Analysis and Evaluation on Conversions Between SDR and HDR

As one of the most fascinating features of ultra-high definition television (UHDTV), high dynamic range (HDR) can significantly improve visual experience compared with standard dynamic range (SDR). During the transition from SDR to HDR, it is possible to mix SDR and HDR cameras or contents in the process of production. Consequently, various conversions, including SDR-HDR conversion, HDR-SDR conversion, SDR-HDR-SDR round-trip conversion and etc., are necessary to combine the contents of different formats in the same workflow, in which it is challenging to keep consistent video quality after complex conversions. This paper analyzes scene-referred and display-referred methods of conversions between SDR and HDR in the practice of UHDTV production and conducts experiments to evaluate the conversion performance. Based on the experimental results, suggestions on conversions between SDR and HDR are provided for practical application scenarios.