Shooting video on an Android phone has come a long way since lagging far behind the iPhone, and one of the main reasons is improved software. Not to mention larger image sensors, but as resolutions increase, so do color and composition.
This is what makes HDR (High Dynamic Range) video more appealing. Instead of dull, blurry and muted footage, you get something that looks dynamic. Chances are, the Android phone you’re currently holding allows you to record videos in HDR, and here’s how to do it.
What is HDR and which phones support it?
HDR video goes a little higher than standard dynamic range, offering a wider range of colors and more detail in both highlights and shadows. The idea is to make the footage look more true to life, where the image looks rich and vibrant. Standard video signals struggle to capture such detail because the range is much shorter.
In numbers, HDR increases the luminance from 100 cd/m2 to 1000 cd/m2, so think it has 10x or more range to work with. A wider range of color and brightness gives you a wider range of ways to see how things appear. The brightest and darkest areas should look more detailed, although the deepest shadows can also have more contrast depending on where you focus when shooting.
Google added HDR video support to its Camera2 API in 2022, allowing third-party apps to access the API to record HDR video on Android 13. The exception is that phones will also need the necessary hardware, as well as HLG10 support, a backbone for 10-bit HDR video. Additionally, the API allows these phones and apps to display the proper appearance when using video modes, so what you see before you start recording is what you’ll see after you stop.
Most Android phones have supported the most popular HDR standards, HDR10 or Dolby Vision, for years. This initially started with HDR when watching content from popular streaming services, while HDR video recording followed later. No longer a flagship feature, you’ll likely see it on a wider range of devices.
Where to find HDR on your phone?
This will vary by phone, but the easiest place to find HDR is to go into the camera app and then look at the settings. Some phones, such as the Pixel line, will present it as an option when you select Video Mode and then click Open Settings.
Others may turn it off in the advanced camera settings, depending on the menu layout. For example, several Samsung phones offer HDR10 or HDR10+ recording, which you can find in the camera settings under Advanced recording options.
OnePlus calls it “High Performance Video”, while Xiaomi uses Dolby Vision and separates the video encoder. While you’ll usually find a way to turn HDR on or off, newer OnePlus devices don’t offer it, turning it on automatically based on conditions.
Generally, phones that offer HDR recording also automatically encode it to H.265 or HEVC for high-performance video encoding. It is a more efficient video compression codec than the standard H.264 AVC (Advanced Video Coding) without quality loss. The only problem is that not all devices and services necessarily support that codec, so you may have problems sharing or uploading content shot in it. Some phones may let you shoot in H.264 if you want.
If you use the right video editing app on your phone or computer, you can turn it into something more enjoyable. There are also open codecs that exist, such as VP9 (from Google) and AV1, although you may not see them as options on your Android phone.
Try recording an HDR video
Once it’s turned on, recording HDR video is no different. Just press the record button on the camera app and that’s it. One major caveat to watch out for is how the HDR10 or Dolby Vision features on these phones can limit frame rates to 30fps, though newer models push that to 60fps.
Some phones may also have a visual indicator that says HDR is active when using video mode, while others don’t, forcing you to double-check. You may also experience issues with the feature automatically turning off when you switch apps or close the camera app, which happens for example with HDR10+ on compatible Samsung phones.
Either way, try and see how the captured videos look on compatible products, such as a TV or PC. You might end up with something more visually appealing than anything you’ve ever painted.
Pro Pixel:
Google may not have given this phone much of a makeover, but the cameras are still among the best in the business. Still photography is great, and you have the tools to shoot high-quality video.