H.264 and H.265 are video compression standards, also known as codecs. A codec is a process by which digital video is "packed" (encoded) into a smaller file and then "unpacked" (decoded) again for playback. Compression is necessary because video in its original, uncompressed form occupies a large amount of data space. The H.264 format, also known as AVC (Advanced Video Coding), is an older and very widespread standard. It offers a balanced ratio between image quality and file size and is supported by a wide range of devices and programs. Its successor is the H.265 format, known as HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding). This newer codec is more efficient, meaning it can create a video file of approximately half the size of H.264 while maintaining comparable image quality. This feature is especially useful when recording high-resolution video, such as 4K or 8K. The choice between these formats in a camera thus affects the size of the resulting files and the demands for their playback or editing, where H.265 may require more powerful hardware.
