After Brightness and Contrast have been set to maximize a display’s dynamic range, the next step is adjusting the display’s luminance at 100% stimulus (peak white). Most displays provide a control that adjusts overall light output independently of the Contrast control.
Note: For HDR calibration, Luminance adjustments are usually not required. The TVs backlight will normally be switched into its brightest mode in order to get as close as possible to the peak HDR mastering luminance
On different display types and brands, this luminance control may be labeled in various ways. Common names include:
- Backlight (typical for LCD and Mini-LED displays)
- OLED Light or OLED Brightness (OLED displays)
- Lamp Mode, Light Output, or Brightness Mode (projectors)
- Panel Brightness, Screen Brightness, Peak Brightness, or Picture Brightness (various manufacturers)
- Energy Saving or Eco Mode settings will indirectly limit maximum luminance
In this article, we refer to all of these controls generically as the Backlight. Adjust the backlight to achieve the desired luminance at 100% stimulus based on the target for your workflow.
Setting the correct backlight level ensures that the picture’s overall luminance is appropriate for the room’s viewing conditions. Some general guidelines:
Recommended Display Luminance Levels:
- Bright Room: 200+ cd/m2
- Dim Room: 140-170 cd/m2
- Dark Room: 100-140 cd/m2
- SDR Reference: 100 cd/m2
- Theater Room projector: 50-100 cd/m2
- High Dynamic Range: 600-5000 cd/m2 (varies by device)
To Adjust Luminance:
- Display a 100% stimulus (full-white) test pattern.
- In Calman, select Read Continuous to begin automatically measuring the display’s 100% white luminance.
- Adjust the display’s backlight (or equivalent luminance control) until the measured luminance matches the target defined in the general guidelines above.