2016-02-19, 06:27
Video Bit Depths Explained
8-bit vs. 10-bit vs. 12-bit
The video bit depth outlines the number of available color shades for each RGB channel used to describe each color.
Current source bit depths:
BT.709 - 8-bits (256 color shades per RGB channel): common to current 1080p HD standard.
BT.2020 - 10-bits (1,024 color shades per RGB channel) or 12-bits (4,096 color shades per RGB channel): common to current 4K UHD standard.
This means there are 256 steps per color channel, 1,024 steps per color channel or 4,096 steps per color channel.
At 8-bits, this equals 256 x 256 x 256 = 16,777,216 possible color shades.
At 10-bits, this equals 1024 x 1024 x 1024 = 1,073,741,824 possible color shades.
The bit depth defines how well colors blend together to prevent color banding. Increasing the source bit depth is not meant to add more color or improve "colorfulness," but instead adds color detail by creating finer transitions between each color shade to produce more detailed and uniform gradients.
Human beings can see an estimated 10 million color shades across the visible spectrum. Color at 8-bits, with its 16.8 million color steps, already approaches the threshold of human vision. What we can see at bit depths higher than 8-bits are visible differences in transitions between certain colors when the range of luminance is stretched too far. This is particularly true when large luminance increases are combined with wider color gamuts that provide a wider range of color saturations. This is because increases in gamut volume often necessitate the need to use more bits to cover the wider range of possible color shades.
Dynamic range denotes the minimum and maximum allowable values (e.g., reference black and peak white), while the bit depth defines the amount of color steps used to cover this dynamic range. Any visible transitions between color shades that can be perceived as uneven gradients or color banding are prevented with the use of higher source bit depths that provide more intermediate steps to cover the full gamut volume.
Understanding Bit-depth and Color Rendition for Video
Can You See the Difference Between 10-bit and 8-bit Images and Video Footage?
8-bit vs. 10-bit vs. 12-bit
The video bit depth outlines the number of available color shades for each RGB channel used to describe each color.
Current source bit depths:
BT.709 - 8-bits (256 color shades per RGB channel): common to current 1080p HD standard.
BT.2020 - 10-bits (1,024 color shades per RGB channel) or 12-bits (4,096 color shades per RGB channel): common to current 4K UHD standard.
This means there are 256 steps per color channel, 1,024 steps per color channel or 4,096 steps per color channel.
At 8-bits, this equals 256 x 256 x 256 = 16,777,216 possible color shades.
At 10-bits, this equals 1024 x 1024 x 1024 = 1,073,741,824 possible color shades.
The bit depth defines how well colors blend together to prevent color banding. Increasing the source bit depth is not meant to add more color or improve "colorfulness," but instead adds color detail by creating finer transitions between each color shade to produce more detailed and uniform gradients.
Human beings can see an estimated 10 million color shades across the visible spectrum. Color at 8-bits, with its 16.8 million color steps, already approaches the threshold of human vision. What we can see at bit depths higher than 8-bits are visible differences in transitions between certain colors when the range of luminance is stretched too far. This is particularly true when large luminance increases are combined with wider color gamuts that provide a wider range of color saturations. This is because increases in gamut volume often necessitate the need to use more bits to cover the wider range of possible color shades.
Dynamic range denotes the minimum and maximum allowable values (e.g., reference black and peak white), while the bit depth defines the amount of color steps used to cover this dynamic range. Any visible transitions between color shades that can be perceived as uneven gradients or color banding are prevented with the use of higher source bit depths that provide more intermediate steps to cover the full gamut volume.
Understanding Bit-depth and Color Rendition for Video
Can You See the Difference Between 10-bit and 8-bit Images and Video Footage?
