920 × 1200</td><td>1.60:1 (16:10)</td><td>2,304,000</td></tr><tr><td>Full HD</td><td>1920 × 1080</td><td>1.78:1 (16:9)</td><td>2,073,600</td></tr><tr><td>QWXGA</td><td>2048 × 1152</td><td>1.78:1 (16:9)</td><td>2,359,296</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="standards-and-terminology">Standards and terminology</h2> <p>In the cinematography industry, 2K resolution traditionally refers to a digital scan of 35 mm film with a resolution around 2000 pixels wide. Typically this is done at 2048 × 1556, but the exact dimensions vary based on the aspect ratio and size of the scan area.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>: 714 </p><p>In modern cinema, another common 2K resolution is 2048 × 1080. This is the resolution of the 2K container format standardized by <a href="/facts/Digital_Cinema_Initiatives/p2mpyz0w">DCI</a> in their Digital Cinema System Specification in 2005.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> The resolution of the encapsulated video content follows the SMPTE 428-1 standard,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>: §3.2.1 which establishes the following resolutions for a 2K distribution:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a>: 6 </p> <ul><li>2048 × 1080 (full frame, 256∶135 or ≈1.90∶1 aspect ratio)</li> <li>1998 × 1080 (flat crop, 1.85∶1 aspect ratio)</li> <li>2048 × 858 (CinemaScope crop, ≈2.39∶1 aspect ratio)</li></ul> <p>However, the term <i>2K</i> itself is generic, was not coined by DCI, and does not refer specifically to the DCI 2K standard. Usage of the term <i>2K</i> predates the publication of the DCI standard.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> The resolution 1920 × 1080 has also been referred to as a 2K resolution by other standards organizations like <a href="/facts/NHK_Science_%2526_Technology_Research_Laboratories/H9rG6zhm">NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories</a> and <a href="/facts/ITU_Radiocommunication_Sector/JStrNXwb">ITU Radiocommunication Sector</a> (which were involved in the standardization of <a href="/facts/High-definition_television/AuE6FRFI">1080p HDTV</a> and <a href="/facts/4K_UHDTV/k60od3B2">4K UHDTV</a>).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> In consumer products, 2560 × 1440 (<a href="/facts/1440p/IuEYSRm8">1440p</a>) is sometimes referred to as <i>2K</i>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> but it and similar formats are more traditionally categorized as 2.5K resolutions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a>: 102 </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/21%3a9_aspect_ratio/6lTb1g4D">21:9 aspect ratio</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>James, Jack (2006). Digital Intermediates for Film and Video. Focal Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-240-80702-7. Retrieved April 19, 2014. <a href="978-0-240-80702-7" target="_blank">978-0-240-80702-7</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Digital Cinema System Specification" (PDF). Digital Cinema Initiatives. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160527180135/http://dcimovies.com/specification/DCI_DCSS_v12_with_errata_2012-1010.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160527180135/http://dcimovies.com/specification/DCI_DCSS_v12_with_errata_2012-1010.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Swinson, Peter R (November 2005). "DCI and OTHER Film Formats" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-04-02. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182303/http://www.edcf.net/edcf_docs/DCI%20and%20OTHER%20Film%20Formats.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182303/http://www.edcf.net/edcf_docs/DCI%20and%20OTHER%20Film%20Formats.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Ascher, Steven (2012). The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (Fourth ed.). Penguin. pp. 10, 71, 685. ISBN 978-0-452-29728-9. <a href="978-0-452-29728-9" target="_blank">978-0-452-29728-9</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Ascher, Steven (2007). The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age. Penguin. pp. 189, 714. ISBN 978-045-2-286-788. Retrieved March 29, 2015. <a href="978-045-2-286-788" target="_blank">978-045-2-286-788</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Digital Cinema System Specification" (PDF). Digital Cinema Initiatives. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160527180135/http://dcimovies.com/specification/DCI_DCSS_v12_with_errata_2012-1010.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160527180135/http://dcimovies.com/specification/DCI_DCSS_v12_with_errata_2012-1010.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Swinson, Peter R (November 2005). "DCI and OTHER Film Formats" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-04-02. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182303/http://www.edcf.net/edcf_docs/DCI%20and%20OTHER%20Film%20Formats.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182303/http://www.edcf.net/edcf_docs/DCI%20and%20OTHER%20Film%20Formats.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Digital Cinema System Specification Version 1.2 with Errata as of 30 August 2012 Incorporated" (PDF). Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC. October 10, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-05-27. Retrieved April 29, 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160527180135/http://dcimovies.com/specification/DCI_DCSS_v12_with_errata_2012-1010.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160527180135/http://dcimovies.com/specification/DCI_DCSS_v12_with_errata_2012-1010.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>SMPTE 428-1-2006: D-Cinema Distribution Master - Image Characteristics, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), September 29, 2006 <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Defining_2K_and_4K". www.cinematography.net. 2004-03-25. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2021-08-18. <a href="https://www.cinematography.net/edited-pages/Defining_2K_and_4K.htm" target="_blank">https://www.cinematography.net/edited-pages/Defining_2K_and_4K.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"CGTalk | 2K Film Resolution". forums.cgsociety.org. 2003-06-24. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2021-08-18. <a href="http://forums.cgsociety.org/t/2k-film-resolution/694549" target="_blank">http://forums.cgsociety.org/t/2k-film-resolution/694549</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"what resolution/ratio/frame rate? : Cinema 4D". forums.creativecow.net. 2002-09-26. Archived from the original on 2018-04-30. Retrieved 2021-08-18. <a href="https://forums.creativecow.net/docs/forums/post.php?forumid=19&postid=182104&univpostid=182104&pview=t&archive=T" target="_blank">https://forums.creativecow.net/docs/forums/post.php?forumid=19&postid=182104&univpostid=182104&pview=t&archive=T</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"JOURNALS | Broadcast Technology | NHK STRL". www.nhk.or.jp. 2021-08-17. Archived from the original on 2021-08-17. Retrieved 2021-08-18. <a href="https://www.nhk.or.jp/strl/english/publica/bt/68/10.html" target="_blank">https://www.nhk.or.jp/strl/english/publica/bt/68/10.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"ITU-R BT.2245-6" (PDF). www.itu.int. 2021-08-17. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 Aug 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-18. <a href="https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/opb/rep/R-REP-BT.2245-6-2019-PDF-E.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/opb/rep/R-REP-BT.2245-6-2019-PDF-E.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"What is Resolution of Monitor? Full HD vs 2K vs 4K". BenQ. Retrieved 2024-03-19. <a href="https://www.benq.com/en-me/knowledge-center/knowledge/what-is-resolution-of-monitor-full-hd-vs-2k-vs-4k.html" target="_blank">https://www.benq.com/en-me/knowledge-center/knowledge/what-is-resolution-of-monitor-full-hd-vs-2k-vs-4k.html</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Michael Hession (16 April 2012). "BlackMagic Cinema Camera: Whopping 2.5K Resolution for Under $3000". Gizmodo. <a href="https://gizmodo.com/blackmagic-cinema-camera-whopping-2-5k-resolution-for-5902337" target="_blank">https://gizmodo.com/blackmagic-cinema-camera-whopping-2-5k-resolution-for-5902337</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Scarlet-W Dragon Operation Guide V7.4.0" (PDF). RED Digital Cinema. 11 February 2021. <a href="https://docs.red.com/955-0116_v7.4/955-0116_V7.4-SCARLET_W_DRAGON_Operation_Guide_v7_4.pdf" target="_blank">https://docs.red.com/955-0116_v7.4/955-0116_V7.4-SCARLET_W_DRAGON_Operation_Guide_v7_4.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>