HDR Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield HDR facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A streamer's QC report flags an HDR10 deliverable for having MaxCLL metadata of 0 nits. What does this indicate and what is the risk? → Metadata was not written correctly, risking improper tone mapping on consumer displays
2. In the context of HDR display standards, what does 'FALD' stand for? → Full Array Local Dimming
3. What is the bit depth requirement for Dolby Vision content in Profile 5 (OTT streaming)? → 12-bit
4. What is an example of a real-world application of HDR imaging? → For highly detailed landscape photography and video production.
5. During a QA pass, an HDR deliverable shows visible banding in smooth gradient areas. Which of the following is the most appropriate corrective action? → Apply dithering or grain during the encode to break up the banding
6. Which unit is most commonly used to express luminance in HDR display specifications? → Nits (cd/m²)
7. What is the minimum peak luminance requirement for a display to be certified as HDR10 compliant? → 400 nits
8. Which wide color gamut standard, often paired with HDR, covers roughly 75.8% of the CIE 1931 color space? → Rec. 2020 (BT.2020)
9. Which codec is most widely used for HDR10 content distribution on Ultra HD Blu-ray discs? → HEVC/H.265
10. Which HDR format uses a backward-compatible approach that does not require metadata, making it simpler to distribute over broadcast television? → HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)
11. What is the primary obligation of a certified professional regarding patient/client confidentiality? → Protect all personal information and disclose only with proper authorization
12. Why is continuing education important for maintaining ethical practice? → It ensures practitioners stay current with evolving standards and best practices
13. In HDR production, which risk mitigation strategy is most effective when on-set monitors cannot be calibrated to P3-D65 standards? → Use a LUT-based confidence monitor and flag footage for QC review
14. When distributing HDR content to multiple platforms, what is the recommended approach for managing different HDR format requirements (HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG)? → Create separate graded masters for each HDR format from the original camera negative
15. What is the primary advantage of a higher bit depth (e.g., 10-bit vs 8-bit) in HDR content? → Greater number of discrete luminance steps, reducing banding artifacts
16. Which transfer function is used by HDR10 to encode luminance values? → PQ (Perceptual Quantizer)
17. In the context of HDR monitors for professional mastering, what is the purpose of a built-in LUT (Look-Up Table)? → Storing calibration data to ensure accurate color and luminance reproduction
18. What is the importance of gamma correction in HDR imaging? → It adjusts the brightness of the image.
19. SMPTE ST 2086 defines metadata that describes which aspect of HDR mastering? → Mastering display color volume including primaries, white point, and min/max luminance
20. What is 'tone mapping' in HDR post-production? → Converting HDR content to fit within the limits of a lower-dynamic-range display
21. How do color spaces affect HDR images? → They ensure colors are displayed consistently.
22. What is 'absolute luminance metadata' and how does it help HDR displays? → Values specifying the actual cd/m² levels of scene content for display calibration
23. What is 'spatiotemporal' HDR reconstruction in video? → Combining frames across time and space to build HDR sequences
24. Which imaging technology uses multiple exposures captured simultaneously through a beam splitter to achieve HDR in a single frame? → Optical beam-splitting multi-sensor
25. Which of the following represents a 'trim pass' risk in a dual-layer Dolby Vision mastering workflow? → The SDR trim pass may not accurately represent how content will appear on SDR displays
26. An HDR professional discovers a flaw in a certified display's HDR performance after recommending it to multiple clients. What is the appropriate first step? → Proactively notify affected clients and provide corrective guidance
27. What surround luminance does ITU-R BT.2100 recommend for a professional HDR grading environment? → 5 cd/m²
28. How does maintaining proper credentials demonstrate regulatory compliance? → It proves the practitioner has met all requirements for legal practice
29. Which HDR standard uses a fixed peak luminance of 10,000 nits as its reference white ceiling? → HDR10
30. In HDR QC workflows, what does 'false contouring' specifically describe? → Visible staircase banding in smooth gradients caused by insufficient bit depth