A bite-sized reference table on HDR and the standards. When discussing SDR and HDR, it helps to ground the conversation in what the ITU-R and SMPTE specifications actually say.
Steve Yedlin Mythbuster Table
Steve Yedlin Enlightens Us All
“Next distinguished cinematographer Steve Yedlin ASC enlightened us all on the subject of HDR. Among the key takeaways were that the whole notion that the SDR version has to look totally different than the HDR version is wrong. Depending what the scene is, there may be no difference between SDR and HDR. Being able to... Continue Reading →
Kelly’s HDR Flip-Flop
Prior to coming in contact with HDR-loathing Steve Yedlin, Cullen Kelly used to be a leading vocal proponent of HDR imaging, Since aligning with Yedlin, he’s done an about-face. Before Yedlin HDR represented a seismic shift in how we approach imaging. It was a new language: “the move to HDR is as significant as any... Continue Reading →
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Update 2.0 10K-Nit Radiation Static
https://youtu.be/rC2me1MwmgQ The radiation static in S.T.AL.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl ignores the in-game HDR white point setting (in this case, 1,000), reaching as high as 10,000 nits. 10,000-nit peak highlights of STALKER 2 Update 2.0 In-game settings: Contrast is increased to 43% from 40%. All other display settings are at default. HUD transparency reduced to... Continue Reading →
Correcting the Record: Doug Guerra’s HDR Workflow Mayhem
“The series is worth a watch if you want to know more about HDR workflows.” —Matthew Allard, ACS Doug Guerra, a prolific video producer for B&H Photo, hosted a two-part series introducing HDR workflows that contains countless serious errors. Misunderstanding PQ CLAIM "HDR10 uses a standard known as ST 2084 or Rec. 2100. They are... Continue Reading →
The Limitation Dogma and the Alternative
Cullen Kelly’s rejection of HDR and belief that limitation is a virtue extend to his view of art history itself: “Go find me a painting where you can discern more than five to six stops of dynamic range… that’s generally not the way we absorb a painting… that’s actually part of what makes those paintings... Continue Reading →
Handy Fact-Checker
I’ve checked Douglas Guerra’s HDR workflow and found it wanting.
Charles Poynton Mythbuster
I've fact-checked Charles Poynton's recent claims about HDR. The evidence-from industry standards, colorists, and scientific studies-tells a different story. Here's a phone-sized mythbuster perfect for sharing. The article can be found here. https://daejeonchronicles.com/2026/09/06/charles-poynton-hdr-is-sdr/
Charles Poynton: “HDR Is SDR”
I’ve documented time and again how Charles Poynton is willing to embellish the truth to push his narrative, and this time is no different. During an episode of the Color Mentor podcast [1], Charles Poynton insists that cinema audiences can’t handle BT.2020 colors; that there’s an industry trend of "bigger, brighter, and more colorful" driven... Continue Reading →
