Extremely useful App to calculate data usage & space needed – KataData

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 As silly as it is – trying to calculate how much hard drive or card space one will need for a particular shot or project can become extremely complex.   Now, let me clarify that …  Once you factor in the different compression settings, resolutions, frame rates etc -it can be downright maddening!

Here is an incredibly graceful app that allows you to take the mystery out of all of these calculations (and avoid the inevitable headaches that come with.)  KataData – for iPhone (and will work on most if not all iDevices I’m sure) is a great app to pull out when you’re out on location and need to shoot a one hour shot of the sun setting – and need to know if you can fit in on the cards within the camera (and perhaps what compression setting to choose to make it fit.)   It’s also great to pull out when a producer asks you what size drives they should purchase for your shoots – if you know the anticipated amount of footage you’ll shoot and specs – you can give an intelligent answer – for almost every single cinema camera out there today.   This is particularly useful if you’re deciding on what settings, let alone what cameras – you’ll go with for a particular shoot given the realities of time and budget (not to mention when you shoot with multiple, different cameras.)  It will also give you the runtime of your footage given the amount of data you’ve shot – great for when you’re shooting off-speed.  This app works with RED, Phantom, Alexa, HDSLRs – you name it.

You can find more information here, and purchase it from iTunes here.  You can also watch the video below for more information.