What is HDR?

HDR (High Dynamic Range) is an image which has a wide range between bright and dark areas (dynamic range).It is technology that faithfully reproduces the reality, like the sparkles or details in the darkness that could not be expressed in the conventional SDR (Standard Dynamic Range), and the rich natural colors.The international standard of HDR is regulated by ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union Radio Communication Division) BT.2100,and has evolved in many respects from the conventional full HD standard ITU-R BT709.

Four Elements to create High Image Quality

There are four major factors that influence the image quality.
The HDR standard HDR 10 faithfully reproduces the reality by achieving High Resolution, High Brightness, Wide Color Gamut and High Gradation compared to conventional SDR, combined with a wide dynamic range.

① The Resolution is different!(Fine-grained image)

Resolution is expressed by the number of pixels. As the pixel count increases, the number of pixels that can be drawn on the same area increases,improving the details of the image that can be expressed.Current Hi-Vision 2K is 1920×1080, 4K is 3840×2160, 8K is 7680×4320.As the number of pixels increase, the image detail increases.

2K（1920×1080）

4K（3840×2160）

8K（7680×4320）

② The Brightness is different!(Brightness of image)

Brightness refers to the range of brightness that can be expressed. Generally, the range of brightness (dynamic range) that the human eye can perceive is said to be 10¹², but in conventional SDR it could only display up to the range of 10³. However, by spreading the dynamic range with HDR, it has become possible to capture the brightness of 10⁵, that is 100 times more than the conventional SDR. You can also display the details of the sparkles and dark shadows at the same time.

③ The Color Gamut is different!(Color range that can be expressed)

The color gamut indicates the range of colors that can be expressed. The color gamut of BT.2020, which is a standard adopted for UHD Blu-ray Disc or 4K/8K broadcasting,covers wider color range than BT.709 used in conventional full high vision broadcasting. It is possible to express colors richly, such as the natural gradation of the sky and the sea, contrast of the deep red roses and the fresh green trees, which were difficult to reproduce in the past.

④ Bit depth(gradation) is different! (Fine reproduction of Color, Gradation)

Bit depth represents the number of colors a pixel can display. The higher the bit depth, the more colors can be displayed, and the gradation becomes smoother. You can enjoy vivid colors and fine natural gradations.With 8bit display approximately 16,77 million colors can be reproduced, approx. 1,07 billion colors with 10bit, and in the case of 12bit display, approx. 68,7 billion colors can be reproduced.

8bit（approx. 16.77 million colors）

10bit（approx. 1,07 billion colors）～12bit（approx. 68.7 billion colors）

Summary of HDR

In HDR, the four elements of high image quality are dramatically improved over conventional SDR,so it is possible to reproduce a wide range of information like the image below.