HDR Explained: HDR10 vs Dolby Vision vs HLG
Brighter highlights, no banding, richer color — if every link in the chain agrees. What HDR actually is, how the three formats differ, what gear you need, and why your HDR screenshots look washed out.
SDR vs HDR: what actually changes?
Three upgrades, all at once: brightness (100 nits in SDR vs 1,000–4,000+ in HDR — sunlight glints instead of white blobs), bit depth (8-bit/16.7M colors vs 10-bit/1B+ — sunsets without banding stripes), and gamut(Rec.709 vs Rec.2020 — colors that exist in reality but SDR can't draw). Resolution didn't change; the pixels just carry far more light information each.
| HDR10 (baseline) | HDR10+ | Dolby Vision | HLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metadata | Static (whole video) | Dynamic (per scene) | Dynamic (per scene/frame) | None needed |
| Peak brightness | Up to 1,000 nits | Up to 4,000 nits | Up to 10,000 nits (12-bit) | Display-dependent |
| License | Free / open | Free (Samsung-led) | Paid (Dolby) | Free (BBC/NHK) |
| Where you'll meet it | Everywhere: discs, streaming, YouTube | Samsung TVs, Prime Video | Netflix, Apple TV+, LG/Dolby TVs | Live broadcast, YouTube HDR uploads |
Practical read: HDR10 is the compatibility floor everything supports. Dolby Vision is the quality ceiling where supported. HLG is what you upload (cameras and YouTube speak it). HDR10+ matters mostly if you own a Samsung.
Tone mapping: where HDR goes to die (or shine)
A 4,000-nit master on a 600-nit TV must squeeze highlights down — that squeeze is tone mapping. Good mapping preserves detail; bad mapping clips to white or dulls the whole image. This one process explains two everyday mysteries: why the same file looks different on two TVs, and why HDR screenshots look washed out — the capture grabbed HDR values but the viewer shows them as SDR, clamping brights and skewing gamma. Fix captures with HDR-aware tools or tone-map to SDR on export.
What you need for real HDR (all three, no substitutes)
- • Display: true 10-bit panel, 600+ nits sustained, wide gamut
- • Content: HDR master in a format the display understands
- • Bandwidth: ~25 Mbps+ for 4K HDR streaming
Any SDR link in the chain → tone mapping → watchable, but not HDR. This is also why Plex 4K HDR tone-mapping melts weak servers (see our Plex format guide).
Should you upload HDR to YouTube?
Yes if you shot it: upload HDR10 or HLG masters and YouTube serves HDR (VP9/AV1) to capable screens plus auto-converted SDR to everyone else — one upload, both audiences. Don't fake it: upconverting SDR adds nothing and risks banding. iPhone HDR video uploads work the same way; just confirm your editor exports genuine HDR metadata first.
HDR FAQs
What is HDR video?
Video with far wider brightness (1,000–4,000 nits vs 100), 10-bit color (no banding), and wide gamut — on an HDR display.
HDR10 vs Dolby Vision vs HLG?
HDR10: free baseline, static metadata. Dolby Vision: dynamic + 12-bit, licensed, best quality. HLG: metadata-free broadcast format, YouTube's upload path.
What do I need to watch HDR?
HDR display (600+ nits, true 10-bit), HDR content it understands, ~25 Mbps. Any SDR link → tone-mapped, not true HDR.
What is tone mapping?
Squeezing HDR brightness into what your screen can show. Good mapping keeps detail; bad mapping clips or dulls.
Why do HDR screenshots look washed out?
HDR values displayed as SDR: clamped highlights, wrong gamma. Capture HDR-aware or tone-map to SDR on export.
Should I upload HDR to YouTube?
Yes if shot real: YouTube serves HDR + auto SDR from one upload. Never upconvert SDR — it adds nothing.
Convert HDR video without breaking it?
Formatif Pro preserves HDR metadata through batch conversions — offline, on your computer, with full control over codec and quality. No subscription, one-time license.