HDR video past, present and future: A perspective

High dynamic range (HDR) video has emerged from research labs around the world and entered the realm of consumer electronics. The dynamic range that a human can see in a scene with minimal eye adaption (approximately 1,000,000:1) is vastly greater than traditional imaging technology which can only capture about 8 f-stops (256:1). HDR technology, on the other hand, has the potential to capture the full range of light in a scene; even more than a human eye can see. This paper examines the field of HDR video from capture to display: past, present and future. In particular the paper looks beyond the current marketing hype around HDR to show how HDR video in the future can and, indeed, should bring about a step change in imaging, analogous to the change from black and white to colour.