Video A-Z
Baffled by video jargon? Our A-Z covers basic know-how right through to pro hardware
Chroma subsampling isn't the only way to compress video footage. It's also possible to compress individual frames, and in one of two ways.
Intra-frame compression compresses each frame individually. This is the best route if you want top quality frame-by-frame.
Inter-frame compression doesn't store whole frames. Instead, it only stores the changes since the last 'key' frame. It's still possible to reconstruct individual frames, but now it has to be done by combining the frame data with the last (or the next) key frame.
Not every camera will offer you the choice, and the terms may change slightly each time. The choice may be expressed as 'All-I' (intra-frame) and 'IPB' (inter frame) compression.
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Rod is an independent photographer and photography journalist with more than 30 years' experience. He's previously worked as Head of Testing for Future’s photography magazines, including Digital Camera, N-Photo, PhotoPlus, Professional Photography, Photography Week and Practical Photoshop, and as Reviews Editor on Digital Camera World.