PNG vs RAW
A detailed comparison of PNG Image and Generic RAW Image — file size, quality, compatibility, and which format to choose for your workflow.
PNG Image
Raster & Vector ImagesPNG is a lossless image format that supports transparency. It is ideal for graphics, logos, screenshots, and any image where preserving exact pixel data is important.
About PNG filesGeneric RAW Image
Raster & Vector ImagesRAW is a generic term for files containing minimally processed data from a camera image sensor. Various camera manufacturers use proprietary RAW variants, but the term broadly refers to any unprocessed sensor capture that retains maximum editing flexibility.
About RAW filesStrengths Comparison
PNG Strengths
- Lossless compression — every save preserves the original pixels perfectly.
- Full 8-bit alpha channel for smooth transparency.
- Excellent for text, UI screenshots, logos, and line art.
- Royalty-free and an ISO standard (ISO/IEC 15948).
- Supports 16-bit color depth for high-fidelity work.
RAW Strengths
- Every bit of sensor data preserved for post-processing latitude.
- Higher bit depth (12-16 bits) than JPEG (8-bit) — smoother gradients.
- Non-destructive editing in raw processors.
- Rich metadata (EXIF, makernotes, camera settings).
Limitations
PNG Limitations
- Much larger than JPEG for photographs (no perceptual compression).
- No native animation in most software (APNG support is inconsistent).
- No CMYK support — web and screen only, not print.
- Metadata capabilities are less rich than JPEG's EXIF.
RAW Limitations
- Proprietary per brand — Canon CR2 will not open in a pure-Canon-free processor.
- Huge files compared to JPEG.
- Requires dedicated software (Lightroom, Capture One, Darktable, etc.).
- No universal standard — DNG aims to solve this but adoption is partial.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | PNG | RAW |
|---|---|---|
| MIME type | image/png | — |
| Compression | Lossless — DEFLATE (zlib) | — |
| Color depth | 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 bits per channel | — |
| Max dimensions | 2^31 − 1 pixels per side (2.1 billion) | — |
| Transparency | Full 8-bit alpha channel | — |
| Standard | ISO/IEC 15948:2004 | — |
| MIME types | — | image/x-* (varies by vendor) |
| Common extensions | — | .cr2, .cr3, .nef, .nrw, .arw, .raf, .orf, .rw2, .dng, .pef, .x3f, .raw |
| Bit depth | — | 12-16 bits per pixel |
| Typical containers | — | TIFF/EP variants with vendor makernotes |
| Universal exchange format | — | DNG (Adobe) |
Typical File Sizes
PNG
- Icon or small logo 2–20 KB
- UI screenshot (1920×1080) 200–800 KB
- High-res photo (12 MP) 10–30 MB
- Print-ready illustration 5–50 MB
RAW
- 24 MP raw (APS-C/FF, 14-bit) 25-50 MB
- 45 MP raw (high-end FF) 50-90 MB
- 100 MP medium-format raw 120-200 MB
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Frequently Asked Questions
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless raster image format created in 1996 as a patent-free alternative to GIF. It supports transparency, making it ideal for logos, icons, and web graphics.
RAW (Generic RAW Image) is an image format used to store raster graphics — a two-dimensional grid of pixels describing a picture. It is part of the raster & vector images family and designed around a specific trade-off between file size, visual fidelity, and feature support (transparency, colour depth, compression type). Photographers, web designers, and content creators choose RAW when its particular strengths match the publishing target.
PNG files open natively in all modern operating systems, web browsers, and image editors including Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET, and Canva.
Most desktop photo viewers (Windows Photos, macOS Preview, GIMP, Photoshop, Affinity Photo) open RAW natively. On mobile, iOS Photos and Google Photos display RAW in the gallery when supported by the OS. If the format is rare or new, convert to JPG or PNG first — both are universally readable — using our RAW to JPG or RAW to PNG converter.
WebP offers 26% smaller file sizes than PNG with equivalent quality. Use WebP for web delivery when browser support is sufficient. Use PNG when maximum compatibility or professional editing workflows are needed.
Upload the RAW to KaijuConverter and pick a target format (JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, TIFF, BMP, SVG, PDF). The conversion runs in the browser via ImageMagick and returns a download in seconds. No account or installation required; both input and output delete automatically within two hours.