Is HDR the future of photography?
p.4 #1Is HDR the future of photography?
Makten wrote:
The examples earlier in the thread should only look even worse on a screen with a larger DR, if I'm not mistaken.
There is insufficient nomenclature to describe what we are talking about properly, hence the confusion.
There are now two completely separate image processing workflows that photographers both call “HDR.”
The first workflow, which I will call “Fake HDR,” attempts to compress more high-brightness detail into the limited 8-bit JPEG range of 0–255. This is often done using some form of image stacking. The final output is still an 8-bit .jpg file in the standard sRGB color space, and editing is performed on a monitor calibrated to sRGB.
The second workflow, which I will call “Real HDR,” involves editing the image on an HDR-capable display and exporting to a 16-bit .jxl file. The output color space is typically BT.2020, although Display P3, Adobe RGB, or ProPhoto RGB are also supported by .jxl.
All of these are significantly larger color spaces than sRGB. For this reason “Real HDR” simultaneously displays more stops of light, AND also expands the color gamut considerably
If you display an “Fake HDR” image on a “Real HDR” capable monitor, it simply does not utilize the full range of the display.
You are right that if the monitor can display “Real HDR”, then you would not need to process the image as “Fake HDR” just to fit within display limits. But you still need to process the image as “Real HDR” so the monitor knows how to interpret and display that extended range.So you mean the left image is HDR, not the right one? That would make some sense...Yes, the original version of the left image is HDR, but to be clear to everyone when Makten took this screen shot, the screen shot itself is a SDR image.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55246113229_d40ef385bd_b.jpgScreenshot 2026-05-03 213118 by acurian, on Flickr
In the album page, Zonerama does indicate which shot is HDR.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55246283470_3844d6eb72_b.jpgScreenshot 2026-05-03 213402 by acurian, on Flickr
In windows you need a HDR capable monitor, have HDR turned on, and use a HDR capable browser (like chrome). (Not Firefox)
You can use safari on iOS, most of the OLED iPhones support HDR, iPhone X and newer.
Album: https://eu.zonerama.com/Link/Album/15185111
HDR https://eu.zonerama.com/Link/Photo/614002067/15185111
SDR https://eu.zonerama.com/Link/Photo/614002067/15185111I don't have a HDR capable monitor, but I clearly see what you mean, and that was sort of what I also meant. 
The image intended to be shown on a HDR monitor will have higher contrast, because the blacks won't be blocked and the whites won't be blown if the screen has a larger DR.
FYI there is no "HDR" logo on the images once they are enlarged, which is a bit confusing.
Edit: BTW, I wouldn't even consider viewing images on my phone.
My iMac 27" is from 2019 though, so no HDR (that I know...Show more →
Yeah using the phone is more of a workaround for people without hdr displays. It’s not my preferred way to view images either, the phone display is only 3+MP after all.
The HDR logo was added by the zonerama website, not me
aCuria wrote
Makten wrote
aCuria wrote
Makten wrote
I don't understand. If the monitor can display high dynamic range, then you would NOT have to process the image as "HDR" to actually fit the possible range of the monitor. No?The examples earlier in the thread should only look even worse on a screen with a larger DR, if I'm not mistaken.
There are now two completely separate image processing workflows that photographers both call “HDR.”
The first workflow, which I will call “Fake HDR,” attempts to compress more high-brightness detail into the limited 8-bit JPEG range of 0–255. This is often done using some form of image stacking. The final output is still an 8-bit .jpg file in the standard sRGB color space, and editing is performed on a monitor calibrated to sRGB.
The second workflow, which I will call “Real HDR,” involves editing the image on an HDR-capable display and exporting to a 16-bit .jxl file. The output color space is typically BT.2020, although Display P3, Adobe RGB, or ProPhoto RGB are also supported by .jxl.
All of these are significantly larger color spaces than sRGB. For this reason “Real HDR” simultaneously displays more stops of light, AND also expands the color gamut considerably
If you display an “Fake HDR” image on a “Real HDR” capable monitor, it simply does not utilize the full range of the display.
You are right that if the monitor can display “Real HDR”, then you would not need to process the image as “Fake HDR” just to fit within display limits. But you still need to process the image as “Real HDR” so the monitor knows how to interpret and display that extended range.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55246113229_d40ef385bd_b.jpgScreenshot 2026-05-03 213118 by acurian, on Flickr
In the album page, Zonerama does indicate which shot is HDR.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55246283470_3844d6eb72_b.jpgScreenshot 2026-05-03 213402 by acurian, on Flickr
In windows you need a HDR capable monitor, have HDR turned on, and use a HDR capable browser (like chrome). (Not Firefox)
You can use safari on iOS, most of the OLED iPhones support HDR, iPhone X and newer.
Album: https://eu.zonerama.com/Link/Album/15185111
HDR https://eu.zonerama.com/Link/Photo/614002067/15185111
SDR https://eu.zonerama.com/Link/Photo/614002067/15185111
The image intended to be shown on a HDR monitor will have higher contrast, because the blacks won't be blocked and the whites won't be blown if the screen has a larger DR. FYI there is no "HDR" logo on the images once they are enlarged, which is a bit confusing.
Edit: BTW, I wouldn't even consider viewing images on my phone.
My iMac 27" is from 2019 though, so no HDR (that I know...Show more →Yeah using the phone is more of a workaround for people without hdr displays. It’s not my preferred way to view images either, the phone display is only 3+MP after all.
The HDR logo was added by the zonerama website, not me
May 03, 2026 at 10:40 AM