How can I display DSLR RAW photos properly on HDR-capable TVs and monitors?
Asked 12/18/2017
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I want to get the most dynamic range possible from DSLR RAW files when viewing still photos on modern HDR displays such as 10-bit TVs, HDR monitors, and HDR-capable phones. What should the workflow look like for processing RAW files for HDR display? Which output formats are practical, and how much depends on what the display can actually decode?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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Your first step is to find out what formats the TV can decode. JPEG2000 is one candidate TIFF is another, but the TIFF spec is a can of worms allowing creation of new tags with alternative decoding mechanisms. There are many TIFF decoders that don't understand all the variants.
Second test: Can you actually see 10-12 bits of dynamic range. Paper doesn't even support 8 bits -- the contrast range is about 100:1 for a well made print, less than that for halftoned images.
The advantage of deeper bit ranges is the ability to remap to a lower contrast range without artifacts.
Due to the way the human eye reacts to light, the only way I suspect that you can see 10 bit dynamic range is if:
- Lighting external to the screen is minimal (trip over the dog level)
- The image itself has very little zone IX and X regions, and not much VII. Too much white, and your eye constricts, which means you can't see squat in the shadows.
Zone system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System
Originally by user17873. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user17873
8y ago
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There isn’t one universal still-photo HDR workflow yet. The key limitation is usually not the RAW file, but what the target display or TV can actually decode and show.
Practical guidance:
- First, check which still-image formats your TV/monitor/viewing app supports. Format support is the bottleneck.
- TIFF is possible, but TIFF support is inconsistent because many variants exist.
- JPEG2000 is logically suitable for higher bit depth, but it has limited support in the still-photo world.
- A more practical current option is HDR HEIF where supported. Canon’s HDR PQ HEIF is one example of a 10-bit HDR still-image format intended for HDR display.
Also, higher bit depth mainly helps preserve tones during editing and tone-mapping. Whether you actually perceive 10–12 bits of display range depends heavily on viewing conditions, especially a very dark environment and content that benefits from subtle highlight/shadow gradation.
So the workflow is: process the RAW file in software that can preserve high bit depth and export to an HDR-capable still format your target device supports—most realistically HEIF/PQ if your ecosystem supports it. If not, you may be limited to SDR-oriented delivery even if the panel itself is HDR-capable.
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