Rendering High Dynamic Range Images

Abstract

A high dynamic range (HDR) imaging system, KIM05, has been developed to overcome the limitations of dynamic range of a typical digital image reproduction system. The first stage is an HDR image-assembling algorithm, which constructs an HDR image from a sequence of multiple image exposures of a scene. The second stage utilises a new file format to store the HDR image in three primaries of 16-bits each. The third stage, described in this paper, uses a new tone-mapping algorithm to display HDR images on typical displays, optimised for sRGB devices. Six HDR tone-mapping techniques were evaluated by observers, and the new technique showed the best performance in all four category judgements: overall, tone, colour, and sharpness.