High Dynamic Range (HDR) grading unlocks a breathtaking range of brightness, contrast, and color that standard video (SDR) cannot match. DaVinci Resolve Studio is at the forefront of this technology, providing a comprehensive toolset for creating HDR masters for platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube HDR. This guide introduces the core concepts and workflow for mastering HDR within this powerful video editing software.

Setting Up Your Project for HDR

HDR grading requires a different foundation than SDR. Start in Project Settings > Color Management. Here, you'll set your Color Science to "DaVinci YRGB Color Managed" or "ACES" for the most future-proof workflow. Under "Color Processing Mode," select "HDR DaVinci Wide Gamut." This provides a large color container to work in. Most importantly, set your Output Color Space to your target HDR standard, such as "Rec.2100 PQ" for most streaming HDR (like HDR10). You must also work on an HDR-capable reference monitor connected via a DeckLink or UltraStudio card for accurate viewing—grading HDR on an SDR monitor is impossible and will yield incorrect results. This setup ensures all color math is handled correctly throughout your node tree.

The HDR Grading Toolset: Scopes and Controls

Your scopes are your most important guide. The HDR Palette in the Color page provides dedicated controls for working in the extended brightness range. Use the HDR Zone wheels to target specific luminance ranges without affecting others, which is more precise than traditional wheels for extreme highlights and shadows. The Parade scope is critical—set it to "Nits" to see the absolute brightness values of your image. In HDR, highlights can reach 1000, 2000, or 4000 nits depending on your target. You must control these peaks to meet delivery specifications. The Color Wheel and Log controls work the same as in SDR, but you have a much larger "canvas" of luminance to paint on, allowing for incredibly subtle shadow detail and brilliant, non-clipped highlights.

Delivering Your HDR Master

The final export requires careful settings. On the Deliver page, choose a format that supports HDR metadata, such as QuickTime with ProRes 4444 or HEVC. Under the "Video" tab, ensure your Color Space Tag and Gamma Tag match your project's output color space (e.g., Rec.2100 PQ). You will often need to create both an HDR master and an SDR version (a "trim pass"). DaVinci Resolve Studio excels here with its HDR Palette; you can use one node tree and the "Color Space Transform" OFX plugin to create a separate SDR timeline, allowing you to fine-tune the conversion to ensure it looks great on standard displays. Mastering HDR is a specialized skill, but with DaVinci Resolve Studio's integrated tools, it's an accessible and powerful next step for colorists working on high-end projects.