12 stops of dynamic range on an 8 bit field monitor

[Erik Cantu]

Short answer: yes. Most field monitors are 8bit.
Long answer: yes, but the dynamic range won’t be as discernible. You really can’t tell as the monitor is based off Rec 709 color space and 12 stops of dynamic range would need a HDR monitor (like the new Atomos Shogun Inferno) to really see the whole range.

I could be off on my long answer, but you aren’t going to miss anything with the monitor you have.

Maybe this will help you too:

https://wolfcrow.com/blog/the-blackmagic-production-camera-4k-guide-part-three-viewfinders-external-monitoring-audio-and-power-supplies/

Erik Cantu
Video Producer
RadioU TV & Animal Basement
14 years experience as a fulltime broadcast shooter, editor & broadcast designer.

[Clyde Villegas]

Thanks Erik!

If it is not as discernible, do you think it is pointless for me to shoot high dynamic range when I know that the final video is going to be shown on regular 8-bit televisions?

I’ve read somewhere of editors saying that there is an advantage because high dynamic range provides more flexibility in post. However, I think these high dynamic range color grading might only be visible to the editors but not to the audience who will watch the videos in regular 8-bit TVs. What do you think?

ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus

[Chris Wright]

the only way you can see hdr is if it can show at least 1000 nits brightness in 10bits. That is by definition. You can still see 12 f-stops dynamic range in 8 bit, but luma values could have banding. This won’t mean you can’t capture it, as watching your brights and shadows can still be successfully monitored depending on on the waveform display. As long as you don’t clip blacks and white in raw, you can grade to whatever you want. Keeping a raw or or 444XQ master will also keep doors open for higher quality deliveries down the road.