HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a video format that captures and displays a wider range of brightness levels and colors than standard dynamic range, producing more lifelike and impactful images.
HDR — High Dynamic Range — represents a significant leap in video quality. While standard dynamic range (SDR) video is limited to a relatively narrow range of brightness (up to about 100 nits), HDR content can reach 1,000 nits or more, with some formats supporting up to 10,000 nits. This expanded range means brighter highlights, deeper shadows, and far more detail in both bright and dark areas of the image simultaneously.
HDR also typically involves wider color gamuts (like Rec.2020 or DCI-P3), enabling more saturated and accurate colors. The combination of increased brightness range and wider color produces images that feel more three-dimensional and true to life. Specular highlights sparkle, sunsets glow with rich gradations, and dark scenes retain detail that would be crushed to black in SDR.
For video production, HDR introduces additional complexity in shooting, grading, and delivery. Footage must be captured with sufficient dynamic range (usually in LOG or RAW formats), graded on HDR-capable reference monitors, and delivered in HDR-compatible formats like HDR10 or Dolby Vision. While not every project requires HDR, it is increasingly expected for premium content, streaming platforms, and any production where visual impact is a priority.
Color grading is the creative process of adjusting the colors, contrast, and overall visual tone of footage to establish a mood, style, or visual identity.
A color space is a defined range of colors that a device or format can capture, display, or reproduce, such as Rec.709 for HD video or DCI-P3 for digital cinema.
LOG footage is video recorded using a logarithmic encoding curve that captures a wider dynamic range by distributing more data to shadows and midtones, producing a flat, desaturated image designed for color grading.