Brighter than SDR white
Sunlight, windows, skies, and reflections can render brighter than SDR white on an HDR-capable display.
For X100 & GR photographers · macOS
Your JPEG has the look. HDR adds the light.
SDR can only show so much. ToneLatch combines your finished JPEG with its matching RAW to add brighter highlights on HDR displays while keeping your JPEG look intact. A few clicks. No re-editing.
Real display HDR. Not the tone-mapped “HDR look.”
- Photos stay on your Mac
- No account or uploads
- macOS 14+ · Apple silicon
Live Ultra HDRWhy ToneLatch
More light.
Same JPEG.
For years, photographers graded for print or SDR screens. HDR displays are a new destination, with room for highlights above SDR white. Sharing only SDR leaves that extra range unused. ToneLatch creates an Ultra HDR version while preserving the JPEG's established look—and the same file still contains a standard SDR JPEG fallback for screens and apps that don't support HDR.
Your JPEG stays in charge
Your film simulation, recipe, or grade remains the visible base. The matching RAW supplies highlight information, not a new look.
Skip the HDR edit
No curves, masks, or Lightroom round-trip. Choose the pair, set the strength, and export.
How it works
Select. Click. Done.
ToneLatch keeps it simple: choose your pairs, set the HDR strength, and export.
Select
Choose a folder of matching RAW+JPEG pairs from your Fujifilm X100 or Ricoh GR.
Click
ToneLatch finds the pairs. Choose the photos you want, then set the HDR strength—or keep the default.
Done
Export Ultra HDR or Native HDR. Your source files are never overwritten.
Designed first for Fujifilm X100 series and Ricoh GR series files. Other camera systems may work, but aren't officially supported—try Basic before buying Plus.
The proof
Same JPEG look.
More highlight headroom.
Look at the brightest windows, reflections, and sunlit surfaces—not saturation or contrast.Every Ultra HDR export also contains a standard SDR JPEG for viewers that don't support HDR.
To see HDR here: use a current Safari or Chrome browser on an HDR-capable display. If the pairs look nearly identical, you're seeing the SDR fallback.
SDR JPEG
Ultra HDR
Swipe to compare SDR and Ultra HDR
Sunlit storefront and hard shadow edge
Direct sun and window reflections gain HDR headroom while the Provia JPEG remains the visible base.
SDR JPEG
Ultra HDR
Swipe to compare SDR and Ultra HDR
Window-lit woodshop portrait
Bright window panes gain separation against the shop interior while the Acros JPEG remains the picture.
SDR JPEG
Ultra HDR
Swipe to compare SDR and Ultra HDR
Cathedral aisle and vaulted light
Ceiling highlights and chapel openings lift while the warm Positive Film JPEG stays the visible base.
SDR JPEG
Ultra HDR
Swipe to compare SDR and Ultra HDR
Downtown steps in monochrome sun
Sunlit concrete and bright leaves gain extra headroom while the Monotone JPEG keeps its crisp contrast.
HDR display checkNot sure whether you are seeing real HDR?
In a working HDR setup, the TEST text and the brightest gradients should rise beyond the neutral gray base. If the pattern looks flat, you are seeing its standard SDR JPEG.
Compatibility
Where the extra light shows
- Safari 26+ or Chrome with an HDR display
- Google Photos on recent Android devices
- macOS Preview on an XDR display
Free & Plus
Create HDR for free.
Add finishing tools with Plus.
Start free with Basic. Choose Plus when you need its editor, geometry matching, and export presets.
Core HDR workflow
ToneLatch Basic
Free
RAW+JPEG in. Real HDR JPEG out. Everything you need to start is included.
- Ultra HDR JPEG with a built-in SDR fallback
- Native HDR export for compatible viewers
- Batch export for up to 150 matched pairs
- Local processing — no account or uploads
Separate Mac app
ToneLatch Plus
US$9.99 launch price
The same HDR workflow, plus editing and smarter matching for JPEGs you've already cropped or straightened.
- Everything in Basic, plus RAW+HEIF import
- Crop, straighten, keystone, and border editor
- Geometry matching for cropped or rotated JPEGs
- 2048px web and framed 1080px social exports
FAQ
Before you export.
What files and Mac do I need?
ToneLatch requires macOS 14 or later on a Mac with Apple silicon, plus matching RAW and JPEG files. It is designed first for Fujifilm X100 series and Ricoh GR series workflows. Plus can also import supported HEIF, HEIC, and HIF pairs. Other camera systems are best-effort.
Do my photos leave my Mac?
No. ToneLatch processes photo content locally, requires no account, and does not upload your images for HDR processing. It writes new exports and does not overwrite your source files.
What is the difference between Basic and Plus?
Basic is free and includes Ultra HDR and Native HDR export for batches of already-aligned RAW+JPEG pairs. Plus is a separate paid Mac app that adds an editor, HEIF import, web and social export presets, and geometry-aware matching for JPEGs you already cropped, rotated, or straightened.
What do Ultra HDR and Native HDR mean?
Ultra HDR is a gain-map JPEG: compatible viewers reveal the extra highlight light, while other viewers display its conventional SDR JPEG base. Native HDR is a true HDR file for displays and viewers that read HDR directly. ToneLatch can export either format.
Where does HDR actually show?
HDR needs both an HDR-capable display and a viewer that understands the file. Current Safari and Chrome releases can render HDR images on compatible displays, Google Photos is a reliable option on recent Android devices, and macOS Preview can show ToneLatch output on XDR displays. Support still varies by device and software.
What scenes work best?
Look for scenes with bright highlights: skies, sunlit windows, reflections, water, snow, stage lights, neon, and hard shadow transitions. Flat, low-contrast scenes will look more subtle because there is less highlight headroom to reveal.
How should I tune the HDR strength?
Start with the default strength, then adjust for the scene. Some photos want a gentle lift; others can carry more highlight punch. Judge the final export in an HDR-capable viewer because an SDR screen only shows the standard JPEG base.
Will this change my camera colors?
ToneLatch uses your JPEG as the visible base and adds HDR highlight information from the matching RAW. It is designed to preserve the film simulation, recipe, image control, or grade you chose rather than replace it with a new RAW rendering.
Does it replace Lightroom?
No. ToneLatch is a focused tool for photographers who already like their JPEG rendering and want HDR highlight light without taking on a full HDR editing workflow.
Will it work with interchangeable-lens cameras?
Sometimes, but they are not the primary support target. Lens correction can be applied differently to a JPEG and its RAW, which may cause edge alignment differences. If you are outside the X100 or GR families, try the free Basic app first.
What about Apple Photos or Preview?
In our testing, macOS Preview on an XDR display renders HDR highlights for ToneLatch output. Apple Photos and other viewers can still vary by OS, device, display, and file type. If a viewer does not render the HDR layer, an Ultra HDR file displays its normal SDR JPEG base.
Your JPEG already has the look
Give it the light.
Start free with ToneLatch Basic. Your first HDR export is only a few clicks away—and your photos stay on your Mac.