How to calibrate HDR?

[Yipikaye]

AMD finaly released drivers that support HDR in Doom!
I logged in and turned HDR on but colors are bit off.

I noticed there is calibrate HDR but I don't really know how to use it.
Is there any order of setting to go by and what to look for?

Any tips how to get best out of HDR are appreciated.
Just in case my monitor is LG 27GL850

[Just Aaron]

Good question. I`m using an Nvidia card and just left the HDR settings on default. I tried messing with the settings but ended up making it look worse. I`m interested in hearing how everyone has their HDR settings.

[qhristoff]

Unfortunately, there is no reference numbers to match the source material from id to know how to calibrate HDR.

I have put a lot of time into calibrating my screens (I play on a 55" Sony XBR LED screen).

It might help more to know what each of the settings does:

HDR Brightness - this is actually closer to traditional contrast settings than a brightness setting.
- adjust this setting last, and use it to fine tune the other settings

HDR Saturation - this is the simple one, just vibrance
- adjust to taste

HDR Min Stops - Min Stops determines at what level the screen reaches peak black
- adjust this setting DOWN to add light to dark areas.

HDR White Point - this is the balance between LUMINANCE between white and blacks.
- adjusting this is like traditional brightness settings

HDR Max Stops - Max Stops determines the peak white value for your screen
- adjust this setting UP to add definition to colored surfaces

Here are my settings:

Originally posted by "my settings":

1) HDR Brightness = 4.2
2) HDR Saturation = 1.8
3) HDR Min Stops = -5.7
4) HDR White Point = 0.34
5) HDR Max Stops = 7.8

If you want to calibrate your screen without the assistance of a calibration tool, begin with these ...

Wide Gamut Settings:

Originally posted by "widest gamut setting":

1) HDR Brightness = 8.0
2) HDR Saturation = 1.0
3) HDR Min Stops = -10.0
4) HDR White Point = 0.50
5) HDR Max Stops = 10.0

Do your calibration from the main menu settings, not from in game menu.

1) Begin by adjusting your White Point until the flame on the building looks like flame and not just color.
2) Then, bring you Min Stops up until the shadows on the left have depth and volume.
3) Then, bring your Max Stops down until the lights pop but don't have that old CRT like color bleed (you know how old TVs have that "sheen" of reds and lights, if you start to see that you've gone too far down)
4) Now adjust your saturation to make the colors vibrant to taste.
5) Finally, adjust your HDR Brightness to suit.

Once you've got an image that looks balanced TO YOU (this is key, if it looks good to you that's what matters), you can adjust the sliders in any order to see how they affect the image, and keep tweaking from there.

My calibration settings SHOULD make for a very rich and colorful experience with deeply saturated blacks and clear reflections on MOST monitors, but keep in mind, they come from my fully calibrated 4K HDR TV.

here is what those settings look like (keep in mind all HDR screen shots have to be post processed): https://steamcommunity.com/id/nakoda/images/

[Yipikaye]

Thanks for the detailed write up!
It seems my monitor is not that great for HDR gaming
but I'll have a go anyway and try it out.

[Yipikaye]

Edit. updated my final HDR values.

Even tho my monitor it not "real" HDR I got it working!
I ended up with these settings:

Monitor LF 27GL850 profile set to FPS
1) HDR Brightness = 12
2) HDR Saturation = 1.0
3) HDR Min Stops = -7.0
4) HDR White Point = 0.70
5) HDR Max Stops = 8.0

Most tweaking needed brightness and white point.
Still experimenting with white point.

Thank you so much for awesome guide qhristoff!

[qhristoff]

glad to help!