Waveform Monitor
A display plotting the brightness of an image against its horizontal position, used to judge exposure precisely.
Measured in
IRE
In depth
Unlike a histogram, a waveform preserves spatial information: the shape shows not just how much of each tone is present but where in the frame it sits, so a bright window on the left is immediately identifiable. Values run from 0 to 100 IRE, with skin conventionally placed between 55 and 70.
Examples in practice
The waveform shows a subject's face at 65 IRE while a window on the right pushes past 100 and clips.