A data translation system and method. This invention provides a reverse approach to implement a M bit input to N bit output cumulative/monotonic transfer function (where M>N) by a (2**N)×M bit memory instead of the conventional (2**M)×N bit memory. The invention offers substantial circuit size savings without compromising on transfer function resolution and is independent of transfer function mapping algorithms. The M bit memory content of the reverse LUT contains input video group information for each output level and the (2**N) addresses of the reverse LUT represent the corresponding transfer function output levels. This data to address representation of the input to output relationship is exactly opposite to the conventional address to data format. Search and compare methods are employed to locate the input video group that the incoming video belongs to and the associated address of the reverse LUT represents the output.