Understanding Action Camera Specs: Resolution vs. Bitrate

Resolution and bitrate are two fundamental specs that together determine video quality. They are not the same thing, though many beginners focus only on resolution. Let’s define each clearly:

• Resolution refers to the number of pixels in each video frame (width × height). Common video resolutions include 1920×1080 (Full HD or 1080p), 3840×2160 (4K UHD), and even 5312×2988 (5.3K, used by some GoPros). Higher resolution means more pixels and potentially more detail – similar to using more tiles in a mosaic to capture a scene. For example, 4K has four times the pixel count of 1080p, so it can display finer details if everything else is equal.
• Bitrate is the amount of data recorded per second of video, typically measured in megabits per second (Mb/s). It essentially measures how much information is used to encode each frame. A higher bitrate allows more data for each frame, which often means higher fidelity (less compression). If we extend the mosaic analogy, bitrate is like the richness or precision of color that each tile can display. A low bitrate is like painting your mosaic tiles with a broad brush – details and subtle color gradients may be lost. A high bitrate is like painting with a fine brush – retaining more of the original detail and nuance.

In real-world terms, bitrate often affects quality more than resolution once you exceed a certain resolution threshold. An action cam recording 4K at a low bitrate (say 20 Mb/s) might actually look worse than one recording 1080p at a high bitrate (100 Mb/s). This is because insufficient bitrate forces the video to be heavily compressed, blurring out the detail advantages of the higher pixel count. 

As one expert puts it, if you use a high resolution and frame rate that exceed what the camera’s bitrate can handle, it “must apply a compression... the more the file is compressed, the less quality it retains.” In other words, resolution sets the pixel dimensions of the video, but bitrate determines how clean or detailed those pixels can look.

To balance these, camera makers often increase bitrate for higher resolutions. For example, the GoPro Hero11 bumped its maximum bitrate ~20 Mb/s higher when adding 10-bit color (more on 10-bit later). High-end action cams typically record at 100–120 Mb/s or more in 4K (even up to 150–200 Mb/s in some modes), whereas cheaper cams might top out at 30–60 Mb/s. This is why a budget 4K action camera’s footage can look muddy compared to a GoPro’s 4K – it’s not just the sensor or lens, but that the budget cam is heavily compressing the video. 

In practical terms: always consider bitrate alongside resolution. If you see a camera advertising “4K video,” check the fine print for the bitrate (and codec). A 4K camera that records at only 25 Mb/s will likely show artifacts (blockiness, lack of detail) especially in fast motion or complex scenes, whereas one that records 4K at 100 Mb/s will preserve far more detail.