Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) Guide
Understanding wide dynamic range (WDR) is critical to capturing high quality images in demanding conditions. However, with no real standards, any manufacturer can claim WDR, and many do even if actual performance is weak, causing confusion for even experienced users.
In this tutorial, we break down these issues, explaining:
- 2023 State of WDR
- What is WDR?
- Camera WDR Challenges
- Solution: True Multi-Exposure WDR
- Number Of Exposures Varies
- True WDR Camera Improve Effective Details
- How WDR Is Measured
- Decibels Vs. WDR Ratio Measurements
- Interpreting Manufacturer WDR Specifications
- Resolution Vs. WDR
- Multiple Exposures May Reduce Low Light Performance
- Fake WDR Techniques
- Backlight Compensation (BLC)
- Digital WDR (DWDR)
- Model Resolution Limitations
- Manufacturer Terminology Confusion
2023 ***** ** ***
**** *** ** *** ******, ***** it *** ************ ********* ** **** expensive, ******-*** ******.
- **** *** ****** ** *** ****:**** *** *** **** * ******* feature, *** *********** ********** ** "**** end" ****** *** ******* ** ***** in *** **** ******* (****** ***** ********: *** ** **** **** Cameras). ******** ** *** $***+ *** models ******* ** *** ****, **** pricing ** ************* ***** (*** **** *** **** *** ****** under $*** ** *** ****** ******).
- ** **** *** ******:** ******* **** **** *** ********** have ****** ********** ****** ** *** past ****, **** **** **** *** (see****' *****-***) *** *** **** ****** (************ **-*********-*) ********* *** *******, **** *********** on *** **** ** ***** ** that ** ***** ********** ******.
*** ** ***** *** ***** * universal ******* ***** ** ***** ******, but ** ** *** ****** **** ever ******. ** ****** **** ***** to ********.
******* ** ****, ******** **** *********** in *** *********** ** **** ******* than **** ******, ** *** ************ can ******* ***** ****** ** "**** WDR" **** ** ********** ** ****-***** performance (*** **** ********** **).
WDR **** ******** *******
**** ****** ** ******* **** ***** manufacturers ** ****** ****** **** *********** ****** **** ***** ** *********** in ******** ******.
** *** *****, ******* *****-*** ** *********** **** *******, **** ****** ****** against *********, ** **** ***** ** scenes, *****, *** ** ******, **** limited ****** *********.
*** ***** ***** ***** *** **** rankings:
**** **** ** **** ** ****** to **** ******** ** ***** ****.
What ** ***?
*** ****** *******************, *** ** *********** *** ******* to ******* **** ******* ****** ****** a ***** ***** ** ***** ******. For *******, ** *** ***** *****, the ****** ** *** ***** ** very ****** *** ** *** ******** behind *** ****** ** *** *******, while *** ***** ** ****** ****** of *** ******** ** ** **** not ******* ****** ********.
Camera *** **********
******* ************ ********* **** **** ****** of ******** ******* ** ***** ********** on ******* ********. ******* **** ***** ** ******** an *****. *******, *** **** ***** and *** ***** ** ****** ***, but *** ****** ***** *** *** image ** *** ****.
** *** **** * ***** **** even ********, *** ****** *** ****** adjust *** **** ******* **** ** its ******* ***** ** *** *** right ****** ** *****. **** ** why ************* ********* **** ***** ******* in **** ******** ******.
*******, ** *** ***** *** * wide ***** ** ********, *** ****** has * ***** *********. ** ** restricts *** ****** ** ***** ** takes ** ** ******** *** *** bright *****, *** ***** ***** ***** will ** *** ****. *******, ** it ******* *** ******** ********, ********** for *** ***** *****, *** ****** side **** ** ****** ***. *** image ***** ***** **** ***** ********:
Solution **** *****-******** ***
***** *** **** ********* *** *** scenes ** ******* *** ******** ************* to ******* **** **** *** ****** areas, *** **** ****** ****** ******** is ** *** ******** ********* *** then ******* **** ** ******* * better ******* *****, ******** ** ** True *** ** *****-******** ***. *** short ******** ******** *** ****** *****, while *** **** ******** ******** *** dark *****. *** *** ************** *****:
** *** *******, **** *** *********** is *********** ****** *** ***** ******* manufacturers ******* ** ******* *** ******* (e.g., '*******' ** '**********' *** ** BLC).
****** ** ********* ******
*** ****** ** ********* **** ** true *** ******, **** * ******* of * ** * ** * in **** ******. *******, * ******* number ** ********* **** *** ****** mean *** ****** **** ******* ****** than ***** ***** **** *** *********. Image ********** **********, ****** *******, *** other ******* *** **** * ********** as ****.
************, *** ***** ****** ** ********* and ******* ** ***** ********** **** are ****** ********.**** ***** ********* ********* *** ***** testing ********* ** *** **** *** performance ** ****** ** *********** ******.
**** *** ******* ******* ********* *******
**** *** ******* *** **** * big ********** ** ****** **** ******* light ******. *** *******, ** *** image *****, *** ****** ** *** left **** *** ******* *** *** shows **** ***** ******* ********* ** *** *******'* **** ******* washed ***. ** ********, *** **** WDR ****** ** *** ***** ******* shows *** *******'* ****, *********, *** clothing, ** **** ** ******* ** the ***** ****** ***, **** ** the ***** ***** *** *****, ******* lot *** ******** *****, *** ****.
How *** ** ********
** ** ******** ** **** *** wide *** ***** ** ***** ****** a ***** ***. *** ********* ******** unit ** ******* **** ** ************ is *** ******* (*.*., ****, *****, etc.) **** ****** ****** ************* ********** stronger *** ***********. *************, ***** ************ are *** ************ *** *** ** the ********** ** **** ************, *** cannot ** *******.
*************, *** ************ *** ***** ** a ******** **** ********.* *********** **** ***** (*****) ** used, ********** ******** ****** ** **** from ***** ** *****. *** **** levels * ****** *** ***, *** higher *** ** ****** *** ****** its *********** *********** ****** **.
*************, **** **** *** ********* **** to ****-***** ****** (*.*., **** *** I ****** *** ** ***** **** camera?). ************, ******* ** ****-********* ** each ************ *** **** ********** *** not ** ************, *** ******** ****** by *** *************.
An *********** ********: *** *****
** *** *******, ** ********* ** alternative ****-***** ******** ** ********* *** tough * *** ***** **. ***** a *** *****, ** ****** *** brightest *** *** ******* ***** ** each *****. *** ***** ** *** two ******** * ****** ********* ** how *********** *** ***** **.
** * ******* ******* ********, **** a ***** ******* ** ** ******** area, *** ***** ** ********* ***** high, *.*., *** ** ***** *****:
*** *** ***** ** **** ***** is ~***, **** *** **** ******* at *,*** *** *** *** ******** indoor ***** ** ~***. **** ** a ****** ***** *****, *** ** have **** **** ******* ** *** tests, ** ******* ********* *** ** as ****** ** **,***+ ***.
******* ** ****, ** ********* ********* lux ** *** ****** ***** ** be ******. **** *** ** **** by * ***** **** **** *~$*** *** *****. ************ ****** ** ********* **** the *** ** ***** ***** ** strongest ** *** ***** ** *** ratio **** **** ********** *** ***.
Interpreting ************ *** **************
*** ****** ***** ******* ************ ** specifications ** **** *** ****-******** *** not ********* *************, **** ** *** manufacturer ** ******* *** '*****', ***** is ** *** ** **** ** the ****** **. *******, ***** *** some ******** ** ********:
- * *** ** ****** ** **** or **** ****** ****** ***** **** the ****** **** *** ******* **** WDR ** ************* **** **** ****** their ******* **** *** **** ****** that *** ****** ** *** ** the *** '*****'. '*******', *** *** cameras ********** *** ********* ** *** range ** ** - ****.
- * *** ** ****** ** ***+ usually, *** *** ******, ***** **** the ****** ******** **** *****-******** ***. Again, ******, ***** ************* *** **** to ****** *** ***** **** ****, it ** *** **********. **** **** to ****** *** **** *** ***** or ****** **** *******.
- *******, **** ************* *** ********** ************ in ***** *** ** *******. *** example, ***** ***** **** ** ***** true *** ******* ** '****' *****. This **** *** **** **** *** worse **** * **** ******* ************ self-assigning ***** ** *****. ****** ******* is ******** ** ******.
- ** *** **** *** *****, ** have **** ************* ********** *** ** race **** ************** ** ***** ** now **** *****. *******, ** *** testing, ***** ******* **** *********** ***** nothing, **** **** *****-***** ****** ************* 150dB ****** ******.*** *** *** ******** *** ****.
Resolution **. ***
** *** *******, ** **** ***** little *********** ******* ********** *** *** performance. **** ********** ****** *** ** found ** *****, ***, ***, *** even **, ** *** ****** ********** models.
*******, *** *** ************* ***** ***** top-tier *** *********** ** ***** ******* resolution ******. *** *******, ********'* ** H4/H5 ******* ** *** ******* **** WDR, ***** *** ****** **. ** contrast, **** ****** ***** **** *** "Forensic ***" ** * ****** ****** in *****, ***, *** ** **********.
******* ** ****, ***** ****** *** consider ********** * ******** ***** ** WDR ***********.
Multiple ********* *** **** *** ***** ***********
***** ******** ********* ********* ********* *** slow * ******* *** ** ***, which ********* *** ****** ** ***** hitting *********'* ******, ******** *** ***** ***********. ******* of ****, **** (*** *** ***) models ********* ***** *** ************* ******* WDR ** *****, ****** **** *** not ** *** ** ** ** by *******.
*** *******, *** ****** ****** ***** includes ******* ** **** *** **** light ** *** (***** ** ****** level) ***/** **** ********* ** ***** mode (*/*).
**** ** ** ********* ******* ** check ** *** ***** ** * priority *** *** ******** ***** *** camera ** ********.
Fake *** ********** - **** *** ***
************* ********* ****** *** ******-*** ********** as ***** ************ ** *****-******** ***: Backlight ************ (***) *** ******* *** (DWDR). *******, *** ***** **** ***** that ***** ********** ****** ** *** compare ** **** * *** *********** true *** ******.
Backlight ************
***, ** ********* ************, ****** ******* the (******) ******** ** * ******. This ** ****** **** **** *** want ** ******* **** *** ****** or **** ***** ** *** ***** but *** ****. ** ***** ***, you **** **** *** ******* ** the ***** ****** ** *** ******* of *** ***** ***** *****.
**** ***-**** **** *** ****** *** available, ***** * ****** **** ****** only *** ** *** ************* ** not ***********.
"*******" ***
******* ***, **** ***** ** ****, EWDR, ** ********** *** ** *********** a ******** ********** ** ******** ******* of *** *****, ******* ** *** overall *****. **** *** ** ****** in **** ****** **** ***** *******, but ***** ********** ***** ** *** compare ** **** ***.
*** *******, ** *** ********** *****, two ********* ****** *** ***** **** by ****. *** **** *** ****** on *** **** ******** ***** ******* details ** **** ** ****** ******* of *** **********. ** ********, *** digital *** ****** ********* ****** *** the *******'* **** *** ****** ******** details ** *** **** **** ** the *****.
**** **** **** ************* ***** **** digital *** ** ******** ** **** WDR, *** ***** *** ****** ******* the ***, **** ******' "******* *******" **. "******* ********". ****** ** ***** ***** *** refer ** ****** ***** *****(**** *****).
Some ****** ********** *******
************, ***** ********, **** *************' ******* include **** ***, *** *** ** maximum **********. **** ** ***** ** some **/**** ****** ***** *** ***** true *** ** ** ********** *** not ** *** **** **** ********* resolution, ** ** ******* ********** ******** * **** ** **** HD ********** (********* ******* ** *********).
***** *********** *** *** **** ******, but ***** ****** ******* ****** ************** before ******** *** ** ********* ** all ***********.
WDR ************ ***** ***** *** ****** ********
******* ************* *** ** ******* ***** WDR *******, ** **** *** ******** a **** ** ************* ********* ******* they ******* ‘****’ (*****-********) ***, ‘****’ (digital/electronic ***), ** ****. ** **** provide ***** ** ********* *********, ****** conventions, ***.
*** ** ************* **** ******* **** support ‘****’ ***, ***** ***** **** of **** **** **** ******* **** support ******* ***.
*** ******* ******* ********* **** **** and ********** ************ *********, ****** **** our*** ************ ***** ***** *** ****** Tracking******.
Test **** *********
**** ***** ******** *******.
[****: **** ******** *** ********** ********* in **** *** *** ************* ******* in **** ** ******* ******** ** WDR ************ *** ***********.]
***, * ******* **** ***** **** he *** ***-******** ******* ** **** it *** ******* ** *** ******. We'll *** ****.
** *** ****** *** *** **** to **** *** *** ~*** *** and ~**** *** **** ** **** new ***** ****** *********?
**** * ****** ** ** ***** after *** ****** **, * ***** have ***** ** *** ********* ******... i **** **** **** ********, ******.
** *** *****, *** ***** *** swapped ****
**
**** ***, *******?
* ***** *** **** ********* ** have ******* ***** ******, **** * different *****, *** *** **** ***** and ****. ~*** *** *** ~**** light ****** :)
***** * ***** *** **** *** H5A *** **** ******* **** ******** now **** ***
*********** ** **** **** ********** ** determine '**** ***' ** ******* ** digital *** ** **** ****-** **** for '****' *** **********. * ****** though ** *** ** ********** ********* given **** ******* *****, ***** *****, imager *** *** *** **** ******* lighting ********** ********* ** *** ***********.
***** **** ******* *****, ***** *****, imager *** *** *** **** ******* lighting ********** ********* ** *** ***********.
**, *** *** *** / **** contrast ******. *** ********* **** *** scenes ** **** **************** **** *** ***** ****** *** high ***** ******, ** ****** ****** a ****** ******* ********* *** ******* or *** ***. ***** ***** ***** part ** *** ***** (****** *** low ** **** ***** ******) ****** captured. **** **** **** *****?
***, ****** *** *** ********
**** ********** *** *** ***** ****, doesn’t *** ***** **** ** ***** towards *** ******?