Configure a recorder to use the linear sRGB (unclamped) color space

If your project uses High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP), you can record images using the linear sRGB (unclamped) color profile. This setting is available in the Image Sequence recorder.

In a compositing application, some mathematical operations such as color blending are more physically accurate using linear sRGB than the sRGB curve (gamma).

In an unclamped recording, values outside of the 0.0 to 1.0 range of the linear sRGB gamut, that is, values that usually cannot be displayed on a monitor or screen, are saved in the file. These values, especially values greater than 1.0, can be useful for compositing.

Prerequisites

Your project must use HDRP.

To get unclamped values in the output:

  • Disable Tonemapping. The Tonemapping post-process in HDRP compresses all values into the displayable range. As a result, values greater than 1.0 are not saved in the file.
    To disable Tonemapping:

    1. In the top menu of the Editor, select Edit > Project Settings > HDRP Global Settings.
    2. In HDRP Global Settings, disable Tonemapping.
    3. In the Hierarchy, for each volume that includes a Tonemapping override, select the volume. In the Inspector, disable Tonemapping.

  • In the camera used for the recording, disable dithering:
    In the Hierarchy, select the camera. In the Inspector, under Rendering, disable Dithering.

Configure the recorder

To access Recorder properties:

  • Open the Recorder window, and select or add an Image Sequence Recorder.
  • Add or select a Recorder Clip. In the Inspector, ensure the Selected Recorder is set to Image Sequence.

To configure the recording of linear sRGB (unclamped) values in an Image Sequence recorder:

  1. Under Input, select the source.
  • Linear sRGB (unclamped) is available for all sources except Game View.
  1. Select the Camera.
  2. For Media File Format, select EXR.
  3. For Color Space, select Linear, sRGB (unclamped).

Additional resources