Shoot ratios on digital productions have ballooned. Some directors now deliver 200 hours of footage for a feature film. Editors describe this as a specific kind of burden, not a gift.
The selection problem multiplies
When a scene has four usable takes, an editor evaluates four options. When it has 40 usable takes across multiple cameras and angles, the decision tree expands dramatically. Assembly cuts on high-ratio productions take substantially longer not because the editing is more complex but because the logging and selection phase is.
What gets lost in volume
Editors who work with high coverage sometimes report losing track of standout performances. A take from day three that had something unusual gets buried under footage from days seven, nine, and twelve. The organizational demands start to compete with the editorial instinct that makes editing good.
Directors who shoot lean create different problems
Low coverage forces commitment early. An editor with limited options makes decisions faster and sometimes more boldly. Some editors prefer this. Others find the lack of alternatives frustrating on scenes that needed a different approach.
The ideal ratio depends entirely on what the director is trying to do, not on a standard number.
Neither extreme is inherently better. Both create specific problems that good editors learn to manage.