How can you capture clear images in extreme lighting?

Scenes with very bright and very dark areas at the same time, such as backlit entrances, tunnel exits, or headlights at night, often make imaging difficult. Bright areas can become overexposed, while darker regions lose important detail. 

Sony STARVIS™ sensors address this with two HDR approaches designed for different situations. 

Digital Overlap HDR (DOL) 

DOL HDR captures multiple exposures within the same frame cycle. 

  • Short exposure preserves detail in bright areas  
  • Long exposure reveals information in darker regions  
  • The images are then combined into one balanced result  

This extends dynamic range effectively, though very fast-moving objects may show minor motion artifacts. 

Clear HDR 

Clear HDR captures low-gain and high-gain signals simultaneously, then combines them into one image. 

  • Preserves bright and dark detail in the same scene  
  • Reduces motion artifacts  
  • Well suited for moving subjects and dynamic environments  

This makes it a strong choice for traffic monitoring, security cameras, and dashcams. 

Which HDR mode is right for you? 

Both methods help improve image quality in challenging light. The best choice depends on your scene conditions, motion in the image, and overall system requirements. 

Need support optimizing HDR performance or sensor configuration?

Contact our Image Sensor Expert, Ebin Johnson.

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