Creating Cinematic Wide Gamut HDR-Video for the Evaluation of Tone Mapping Operators and HDR-Displays

Abstract: High quality video sequences are required for the evaluation of tone mapping operators and high dynamic range (HDR) displays. We provide scenic and documentary scenes with a dynamic range of up to 18 stops. The scenes are staged using professional film lighting, make-up and set design to enable the evaluation of image and material appearance. To address challenges for HDR-displays and temporal tone mapping operators, the sequences include highlights entering and leaving the image, brightness changing over time, high contrast skin tones, specular highlights and bright, saturated colors. HDR-capture is carried out using two cameras mounted on a mirror-rig. To achieve a cinematic depth of field, digital motion picture cameras with Super-35mm size sensors are used. We provide HDR-video sequences to serve as a common ground for the evaluation of temporal tone mapping operators and HDR-displays. They are available to the scientific community for further research.

Authors: Jan Fröhlich, Stefan Grandinetti, Bernd Eberhardt, Simon Walter, Andreas Schilling, Harald Brendel

Keywords: High Dynamic Range, HDR-Video, Wide Gamut, Tone Mapping.
Appeared in: SPIE Electronic Imaging 2014, San Francisco, February 2014
Resources: [PDF], [DOI], [BibTeX], [Slides]

Available Content:

Reconstructed scene radiance in ALEXA-Wide-Gamut color space (80GB OpenEXR files)

Jan Fröhlich, Stefan Grandinetti, Bernd Eberhardt, Simon Walter, Andreas Schilling, Harald Brendel
These Open-EXR files are not meant for direct display. They are the equivalent to RAW camera files. To be displayed properly, these files have to be color graded and tone- and gamut-mapped. The HDR camera footage can be useful for working on camera characterization, and verifying postproduction pipelines. The content can also be used for research on tone- and gamut-mapping. The Open-EXR files are available from our FTP server on the bottom of this page. If you are only interested in the reconstructed scene radiance only and not the color graded versions, download just the 'HDR_Camera_Footage' folder.
Download the raw camera footage.

All clips color graded for Rec.2020 primaries and 0.005-4000cd/m2 luminance (189GB TIFF files)

Jan Fröhlich, Stefan Grandinetti, Ingmar Rieger, Color grading by Heike Quosdorf
The color graded version of the HdM-HDR-2014 content is most useful for evaluating displays or compression algorithms. It can also be used to evaluate tone-mapping and gamut mapping algorithms that map down from 0.005-4000cd/m2 Rec.2020 to lower luminance and smaller gamuts like Rec.709. The graded TIFF files are available from our FTP server. If you are only interested in the color graded content only and not the raw camera footage, just download the 'HDR_Color_Graded' folder.
Download the color graded version.

Wide color gamut digital cinema package comparing Rec.2020, P3-D65 and Rec.709 (10GB DCP)

Jan Fröhlich, Matt Cowan, Color Grading by Shane Mario Ruggieri
At the Hollywood Post Alliance Tech Retreat 2015 we presented a DCP for comparing Rec.2020, P3-D65 and Rec.709. The DCP is not high dynamic range, but wide color gamut and can only be displayed correctly on Rec.2020 capable laser projectors like the Christie 3P projector. This DCP is available from our FTP server. If you are interested in the wide color gamut comparison DCP only, just download the 'Wide_Color_Gamut_Comparison_DCP' folder.
Resources: [Abstract], [Conference Website]
Download the wide color gamut demonstration DCP

Short teaser sequences available for standardization

Jan Fröhlich, Stefan Grandinetti
ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG11, October 2014, Strasbourg, France
Resources: [MPEG meeting website]
Download the HdM-HDR-2014 MPEG Teaser Clips for Standardization

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the companies Arri, C-Motion, Dolby, Filmlight, Image Engineering, Angenieux and Zeiss for lending us their equipment. In addition to that, we are very grateful for the enthusiastic support from the students in the HDR-project group at Stuttgart Media University (HdM) who helped to shoot the sequences and perform the postproduction. Among these we would like to especially point out Jascha Vick and Jonas Trottnow for their superior engagement during the Winter shoot.

Download the full resolution HDR video data

I confirm I will use the material only for educational purposes. Commercial users can download the footage for evaluation but they must obtain a license for permanent use or public presentation.

Protocoll: FTP (plain)
Server: hdr-2014.hdm-stuttgart.de
User: HdM-HDR-2014
Password: Ht%eW84%p=

What to do if the FTP-Download does not work?

- Did you copy the password without any leading or trailing whitespaces?
- Did you explicitly configure 'plain ftp' and turn off 'TLS'?
- If your operating system is MacOs the Connect to server dialog should work.
- If your operating system is Windows the console should work.
- On both operating systems FileZilla works with the following settings.

If you have tried these steps but still can't connect contact Prof. Jan Froehlich

Information about commercial use of the test images:

We license the commercial use of this HDR-Video data set for a small contribution towards our production costs. This license includes the right to show the image sequences on trade shows, internal pipeline development, and the evaluation of monitors and tonemapping operators. Please note the redistribution is not allowed. Please provide Prof. Stefan Grandinetti your company name, mailing adress, and the number of employees of your company and he will send you a quotation for a per company one-time-fee.


Academic and educational use of the HdM-HDR-2014 data set is free.