HDR vs EXR
OpenEXR keeps high-dynamic-range channels with half, float or unsigned integer samples. It suits compositing and render passes; channels, deep data and compression choices need a compatible reader and deliberate export settings.
Image format
HDR
Radiance pictures with a shared exponent for high-dynamic-range lighting values.
Explore the format
Convert HDR to
Choose a target format for your HDR images.
JPEGJPEGHDR → JPEGWith caveatPNGPNGHDR → PNGWith caveatWebPWebPHDR → WebPWith caveatAVIFAVIFHDR → AVIFWith caveatHEICHEICHDR → HEICWith caveatHEIFHEIFHDR → HEIFWith caveat
All 21 conversions
GIFGIFHDR → GIFWith caveatTIFFTIFFHDR → TIFFWith caveatBMPBMPHDR → BMPWith caveatICOICOHDR → ICOWith caveatJPEG XLJPEG XLHDR → JPEG XLWith caveatJPEG 2000JPEG 2000HDR → JPEG 2000With caveatQOIQOIHDR → QOIWith caveatTGATGAHDR → TGAWith caveatPCXPCXHDR → PCXWith caveatPPMPPMHDR → PPMWith caveatPGMPGMHDR → PGMWith caveatPBMPBMHDR → PBMWith caveatPAMPAMHDR → PAMWith caveatEXREXRHDR → EXRPDFPDFHDR → PDFWith caveat
Marked paths may need steps such as flattening, rasterization, tone mapping or animation loss.
Convert to HDR
Choose a source format to convert to HDR.
JPEGJPEGJPEG → HDRPNGPNGPNG → HDRWebPWebPWebP → HDRAVIFAVIFAVIF → HDRHEICHEICHEIC → HDRHEIFHEIFHEIF → HDR
All 36 conversions
GIFGIFGIF → HDRWith caveatTIFFTIFFTIFF → HDRBMPBMPBMP → HDRSVGSVGSVG → HDRICOICOICO → HDRJPEG XLJPEG XLJPEG XL → HDRJPEG 2000JPEG 2000JPEG 2000 → HDRQOIQOIQOI → HDRTGATGATGA → HDRPCXPCXPCX → HDRPPMPPMPPM → HDRPGMPGMPGM → HDRPBMPBMPBM → HDRPAMPAMPAM → HDREXREXREXR → HDRPSDPSDPSD → HDRWith caveatPDFPDFPDF → HDRWith caveatDNGDNGDNG → HDRCanon CR2Canon CR2Canon CR2 → HDRCanon CR3Canon CR3Canon CR3 → HDRCanon CRWCanon CRWCanon CRW → HDRNikon NEFNikon NEFNikon NEF → HDRSony ARWSony ARWSony ARW → HDRFujifilm RAFFujifilm RAFFujifilm RAF → HDROlympus ORFOlympus ORFOlympus ORF → HDRPanasonic RW2Panasonic RW2Panasonic RW2 → HDRPentax PEFPentax PEFPentax PEF → HDRSigma X3FSigma X3FSigma X3F → HDRKodak RAWKodak RAWKodak RAW → HDRHasselblad 3FRHasselblad 3FRHasselblad 3FR → HDR
Marked paths may need steps such as flattening, rasterization, tone mapping or animation loss.
About HDR
Radiance HDR / RGBE
Radiance HDR is a picture format from the Radiance lighting-simulation system. It stores a wider brightness range than ordinary display-encoded 8-bit RGB images. RGBE uses three colour mantissas with one shared exponent; the related XYZE representation uses tristimulus values. This compact representation addresses radiometric image storage rather than ordinary photographic delivery.
A text header records encoding and optional exposure or processing information. Orientation and dimensions precede flat or run-length-encoded pixels. RLE is lossless for the stored bytes, but converting arbitrary floating-point RGB into shared-exponent RGBE quantizes values. The ordinary RGBE picture has no alpha channel and cannot store arbitrary named render passes.
Use Radiance HDR for compatible lighting environments and radiometric images. A visible SDR preview needs exposure and tone mapping and does not show the complete stored range. Keep a richer original when negative channel values, separate alpha or precise floating-point samples matter; a rendered JPEG preview cannot restore those properties.
Key capabilities
RLE preserves stored RGBE bytes; RGBE quantization is not exact storage of arbitrary float RGB. The .hdr format is distinct from the general concept of HDR photography.
History of HDR
Radiance picture storage evolved with lighting tools. Its maintainers document encoding revisions and flexible text headers.
HDR compared
Different formats, different trade-offs. Choose for the image and the workflow.
HDR vs TIFF
TIFF provides tagged raster storage with multiple images and several sample types and compression schemes. It is a useful interchange choice for scanning and high-precision editing, but the receiving tool must support the particular TIFF variant.
HDR vs AVIF
AVIF uses AV1 coding and supports alpha, image sequences and higher bit depths for HDR workflows. It is worth evaluating for final delivery; codec settings and the receiving application determine whether its additional features survive.
HDR vs JPEG
JPEG makes a compact photographic delivery file, but ordinary JPEG discards detail and has no alpha. Keep the richer source for editing and use JPEG when the receiving workflow expects an opaque photo.
HDR FAQ
What does this format store?
Radiance HDR is a picture format from the Radiance lighting-simulation system. It stores a wider brightness range than ordinary display-encoded 8-bit RGB images. RGBE uses three colour mantissas with one shared exponent; the related XYZE representation uses tristimulus values. This compact representation addresses radiometric image storage rather than ordinary photographic delivery.
How does compression affect quality?
RLE preserves stored RGBE bytes; RGBE quantization is not exact storage of arbitrary float RGB. The .hdr format is distinct from the general concept of HDR photography.
Does an SDR preview preserve HDR values?
A viewer can keep stored values unchanged while applying a display transform. Saving the tone-mapped preview stores different pixels and usually removes the original radiometric range.
What should I check before opening the file?
Check FORMAT, RGBE versus XYZE, image orientation and RLE variant. A generic preview does not establish correct radiometric interpretation.
What changes when I export to another format?
SDR targets require tone mapping. EXR can store decoded values but cannot restore precision already quantized into RGBE. RGBE cannot keep arbitrary EXR channels or alpha.
When is this format useful?
Use Radiance HDR for compatible lighting environments and radiometric images. A visible SDR preview needs exposure and tone mapping and does not show the complete stored range. Keep a richer original when negative channel values, separate alpha or precise floating-point samples matter; a rendered JPEG preview cannot restore those properties.