Nits

A nit is one candela per square metre (cd/m²), a unit of absolute display brightness. It’s the currency of HDR because HDR is graded in absolute terms: 203 nits isn’t “some percentage of white,” it’s a specific amount of light the display must produce, and one nit looks the same regardless of screen size. SDR peaks around 100 nits; HDR masters commonly target 1000 nits, sometimes 4000. The shift to absolute nits is what lets PQ guarantee your grade looks the same on every correctly set-up display, and it’s why HDR “removes” the concepts of pure white and black — you have a deep range of darks below mid-tone and a wide range of speculars above it, measured in real light. A delivery spec’s nit target tells you how big your box is.

First used in: 3.6 · HDR grading