X

685Final Cut Pro User Guide
High dynamic range (HDR)
Additionally, some newer imaging devices can display extra levels of brightness in each
color component (red, green, and blue) in a way that more closely reproduces how the
human eye perceives contrast. These high-dynamic-range (HDR) displays typically process
video at 10 bits per color component rather than 8 bits. The additional color data lets
HDR displays render more discrete steps from the minimum to maximum brightness value
in each color, creating more realistic color transitions and revealing more detail in both
shadows and highlights.
Working with wide-gamut color and HDR in Final Cut Pro
Using profiles, or tags (assigned by the device upon creation) that describe the color
space of the media, Final Cut Pro identifies the media’s colors. If the media was not
profiled by the device (or was profiled incorrectly), you can manually override the
assigned color space in your Final Cut Pro project. The computer display profile then tells
Final Cut Pro how to translate the colors to the display’s color space. When you export
from Final Cut Pro, the color-matching process algorithmically maps those colors to the
output space of the project.
You can choose between two library color-processing options in Final Cut Pro:
• Standard: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 709 color primaries, the
color space that previous versions of Final Cut Pro have used. Rec. 709 is the current
standard for HDTV projects, including HD cable, Blu-ray discs, and most streaming
video today.
• Wide Gamut HDR: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 2020 color
primaries, a color space with a wider range of colors than Rec. 709. Rec. 2020 is
useful for 4K and 8K UHDTV and HDR projects. In a Wide Gamut HDR library, the
built-in camera LUT settings preserve the full dynamic range of log source media when
converting to the working space.
Note: To view the wider range of colors in Rec. 2020, it’s recommended that you use a
wide-gamut HDR external monitor and video interface. See Play media on an external
display in Final Cut Pro. For tips on color correcting wide-gamut HDR projects with Mac
displays, see
Wide-gamut HDR tips in Final Cut Pro.