Token Cost Estimation for Video Resolution Settings in Claude Video

The token cost per frame scales quadratically with resolution using Anthropic's formula (width × height) ÷ 750, where the default 512px width consumes approximately 197 tokens per frame while 1024px consumes roughly 788 tokens.

The bradautomates/claude-video repository implements a /watch skill that extracts frames from video content and sends them to Claude as images. Understanding the token cost estimation for different resolution settings is critical for managing API costs, as higher resolutions significantly increase token consumption per frame according to Anthropic's image token calculation formula.

How Image Token Costs Are Calculated

Anthropic calculates image tokens using the formula:

image_tokens = (width × height) ÷ 750

The frame extraction script in claude-video defaults to a maximum width of 512 px, scaling the height proportionally to maintain the original aspect ratio. For a standard 16:9 source video, this produces frames of 512 × 288 pixels, resulting in approximately 197 tokens per frame (as documented in the README at lines 90-92).

Resolution Settings and Token Costs

When you increase the width using the --resolution flag, the token count grows with the square of the width because the height scales proportionally. The following table shows token costs for common resolution settings:

Resolution (--resolution)	Width (px)	Height (px)	Tokens per Frame
256	256	144	≈ 49
512 (default)	512	288	≈ 197
768	768	432	≈ 444
1024	1024	576	≈ 788

Doubling the width from 512 px to 1024 px quadruples the token cost from approximately 197 to 788 tokens per frame, reflecting the increased pixel count.

Implementation in the Source Code

In skills/watch/scripts/watch.py, the --resolution flag is parsed and passed to the frame extractor. The actual scaling logic resides in skills/watch/scripts/frames.py, where the _scale_filter() function scales frames to the chosen width while preserving aspect ratio.

Calculating Costs for Custom Resolutions

You can estimate the token cost for any width W using the aspect ratio of your source video:

def image_token_estimate(width: int, aspect_ratio: float = 16/9) -> int:
    """Return the number of image tokens for a given width."""
    height = int(width / aspect_ratio)
    return (width * height) // 750

For quick estimation without writing a full script:

def token_estimate(width):
    # Assume 16:9 source video

    height = int(width * 9 / 16)
    return (width * height) // 750

print(token_estimate(512))   # Output: 197

print(token_estimate(1024))  # Output: 788

Usage Examples

To process video at the default resolution:

watch https://youtu.be/example --detail balanced

To capture finer details like small text or UI elements at higher token cost:

watch https://youtu.be/example --detail balanced --resolution 1024

Summary

• Token formula: Anthropic uses (width × height) ÷ 750 to calculate image tokens
• Default cost: The 512 px width default generates approximately 197 tokens per frame
• Quadratic scaling: Doubling resolution quadruples token cost (512 px = ~197 tokens, 1024 px = ~788 tokens)
• Implementation: Resolution control is handled in skills/watch/scripts/watch.py and skills/watch/scripts/frames.py via the _scale_filter() function
• Cost optimization: Select the minimum resolution that captures necessary detail to manage token budgets effectively

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the --resolution flag affect token costs in Claude Video?

The --resolution flag sets the maximum width for extracted frames in pixels. Because the height scales proportionally to maintain aspect ratio, token costs increase with the square of the width. According to the source code in skills/watch/scripts/frames.py, the _scale_filter() function maintains the aspect ratio while scaling, which means a 2× increase in width results in approximately 4× the token consumption per frame.

What is the default token cost per frame when using the /watch skill?

By default, the /watch skill limits frame width to 512 pixels. For a standard 16:9 video, this produces 512 × 288 pixel frames that consume approximately 197 tokens per frame using Anthropic's (width × height) ÷ 750 calculation formula.

Can I calculate token costs for custom resolutions not shown in the documentation?

Yes. You can estimate costs for any width using the formula (width × height) // 750, where height is calculated as width / aspect_ratio. For 16:9 video, use height = width × 9 / 16. This calculation is implemented in the repository's README documentation and derived from Anthropic's image token counting method.

Why does token cost increase quadratically instead of linearly with resolution?

Token cost increases quadratically because image tokens are calculated based on total pixel count (width × height). When you double the width while maintaining aspect ratio, the height also doubles, resulting in four times as many pixels. This quadratic relationship is inherent in the (width × height) ÷ 750 formula used by Anthropic and documented in the claude-video repository.

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    "instagit": {
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}