What is HDR video?
HDR (High Dynamic Range) video captures and displays a wider range of brightness and color than standard video. It preserves detail in both bright highlights and dark shadows simultaneously, with a wider color gamut — making the image look more lifelike and closer to what the human eye sees.
HDR vs SDR — the difference
Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) video uses Rec.709 with roughly 6 stops of dynamic range and peak brightness of 100 nits. This standard was defined for CRT televisions decades ago.
HDR video uses wider standards like HLG or HDR10 with 10+ stops of dynamic range, peak brightness up to 1000+ nits, and the wider Rec.2020 color space — 75% more colors than Rec.709.
On a compatible display the difference is dramatic — sunsets have visible gradations, skin tones look three-dimensional, and bright objects actually appear bright rather than clipped to white.
HDR formats explained
HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma): Backward-compatible with SDR displays. Used widely in broadcast. Simplest format — no complex metadata required.
HDR10: Static metadata tells the display how to map brightness. Widely supported on TVs and streaming.
HDR10+: Dynamic metadata adjusting scene by scene. Supported by Samsung and Amazon.
Dolby Vision: Most advanced with per-frame dynamic metadata. Requires licensing. Supported by Apple, Netflix, and premium TVs.
HDR-capable cameras at Camera Shop Egypt
Should you shoot HDR?
HDR delivery is growing rapidly — YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV+, and major streaming platforms support it. Shooting HDR-ready footage future-proofs your content.
If you already shoot in 10-bit Log, you are essentially capturing HDR-ready material. The Log footage contains the dynamic range — you just grade for HDR output.
The challenge is monitoring — you need an HDR-capable monitor to properly judge your HDR grade.
Even if you deliver in SDR today, shooting in 10-bit Log preserves the dynamic range for future HDR delivery. Record in the highest quality now and decide the output format later.