High dynamic range imaging

Abstract

The emergence of advanced technologies and algorithms capable of handling dynamic ranges beyond those of traditional color imaging systems has given rise to high dynamic range (HDR) imaging. The HDR imaging pipeline encompasses the acquisition, creation, storage, distribution, and display of images and videos with extended luminance range. HDR images and videos can be generated through HDR-capable cameras, spatial compositions of multiple exposure images, or computer graphics techniques. New floating-point-based HDR image and video storage formats have also been introduced, offering encoding and metadata implementations distinct from conventional standard dynamic range (SDR) formats. Furthermore, the recent progress and widespread acceptance of HDR rendering technologies have led to significant advancements in HDR rendering algorithms. As a result, numerous international HDRTV and content reproduction standards have been introduced. International organizations have issued recommendations for dynamic range compression of HDR content and expansion of SDR content. This chapter focuses exclusively on important concepts and techniques in the HDR imaging pipeline, specifically concentrating on still images. Additionally, the chapter covers recent advancements and provides relevant references for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the art in HDR imaging.