Camera Raw for High Dynamic Range Workflows

Edward Reuss, Lars Borg

This paper presents how all camera raw formats work in common, and also the different approaches used by several vendors to preserve the highest fidelity image information, while managing the large amounts of data required to represent those images. Camera raw workflows provide a variety of techniques to convert from the sensor data into RGB image formats suitable for mastering, along with methods for generating a specific “look” to the images. The tremendous dynamic range afforded by a camera raw format permits a wide range of exposure during acquisition, which can be mapped into either the limited standard dynamic range of conventional output image formats or leveraged for use in the new High Dynamic Range (HDR) image formats. However, looks and camera specifications can be deceiving and one must know what is happening within the workflow to obtain the best image quality.

Published
2015-07
Content type
Original Research
Keywords
Camera raw, image processing, demosaic, video compression, JPEG 2000, VC-5, CineForm, Dynamic Range, noise, High Dynamic Range, HDR
DOI
10.5594/M001618
ISBN
978-1-61482-955-3