Great UHDs with "fake HDR"

[UHDLoverForever]

The term "fake HDR" is too often used to outright dismiss a release, but I believe each case has to be analised on its own and fairly. It shouldn't automatically damn a release.

For this thread, let's use two definitions of "fake HDR".

1 - SDR in HDR container. While HDR brightness is technically anything above 100 nits of peak, releases that peak at around 200 nits are generally considered to be close to SDR really.

2 - The 4K master has almost no dynamic range beyond what a good SDR grade can do. That said, nuance, brightness, contrast and colors can still be improved by using the full specs of the UHD format. A tasteful and careful HDR grade can still be done (that was not the case of Capelight's HDR UHDs of SDR transfers though).

UHDs like Blade Runner 2049, Nope and Oppenheimer would fit the first category. They have HDR heatmaps and WCG graphs in the links below:

Blade Runner 2049 (by user Pyoko):

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...6&postcount=75

Nope (by user UFAlien):

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=1107

Oppenheimer (by user nissling):

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=981

Now, let's go to the second type of "fake HDR". According to Geoff D's amazing review of Arrow's Robocop UHD, it has very little dynamic range beyond what the BD has. But, according to his review, the HDR brightness, contrast and color saturation manage to be on the right side of tastefulness instead of looking artificially boosted. Also according to his review, shadow detail is more visible in bright scenes due to the blacks having lower gamma than the SDR, all while still having the greater contrast and more punch to highlights allowed by HDR. The advantages of the full specs of the UHD format were used to squeeze everything that could possibly be squeezed from the master. Link to his fantastic review, he is truly the GOAT reviewer:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=1394

HDR heatmaps and WCG graphs of Robocop by user Macatouille:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=828

[lgans316]

I am sure most James Cameron movies except Abyss would qualify although some could have wider colour gamut.

[UHDLoverForever]

Originally Posted by lgans316

I am sure most James Cameron movies except Abyss would qualify although some could have wider colour gamut.

They fail the "great UHD" criteria though, aside from Titanic.

[Streetlight]

Originally Posted by UHDLoverForever

They fail the "great UHD" criteria though, aside from Avatar 2.

fify

[Jompa]

Collateral is supposed to look poor in HDR. I haven't seen the disc myself, but that's what said on this forum.