Can 32-bit HDR images be printed, and what file format should I deliver for print?
Asked 8/11/2010
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I have HDR images in 32-bit format and want to know how that affects printing. Can a print lab actually use 32-bit HDR data, or do they need it converted first? Do printers or labs support a wider gamut or bit depth than normal image files, and is there a preferred print format such as 16-bit TIFF instead of 8-bit?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
16y ago
2 Answers
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It is simply impossible to print a 32bit image.
For the sake of truth it is impossible to view it on a monitor too :) ...
As far as I know there is no device being able to render 32 bit per channel, neither the human eye ... so if you'd be able to print you'll not be able to see it :)
Of course you can choose how to tone map your huge 32bit information into a smaller range, this is what is achieved by the tone mapping process. This is a very liberal procedure, I mean that you are free to choose what you want to render, what to enhance, exasperate and so on ... HDR + tone mapping is an "artistic" tool, not a photorealistic one IMHO.
@msw: HDR tone mapping is necessary both for RGB and CMKY, none of them can represent 32 bit of information.
Originally by user1022. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1022
16y ago
0
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A 32-bit HDR image is not printed directly. In practice, it must be tone-mapped or otherwise converted down to a printable range first.
Why: print is a much more limited medium than a 32-bit HDR file. Neither monitors nor printers can reproduce the full dynamic range stored in HDR data, and print is especially constrained because it uses inks/pigments rather than emitted light. So a lab cannot simply "print HDR" in the sense of preserving the full 32-bit range.
The useful part of the HDR file is that it gives you more information to work with before conversion. The important step is deciding how to compress that range into something printable while keeping detail and local contrast in highlights and shadows. This is similar in spirit to darkroom dodging and burning.
A common delivery format for print is a 16-bit TIFF, often with a standard print color profile such as Adobe RGB if the lab supports it. 16-bit is a good high-quality working/output format after tone mapping; 8-bit may also be accepted by many labs, but 32-bit HDR itself generally is not the print-ready format.
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