Perceived Intra-Frame Dynamic Range In Cinema Environments

Due to rapid technological progress in High Dynamic Range (HDR) video capture and display, perceived contrast by users of HDR technology is becoming increasingly important in the visual signal processing chain. More specifically, when considering a higher contrast and brightness range in a cinema context, it is essential to understand the limits of visual perception under specific cinema conditions and brightness levels. An experiment (N = 36) was conducted to test the perceivable dynamic range in a cinema environment. We investigated how the perceivable dynamic range evolves with various background levels and different strengths and shapes of local highlights. Results showed a significant effect of image composition and the average picture level on the perceivable near black dynamic range.