Question about Sicario 4K blu-ray (HDR) version.

[Jouka]

Hi!

I just listened to your latest podcast with Steve Yedlin about deliverables and found it super informative and interesting! I signed in just to ask you a question related to that topic. Lately I have been comparing SDR and HDR versions of multiple movies to compare the differences between them, and I’ve noticed some interesting stuff.

While comparing these versions of Sicario (2015) on a calibrated screen, I noticed there to be quite a big difference in both color, brightness, and overall tonality of the image. The HDR version looks noticeably less warm and way brighter, and also the highlights go above 1000 nits (very bright).

In 1917, Blade Runner 2049, and Skyfall, for example, both versions look pretty much the same with only very minor differences. Color in these looks exactly the same to my eyes, and the only small differences seems to be in the brightness. Highlights stay mostly around 200–300 nits.

So I’m just wondering what makes the 4K Blu-ray version of Sicario look so different to its SDR 1080p Blu-ray counterpart, and are you aware of this?

The disc came out when HDR and 4K Blu-ray had just come out (2016), so I’m wondering if it was done without your supervision, or if there was some technical mistake in transferring one color space to another or something else?

And don’t get me wrong, the 4K Blu-ray looks very, very good and is still considered to be one of the best-looking 4K discs out there. I’m just very interested to know where the difference comes from, especially compared to other releases.

Topic

[Roger Deakins]

I am not aware that the two versions of Sicario are so different. That the highlights are at 1000 nits comes as a shock. I would not sanction that.

[Jouka]

Thank you for answering! Hopefully we can see proper 4K version someday supervised by you. For now, the standard 1080p Bluray seems to be the one to watch!

[Stip]

You may want to watch Steve Yedlin’s very interesting presentation “Debunking HDR”, recoded at FotoKem; Roger and James were in attendance. You find it on his website.

Yedlin also joined Team Deakins Podcast again recently to discuss this topic as it can be very confusing (and misleading) even for professionals. I can’t include links, otherwise it won’t let me post a comment.

[Author]

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