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Guide / View and export HDR
View and export HDR
HDR can show brighter highlights than ordinary SDR. It requires support from the image, display, system, and viewing app.
HDR display and file requirements
HDR represents highlights beyond ordinary SDR brightness; it does not simply brighten the whole image. It needs an appropriate viewing transform and file format, plus support from the display, system, and viewer. Check where the result will be viewed before choosing export settings. Unsupported devices may show only the SDR version.
Before you start
Check that HDR is enabled on the display and system and that the viewer supports your file format. An ordinary screenshot does not show the screen’s actual peak brightness.
Drag the divider to compare SDR and HDR
Steps
Enable HDR viewing
For color negatives, choose HDR from the Contact Sheet’s top View or the frame’s View. For reversal, select HDR under Preview on the right. Check the selected label afterward. Cropping or sampling may temporarily pause HDR and show an SDR reference; check again after leaving the tool. For HDR unavailable, check system settings and display support. The webpage comparison does not change the app’s settings.
HDR entry in a color-negative Viewer. The outline identifies the HDR option to select; Natural is still checked, so HDR is not yet enabled.Select image to enlarge Reversal uses HDR under Preview
Reversal has a different interface: choose SDR or HDR under Preview, rather than looking for the negative View menu. Leave crop or sampling tools before inspecting the preview.
Reversal uses HDR under PreviewSelect image to enlarge Set the target peak brightness
Target Peak in preview and Peak Brightness in export specify HDR rendering targets, not overall exposure or measured screen output. Export offers 500/1000/2000/4000 nits. Choose for the receiving workflow and inspect the summary rather than always selecting the maximum. Assess highlight detail and the subject before choosing; a display can only show what its capabilities permit.
Choose an HDR export format
Under File → Export Selected… → File Format, JPEG (HDR) is a gain-map JPEG for receivers verified to support it. AVIF (HDR) uses HDR encoding and is not the same JPEG gain-map format. macOS also offers HEIC gain-map output; Windows does not offer that HEIC entry. Check Peak Brightness and Output Summary; HDR formats do not use the ordinary SDR Output Color Space selection. Export one image to a separate folder and verify the target device before batching. Provide SDR too when compatibility is uncertain.
Export entries explicitly marked (HDR). HEIC (HDR) is shown on macOS; ordinary PNG/TIFF and these HDR entries are different delivery paths.Select image to enlarge Check styles, LUTs, and file compatibility
HDR export does not apply film styles or custom LUTs, as noted in the export window. It may therefore differ from a styled SDR preview. Export a separate SDR version if that style is needed. Gain-map JPEG/HEIC must retain auxiliary data and metadata. Social apps, resaving, or transcoding may remove them, even if the file extension stays the same.
View the file on the target device
Open the export on the device and viewer where it will be used, and check highlights and the subject. An unsupported viewer may show only the SDR version. Provide an SDR file too when the recipient’s HDR support is unknown.
Check the result
Open the exported file on an HDR-capable device and viewer, then inspect highlights and the subject. An unsupported viewer may show the SDR version; this does not necessarily mean the file is damaged.
Common issues
- If HDR looks like SDR, first check display/system/viewer support and file metadata before altering image processing.