Hi, I’m Naveed.
I’m a software engineer working on web and mobile applications. I build solutions that make useful information easier to act on: fewer repetitive calculations, clearer choices, and less time spent piecing answers together.
BRAW Planner is one of those projects. I develop the calculator and maintain its guides. My background is software engineering; I do not claim to be a camera manufacturer, a certified media-testing laboratory, or a cinematographer with hands-on experience of every camera listed.
The problem this tool addresses
A drive labelled “1TB” does not tell you how many interview takes it will hold. A high advertised transfer speed does not establish that it can record a long, uninterrupted BRAW clip. Changing frame rate, sensor window or compression changes the storage plan again.
These are practical concerns in the Blackmagic community. In a discussion about Cinema Camera 6K dropped frames, a user reported recording trouble despite a fast computer disk-speed result. That report illustrates the gap between a short benchmark and a reliable recording setup; it is not proof that every similar drive will fail.
I built BRAW Planner to make the planning side easier to follow. It brings data rate, storage, recording time and a visible safety margin into one place. The tool can help you estimate what is needed; testing the actual camera, cable and media establishes whether the equipment can deliver it.
Where it can help
- Interviews and documentaries: estimate card time and reserve room for longer answers or unexpected coverage.
- Events and long takes: compare available capacity with expected recording duration.
- Multi-camera shoots: calculate each camera’s requirement before adding the totals.
- High-frame-rate recording: see how capture frame rate changes the storage estimate.
- Offload and backup planning: carry the estimated volume into a plan for multiple verified copies.
What the numbers mean
The calculator uses a documented estimation model, decimal GB/TB, and a separate production buffer. Constant Quality settings show a range. It is a general planning tool, not a promise of exact camera output or a guarantee that a selected resolution and frame rate are supported by your camera.
The methodology explains the formulas and limitations. Manufacturer tables and a test with your own equipment take priority over a modeled estimate. I welcome reproducible corrections with settings and a source.
Independent and accountable
BRAW Planner is independently operated by Naveed at brawcalculator.online. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Blackmagic Design. Product names identify the workflows discussed and remain the property of their owners.
Automation can help organize research and draft explanations, but it must not invent tests, credentials or testimonials. The editorial policy describes those standards. Contact me at brawplanner@gmail.com for corrections, accessibility feedback or questions about the project.