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With the advent of 8K resolution, a new revolution is coming, marking the end of the 4K era that we have all longed for.
We got a nice surprise with an FCC leak of some specs the future Autel Evo 2. In addition to the great range and interchangeable gimbals that alone justify the hype for this drone, many of us were wide-eyed when we saw that the Autel Evo 2 would offer 8K video resolution.
I’m not going to talk more about the Autel Evo 2 just yet because not much is known about it and we also need to know the most important thing: the price (this is where we’ll really see if it will be a groundbreaking drone or just a good drone with a price in line with expectations ), but today I wanted to share my impressions about 8K, what it can provide and whether it is really necessary; not only in drones, but in all kinds of cameras and players.
How we understand 8K resolution as consumers
On the one hand, there is no need to emphasize too much that 4K resolution has not been standardized among us for too long, and as consumers I think the most understandable reaction is that we throw our hands up to our heads when we hear dizzying specifications. It’s no less, and ever since HD (720p) began to standardize, we’ve seen the industry every few years insist on shoehorning us with advances that have rendered our equipment (TVs, cell phones, and cameras) obsolete: HD, FullHD, (failed) 3D, 4K, HDR… and obviously the next name on our list will be 8K.
I don’t know about you, but to me (young and inexperienced) at first it seemed that 720p HD Ready actually looked better than standard definition TVs, and the same happened between FullHD and HD. Same with 4K vs. FullHD. However, while these changes were happening, and while you could see the difference, part of me (and I’m certainly not the only one) felt that I didn’t fully understand the need, as the previous standard already looked good enough. And yet (and I’m sure I’m not the only one again), once I got used to FullHD, I found it fascinating to think that there was a time when standard definition seemed «good enough»… And it did with every resolution jump, that we lived
So what are we left with? Is it necessary to keep improving the resolution of cameras and TVs, or are manufacturers forcing us to waste infinity? Does anything improve viewing 8K content or is it just a number that affects the wallet more than the user experience? I think there are nuances to the answer, and I’m going to break them down below.
First of all, we will tell the indisputable truth, perhaps a little painful, but which it is better to get rid of first like a band-aid: it is clear that manufacturers are primarily interested in introducing new standards and creating new needs for those that we, consumers, must to follow, because in this way we become to them the goose that lays the golden eggs. That’s how the capitalist system works, and it’s the same way it works in the mobile industry, video games, the auto industry, and pretty much any industry based on consumer technology products. It’s a game we’ve been playing since almost the beginning of the world, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because if the industry didn’t work this way, we’d all still be watching TV on tube screens and downloading our video games with cartridges and using mobile only for calls and sending sms.
What’s wrong with 8K resolution?
The risk of buying mediocre goods at the price of gold
As has already happened every time several letters defend what should be the latest technology for the consumer, we run the risk that they will try to pass off mediocre devices as high-end devices for being 8K and only storing 8K: there are many characteristics, which must be taken into account when evaluating the image quality of a TV or camera, and resolution is only one of them: in the case of TVs, for example, brightness, color depth also affect size, delay, panel type and length, etc.
Makes 4K look outdated
We should understand the emergence of 8K resolution not only as a form of progress, but also as a mild mode of planned obsolescence. It’s not that 4K and lower resolution devices will magically stop working, but it’s a way to push the modern market to consume new devices that weren’t necessary until now. On the other hand, for content producers to remain competitive, this will force us to invest in 8K cameras in the medium term.
Not everyone needs it.
Today, the consumption of audiovisual content is mainly through smartphones, which at several inches cannot effectively use such a high resolution when displayed on such a small screen. If the trend of audiovisual consumption continues to favor smartphones, we can find here a good ballast for the imposition of 8K.
A lot of content won’t use 8K in the short to medium term
And that’s why it can still be difficult to take advantage of a 4K TV today: DTT broadcasts in Spain are still a long way from being regularly offered in 4K, and only the latest generation consoles allow 4K gaming. On video streaming platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, HBO or Prime Video, we find more and more content in 4K. Having said that, the thought of getting a TV capable of 8K with the difficulties we still encounter to take full advantage of 4K is very discouraging.
So can 8K resolution really be a positive thing?
the way to perfection
It’s not all bad, and it’s that, as we’ve said before, every generational leap we’ve made in cameras and TVs, while expensive, has brought us closer to the image qualities we can now enjoy. 8K is a logical development, and without a doubt, it is an important step if we intend to one day enjoy absolutely perfect image quality, if it can be achieved.
Suitable for older devices
We’ve reached what I believe to be the most pivotal point when it comes to 8K; and we can argue long and hard about whether 8K will make a big difference to «normal» sized screens, but we can’t ignore the fact that the current consumer trend is for TVs to get bigger. Obviously, seeing content on an 80-inch screen in 4K won’t be the same as in 8K; and 8K will allow us to enjoy better image quality on these giant TVs that increasingly populate our walls as a «window to the rest of the world».
Better for reshaping
Finally, although not directly relevant to the audiovisual consumer, in many productions, although the final video will be edited in 1080p, the ability to record in 4K is appreciated in order to have the margin in post-production to adjust the frames and stabilize the image. When it comes to exporting the final material in 4K, it can be very beneficial for us to record in 5.2K, but since it is not widely standardized, it is a resolution that has not been offered very much in cameras in the professional segment. With the advent of 8K, it is safe to assume that 5.2K will make its way into these segments without much difficulty, allowing us to finally improve our 4K production.
Conclusions
As we can see, there are arguments for and against 8K; but there’s not much doubt that manufacturers have it on their roadmap, so it’s only a matter of time before we all (consumers and creators) find ourselves through the hoop one way or another. For its part, Autel looks set to sell the first drone with an 8K camera. Although it’s premature to start changing working tools just to enjoy 8K, it forces competitors (DJI, Yuneec, Parrot…) to get together and offer 8K-enabled drones if they don’t want to lose a good share of the market next year.
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