HDR for images is rather new tech and still learn about it. From my understanding there are some special formats exists like AVIF JPEG XL and also in some new specification of JPG with HDR gain map that allow to share and see HDR images in modern web browsers. AVIF can keep HDR settings as special metadata or as ICC profile. It is all similar to HDR movies when display automatically switches to HDR mode (max brightness and PQ tone curve) and image viewer reads metadata of display brightness and adjusts image dynamic range depending of that max display brightness.
The main question is how to get that HDR metadata when edit images and how to export it with image? Is it a part of AVIF JPEG XL and JPEG encoder/decoder specification? Is it some special tone curve in ICC profile? Or both?
So i guess it could be nice to have support for all those modern image HDR options in PhotoLine.Here is also similar request and JPEG with gain map test image that i find in other forum. (by the way, PhotoLine at least can read that test multilayered JPEG):
"The best way to export share HDR is via a "gain map", which allows the image to adapt to any display (regardless of level of HDR support). A JPG with a gain map is the ideal way to do that now (and AVIF with a gain map will be important in the next year).
And the native way that HDR images are captured on iPhone or Android now is via JPG or HEIC encoded with a gain map.
The priority is encode / decode support for JPG and decode support for HEIC (at least under the ISO gain map spec). This would allow support for smart phone captures and sharing any edited images. Support to decode other XMP gain map encodings would be nice for legacy support, but phones are already capturing with ISO encoding and this is not as critical. It would ultimately be ideal to have support for AVIF gain maps, as that will become an important standard in the near future.
Attached is a test image which should show blue HDR text when opened with proper HDR support. If the display supports 4 stops of HDR headroom, the text will be clear. If it less headroom, it will show the blue HDR very faintly (this is a good and expected result based on how the image is encoded).
And also some info from Google:
"A JPEG gain map is a technology that embeds extra brightness/color data (an HDR version) and instructions (the "gain map" itself) within a standard JPEG file, allowing it to display beautifully on both basic SDR screens (as a normal image) and advanced HDR displays (with enhanced brightness and color) using a single file, ensuring compatibility while unlocking true High Dynamic Range. It works by having a default SDR image plus a secondary map that tells compatible software how much to "gain" (brighten/adjust) each pixel for HDR, solving the old problem of sharing HDR content across different screen types."
