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Convert TIFF to HDR - Unlock Extended Dynamic Range

Transform TIFF images into HDR format for professional visualization and HDR displays.

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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Why Convert TIFF to HDR?

You have high-quality TIFF images but need them in a format that captures a wider range of brightness and color information. HDR (High Dynamic Range) format stores luminance values that standard image formats simply cannot represent.

TIFF files are excellent for archival and editing, but they typically store 8-bit or 16-bit data per channel. HDR format uses 32-bit floating-point values, allowing it to represent everything from deep shadows to bright highlights in a single image. This makes HDR essential for professional visualization, 3D rendering workflows, and displays that support high dynamic range content.

How to Convert TIFF to HDR

  1. Upload your TIFF file - Drag and drop or click to select your image
  2. Select HDR as output - Choose the Radiance HDR format for maximum dynamic range
  3. Download your HDR file - Get your converted file ready for HDR workflows

The entire conversion happens in your browser. No software installation required, no account needed.

TIFF vs HDR: Technical Comparison

Understanding the differences helps you decide when HDR is the right choice:

  • Bit Depth - TIFF typically uses 8-bit or 16-bit integer values. HDR uses 32-bit floating-point with a shared exponent, covering luminance values across 76 orders of magnitude
  • Dynamic Range - TIFF captures a limited range of brightness. HDR can represent scenes from near-darkness to bright sunlight in one file
  • Color Precision - HDR stores absolute radiance values in watts per steradian per square meter, enabling physically accurate lighting
  • File Size - HDR files using RGBE encoding achieve 6:1 compression compared to full floating-point while maintaining scene-referred color accuracy
  • Use Case - TIFF excels for archival and print. HDR is designed for 3D rendering, visualization, and HDR display output

In our testing, converting 16-bit TIFF files to HDR preserves shadow and highlight detail that would otherwise be clipped in standard formats.

When to Use TIFF to HDR Conversion

3D Rendering and Visualization

HDR images serve as environment maps and lighting references in 3D software. Converting high-quality TIFF scans to HDR enables realistic lighting in your renders.

HDR Display Content

Modern HDR monitors and TVs can display a much wider brightness range than standard displays. Converting source images to HDR format prepares them for these displays.

Architectural Visualization

Architects and visualization professionals need accurate lighting representation. HDR format captures the full range of natural and artificial lighting conditions.

Photography Post-Processing

If you have TIFF files from camera RAW processing, converting to HDR preserves extended tonal information for advanced editing workflows.

About the HDR (Radiance) Format

The Radiance HDR format was invented by Gregory Ward Larson in 1985 for the Radiance rendering system. It remains one of the most widely used high dynamic range formats today.

HDR files use RGBE encoding: each pixel stores red, green, and blue values with a shared exponent. This compact 32-bit representation covers an enormous dynamic range while keeping files reasonably sized. The format uses run-length encoding for additional compression.

HDR files begin with a '#?RADIANCE' signature followed by header information including 'FORMAT=32-bit_rle_rgbe'. This makes them easy to identify and widely supported by professional imaging software.

Alternative Conversions

Depending on your needs, other formats may be more appropriate:

  • TIFF to EXR - OpenEXR offers more advanced features like multiple layers and arbitrary channels, preferred in VFX pipelines
  • TIFF to JPG - When you need web-compatible images and dont require extended dynamic range
  • TIFF to PNG - For lossless compression with transparency support in standard dynamic range

Choose HDR when you specifically need the Radiance format for compatibility with older HDR workflows or software that prefers this format over EXR.

Browser-Based Conversion

Our converter works entirely in your browser on any device:

  • Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • No plugins or downloads required

Your images stay on your device throughout the conversion process. Nothing gets uploaded to external servers.

Pro Tip

For best results, start with 16-bit TIFF files that havent been heavily tone-mapped. HDR format excels at preserving the original scene-referred values from your source material.

Common Mistake

Expecting HDR conversion to add dynamic range that wasnt in the original image. HDR is a container format - it preserves existing data rather than creating new highlight or shadow detail.

Best For

3D artists needing environment maps, visualization professionals working with HDR displays, and photographers preparing images for HDR tone-mapping workflows.

Not Recommended

Dont convert to HDR if your final output is for web or print. Standard formats like JPG or PNG are better suited for those uses. HDR adds complexity without benefit for standard displays.

Frequently Asked Questions

HDR (High Dynamic Range) format stores images with an extended range of brightness values. It is used for 3D rendering, environment mapping, architectural visualization, and content destined for HDR displays. The format captures detail from shadows to highlights that standard formats cannot represent.

Converting to HDR changes how brightness data is stored, not the original quality. If your TIFF has limited dynamic range, converting to HDR wont add information that wasnt there. HDR conversion is most beneficial when your source TIFF contains 16-bit or higher data with wide tonal range.

HDR files are supported by professional imaging software including Photoshop, GIMP, Blender, 3ds Max, Maya, and most 3D rendering applications. HDR viewers and many modern image browsers also support the format. The Radiance HDR format has been a standard since 1985.

Both are high dynamic range formats but have different features. HDR (Radiance) uses RGBE encoding with 32-bit pixels. EXR (OpenEXR) supports multiple channels, layers, and compression options. HDR is simpler and more compact, while EXR offers more flexibility for complex VFX workflows.

HDR file size depends on image content and resolution. The RGBE encoding achieves about 6:1 compression compared to full floating-point representation. Run-length encoding further reduces size. For most images, HDR files are comparable to or smaller than 16-bit TIFF files.

Yes, our converter supports batch conversion. Upload multiple TIFF files and convert them all to HDR format simultaneously. This saves time when processing image sequences or large collections.

Standard Radiance HDR format does not support alpha channels. If your TIFF has transparency, that information will not carry over to the HDR file. For high dynamic range with transparency, consider EXR format instead.

While 8-bit TIFF files can be converted, 16-bit or 32-bit TIFF files produce better results. Higher bit depth in your source file means more tonal information is preserved when mapping to HDR floating-point values.

Yes, completely free with no limitations. No registration required, no watermarks added, no restrictions on file size or number of conversions. The conversion runs in your browser using your devices processing power.

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