Techniques are provided for increasing storage capacity in a holographic storage system. While typical holographic storage systems involve binary storage for each data position in a holographic disk, present techniques involve storing data such that more than two data levels may be recorded in each data position. In some embodiments, a recording beam directed to the disk may be adjusted to different power levels depending on the data level to be recorded. Furthermore, the recording time at a data position may be adjusted to increase the energy directed to the data position by increasing the amount of time the recording beam is impinged on the data position. Embodiments are suitable for different types of holographic storage, including dye-based medium.