Topaz Video AI SDR to HDR: Hyperion Workflows

What Is Topaz Video AI SDR to HDR

If your Topaz Video AI SDR to HDR export looks washed out or won't fit your editing workflow, start with the selected Hyperion generation: its output route determines whether you're creating an intermediate for finishing or an encoded file for playback. Legacy Topaz Video AI licenses are separate from subscriptions to its active successor, Topaz Video; new legacy licenses are no longer sold. Hyperion is the SDR-to-HDR model family, but legacy Hyperion, Hyperion 2 and Hyperion 2.5 have different controls and export workflows.

I recommend checking the export route and playback interpretation before judging whether a brighter image is a better HDR result. The sections below explain Hyperion versions, conversion steps and export troubleshooting, then compare the HDR workflows of UniFab HDR Upconverter AI and Topaz Video AI and its successor.

Topaz Hyperion Model Explained

Hyperion is the SDR-to-HDR model family associated with legacy Topaz Video AI and its active successor, Topaz Video. Legacy Hyperion has adjustment controls; Hyperion 2 and 2.5 use a parameter-free workflow. It estimates an expanded tonal range from SDR footage, so the selected generation and output route affect the finishing workflow.

The Tech Behind Topaz Hyperion

At its core, the Topaz Hyperion model uses inverse tonemapping powered by advanced AI. What does that mean for you? It increases the bit depth, expands the color gamut, and brightens up those highlight areas in your SDR videos. As of November 2026, Hyperion 2/2.5 export options include ProRes video or EXR image sequences, with EXR requiring Pro for local rendering. These are finishing intermediates, not a universal HDR10 playback export. The documented color interpretation differs by output route: cloud EXR uses BT.2020 linear, while local Pro EXR uses ACES 2065-1. Set the matching interpretation in your grading application before creating the final HDR delivery. Topaz for Web separately offers H.265 Main10 delivery; its HDR stage requires Starlight or Astra and runs last.

• Inverse Tonemapping: Hyperion estimates brighter highlights and expanded color from the available SDR image data rather than recovering information that was not captured in the source.
• Neural Inference: The model analyzes shadow and highlight areas, selectively adjusts contrast, and can change the apparent detail in those regions.

In practice, the result depends on the source quality and can change highlight brightness, shadow detail, and color intensity. Inspect a short export through the intended HDR playback chain before finishing the full file.

Hyperion Controls Differ by Model Version

Legacy Hyperion offers the Exposure, Highlight and Saturation controls described below. Hyperion 2 and 2.5 are parameter-free, so these sliders are not part of their workflow; select the model and its output route instead:

• Exposure Adjustment: Raises or lowers the overall scene exposure, mostly affecting shadows and midtones, up to +1 stop.
• Highlight Threshold: Determines which brightness range is treated as highlight. Raising it too far can reduce highlight detail or alter delicate skin tones.
• Saturation Boost: Increases color intensity. Higher settings can make hues overly vivid and shift color balance, so compare the result with the source before export.

Topaz Video AI SDR-to-HDR Performance

Hyperion processing time depends on the selected generation, source footage, processing stages and hardware. Preview a representative short clip before rendering the full file, including highlights, shadows and fine textures. For 1080p SDR footage, inspect the encoded result through the intended HDR playback chain rather than judging the in-app preview alone.

Speed and Quality of HDR Results

Conversion Speed: Preview a representative short clip with your selected Hyperion model and export settings before rendering the full video.

SDR to HDR Quality: In the landscape example below, the SDR-to-HDR result shows a noticeable increase in brightness and contrast. Shadows are significantly lifted, while bright highlights appear closer to clipping. Color saturation is relatively high, creating a strong visual impact. In this example, the converted image has stronger brightness and saturation than the native HDR reference.

SDR to HDR Quality (Bar Scene): The bar-scene example shows enhanced warm tones after Hyperion processing. However, some detail is lost: the painting on the wall, the texture of the chairs, and the text on the glass window in the upper-right corner all exhibit noticeable degradation in detail.

Topaz Video AI SDR-to-HDR Conversion Steps

Start with an SDR source clip, an installed app that supports your selected Hyperion model, and an HDR-capable display for checking the result.

1. Open your installed app, import your SDR source clip, and choose the best Topaz Video AI settings for your footage that match the source and the Hyperion generation available in your app.
2. Select the available Hyperion generation in the SDR-to-HDR controls. For a supported legacy workflow, additional enhancement is optional. Topaz for Web requires Starlight or Astra processing, with HDR applied last.
3. Confirm the source's actual input color interpretation. For interlaced footage, complete the Topaz Video AI deinterlace step before converting to HDR.
4. Choose the output route for the selected model. For local Hyperion 2 or 2.5, use a ProRes intermediate or the Pro EXR route for finishing in a color-managed editor. Match the editor's color interpretation to that specific output rather than treating every intermediate as a delivery-ready HDR10 file.
5. Legacy Hyperion offers adjustment controls; Hyperion 2 and 2.5 use a parameter-free workflow. Preview a representative short clip and inspect highlights, skin tones, shadows, and fine detail before committing to the full render.
6. Configure the export for the chosen route: local Hyperion 2 and 2.5 provide ProRes video or Pro EXR image sequences; Topaz for Web provides H.265 Main10 delivery. A codec choice does not establish the output container or HDR color interpretation. Select the delivery bitrate for your intended destination and inspect the encoded result rather than applying a fixed minimum.
7. Click Export and verify the output on an HDR-capable display. Don't judge HDR results on an SDR monitor.

HDR Export and Playback Troubleshooting

If an HDR export looks washed out or differs from the preview, check the file properties and playback chain before changing conversion settings. A preview/export mismatch alone does not identify a model defect.

1. Compare source and export properties. Inspect the codec, bit depth, bitrate, duration, and frame rate. A smaller file can reflect different encoding settings; file size or 10-bit encoding alone does not establish correct HDR output.
2. Inspect color interpretation. Check color primaries, transfer-function tags, and matrix coefficients together with the selected output path. Interpret a ProRes intermediate or EXR sequence according to its intended color space rather than assuming it is a delivery-ready HDR file.
3. Check the display and application. Enable the display's HDR mode and confirm that the player or editor interprets the export correctly. SDR tone mapping can make the same HDR file look different.
4. Compare a representative short clip consistently. Use the same player, display, and viewing settings for each export. Inspect highlights, shadows, skin tones, and fine detail before rendering the full video.

Pricing & Trial (2026 Subscription)

Topaz Video is the active subscription successor to Topaz Video AI. New licenses for the legacy app are discontinued; existing perpetual licenses are separate from successor subscriptions. The annual plans below are billed upfront.

Topaz Video pricing, as of November 2026.

The Topaz Studio bundle costs $499/year upfront and combines its image and video apps. Demo: Topaz offers a 30-day watermarked demo for evaluating the appearance of SDR-to-HDR conversion. The watermark does not make it impossible to fully evaluate the converted appearance, but demo exports are not clean production deliverables.

Drawbacks of Using Topaz SDR to HDR

No tool is perfect — even one as powerful as the Topaz Hyperion model. While the feature set and results can be impressive, several drawbacks are worth considering before you jump in:

• Subscription Pricing Adds Up: The $299/year subscription means you're making a long-term investment. For hobbyists or those on a tight budget, this quickly becomes a pain point, especially compared to one-time-purchase competitors.
• Highlights and Color Need Inspection: The example images show lifted shadows, stronger saturation, and bright highlights. Inspect those areas in a representative short export rather than assuming every Hyperion generation produces the same look. Legacy controls can adjust exposure and saturation; Hyperion 2 and 2.5 use a parameter-free workflow.
• Conversion Is Not Native HDR Capture: SDR-to-HDR processing estimates an expanded tonal range from the SDR source. Compare fine textures, skin tones, and highlight transitions with your source and intended look before finishing.
• Model and Output Selection: Hyperion 2 and 2.5 remove the legacy slider workflow, but you still need to select the appropriate model and output route. ProRes and EXR intermediates require suitable color interpretation and a finishing export for delivery.
• Model-Specific Hardware Requirements: Hyperion 2 and 2.5 support local Apple Silicon processing with model-specific memory requirements. Preview a representative short clip on your own hardware before scheduling the full render; GPU generation alone does not determine conversion time.

For documentary or archival work, preserve the SDR master and inspect a short HDR export through the intended playback chain before rendering the full file.

UniFab HDR10 Conversion Offers Local Windows Processing

UniFab HDR Upconverter AI supports SDR-to-HDR10 conversion with local Windows processing. Its local Windows module also supports Dolby Vision output; that capability does not extend to FabCloud.

The module is included in UniFab All-In-One. Local HDR processing is limited to Windows; Mac users can use FabCloud, which requires uploading the source footage.

Why UniFab HDR Fits This Workflow

Choose local Windows processing when you want to keep source footage on your own machine. FabCloud is a separate upload-based option for Mac users.

• HDR processing modes: High Quality and Fast let you choose a processing mode for your HDR conversion.

Topaz Hyperion vs UniFab HDR: Workflow Comparison

Current Topaz Video offers Hyperion 2 and 2.5 workflows for producing intermediates for grading and finishing. These differ from the legacy Topaz Video AI workflow. UniFab HDR Upconverter AI provides a local Windows HDR conversion route, while its Mac option uses FabCloud uploads and separately purchased cloud credits.

Reading the example: Compare highlight detail, shadow contrast and color balance in the image below. The illustrated differences describe this scene, not a quality ranking for every Hyperion generation or source clip.

Quality Comparison

In the landscape example, the Topaz-labeled image shows brighter distant trees and stonework, with highlights that appear clipped. Contrast around the foreground monument and nearest tree is weaker than in the native HDR reference. The UniFab-labeled image shows less pronounced brightness and contrast changes in this scene. Check these areas in a representative short export before committing to the full render.

For grading or compositing, Topaz's model-specific intermediate route adds a color-interpretation and finishing step before delivery.

Speed Comparison

UniFab HDR Upconverter AI offers High Quality and Fast processing modes. Compare a representative short clip in both modes for detail retention and processing time before rendering the full file. For Topaz, preview the selected Hyperion generation using the intended output route: model choice, source resolution, hardware and additional processing all affect render time.

5-Year TCO Comparison

Assuming the Topaz Video Personal annual price stays at $299, 5 years would total $1,495 before taxes and optional cloud costs. This is a constant-price example, not a future-price guarantee.

GPU-based workflows also affect the processing route: AI GPUs can upgrade SDR to HDR, but rendering time depends on the selected model, source footage and hardware.

My Verdict

Choose Topaz Video with Hyperion 2 or 2.5 if your finishing workflow calls for a ProRes intermediate or, with Pro, an EXR image sequence. Select the model and output route together, then confirm how your grading application interprets the exported color information.

Choose UniFab HDR Upconverter AI for local Windows SDR-to-HDR10 conversion when you want to keep source footage on your computer. For Mac, FabCloud provides a separate upload-based route with separately charged cloud credits.

My recommendation in this UniFab vs Topaz choice is to match the output route to your editor and delivery requirements, rather than choose by a brighter preview alone. Preview a representative short clip before rendering the full project. The accompanying video shows the two tools side by side:

Conclusion

A usable SDR-to-HDR conversion needs more than brighter highlights: the exported file must have the right color interpretation and play correctly through your intended HDR playback chain. Choose the model-specific output route, inspect a short export, and confirm the result on an HDR-capable display before rendering the full project.

Process only footage you own or are authorized to use, for lawful personal backups or personal use, without unauthorized redistribution. Follow applicable law and the relevant tools' and services' terms; you are responsible for content permissions, and specific requirements depend on your use case.

FAQs about Topaz SDR to HDR

Is Topaz HDR free?

No. The current Topaz Video product offers subscription access and a 30-day watermarked demo. Existing perpetual Topaz Video AI licenses are separate from subscriptions to its successor, Topaz Video; new licenses for the legacy app are no longer sold. Watermarked demo exports let you assess the converted appearance, but the watermark remains in the exported video.

Does Topaz Video AI output Dolby Vision?

The Hyperion workflows discussed here do not provide Dolby Vision metadata. Hyperion 2 and 2.5 offer ProRes video or EXR image-sequence output for finishing; these intermediates are distinct from Topaz for Web's H.265 Main10 delivery route. If your workflow specifically requires Dolby Vision (some streaming platforms and premium consumer TVs), UniFab HDR Upconverter AI supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision output on its local Windows app.

Does Topaz HDR work on Mac (Apple Silicon)?

Yes. Hyperion 2 and 2.5 support local processing on Apple Silicon Macs, with model-specific memory requirements. Preview a representative short clip on your Mac before rendering the full video to assess processing time and the exported result. UniFab HDR Upconverter AI offers Mac users a separate FabCloud processing route that requires uploading source footage and uses separately purchased cloud credits.

Is Topaz Hyperion HDR safe for color-managed pipelines?

Hyperion can be part of a color-managed workflow, but conversion and finishing are separate stages. For Hyperion 2 and 2.5, interpret the ProRes video or EXR image sequence in your grading application using the color space and transfer function specified for the selected output path. HDR display playback and SDR tone mapping can produce different appearances, so compare the exported clip through the intended playback chain. For broadcast or streaming pipelines that need to match native HDR, validate with a colorist before finalizing.

Can I undo Topaz HDR conversion?

The HDR render is a separate output; converting it back to SDR does not restore an identical copy of the original. Always keep your original SDR master. If you need to compare HDR vs SDR, render the SDR master separately for the SDR delivery and the Hyperion-converted file for the HDR delivery.

Why did my HDR export change file size?

File size depends on bitrate, codec, duration, and frame rate together. A 10-bit file alone does not prove that HDR color interpretation is correct; inspect the selected output route and playback chain as well.