1.5. Output Media

For photographers, the final output will often be a print on paper. As mentioned before, only quality photographic paper can hold a dynamic range of 6 EVs (or 100:1). Most papers are even lower. Hence, tone mapping all the way down to an 8-bit output will continue to be a prime goal for photographers. However, our modern world offers plenty of other media options, and they all rely on digital images. And this is where the importance of an HDR workflow comes in. Let me finally prove the bold statement that all digital imaging in the future will happen in high dynamic range.

The death of the cathode ray tube: Let's face it: CRT technology is outdated. Liquid crystal display (LCD) panels have taken the lead now, and nobody regrets this step. Even though they do not necessarily deliver a higher dynamic range, LCDs have to be cheated to work properly with gamma-encoded 8-bit imagery. Unlike CRTs, this is just not native to them. The basement that our house of 8-bit cards is built on has disappeared already.