About RAW Files
Generic RAW Image
RAW 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.
Family
Raster & Vector Images
Extension
.raw
MIME Type
image/x-raw
Can Use As
52 41 57 46 00 01 00 00 4B 41 49 4A
ASCII: RAWF....KAIJ
📈 Target Minimum File Size (Guaranteed ≥ KB)
Lossless JPEG Q100 + standard COM segment padding for government & exam portals
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HOW RAW CAME TO BE.
RAW is not one format — it’s a category. The term dates back to the Kodak DCS 100 (1991), the first commercial digital SLR, which stored unprocessed sensor data in a vendor-specific container. Every subsequent digital camera added its own raw format (Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF/NRW, Sony ARW, Fuji RAF, Olympus ORF, Panasonic RW2, Leica DNG, Pentax PEF, Sigma X3F…) — over 40 distinct raw dialects exist in 2026.
The generic .raw extension, when encountered, almost always comes from a very old camera (Panasonic pre-2008, Kodak/Leica legacy, Fuji pre-2003) or a scientific/industrial imaging tool. Modern cameras use their own branded extension. Practitioners and raw processors use "raw" as shorthand for the entire family.
Technical Specifications
- 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 Sizes & Weights
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
STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS.
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
- 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.
CURIOSITIES & TRIVIA.
Over 40 distinct raw camera formats exist in 2026 — each manufacturer fiercely protects its own dialect.
The first commercial digital SLR, the Kodak DCS 100 (1991), already stored raw sensor data — the concept is as old as digital photography.
Raw files are often called "digital negatives" because they contain unprocessed sensor data, like a film negative before development.
Converting raw files to DNG is the most common way to consolidate a library that spans multiple camera brands.
Raw files weigh 2-6× more than equivalent JPEGs because they store one value per sensor pixel at full bit depth, without demosaicing.
Specialized Utilities for .RAW Files
Compress Image to 20KB
Compress signature scans, stamp images, and ID photos to strictly ≤ 20 KB (20,000 bytes) for strict online exam and government application portals using binary-search JPEG quantization.
Compress Image to 50KB
Compress JPG, PNG, or WebP photos to strictly under 50 KB (50,000 bytes) for passport portals, university admissions, civil service forms, and KYC uploads without changing pixel dimensions.
Compress JPG to 100 KB
Upload a JPG and download a decodable JPG at or below 100,000 bytes. If the limit cannot be reached, no output is offered.
Crop Image & Photo Resizer
Crop and resize JPG, PNG, WEBP, and AVIF images to exact pixel dimensions, social media aspect ratios, or custom print DPI online for free.
Resize Image
Resize images to exact dimensions or scale by percentage. Lock aspect ratio to prevent distortion. Supports all common image formats.
PNG Compressor — Reduce PNG Size Preserving Transparency
Compress PNG images up to 80% while preserving full alpha-channel transparency, or lock exact file size targets (20 KB, 50 KB, 100 KB).
WEBP Compressor — Optimize WebP for Core Web Vitals
Compress WEBP images for ultra-fast page loads and Lighthouse scores with fine-grained quality sliders and exact byte targets.
Favicon Generator — Multi-Resolution .ICO from PNG, SVG or WEBP
Generate a production-ready multi-resolution favicon.ico containing 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 64x64, 128x128, and 256x256 alpha layers from any logo.
EXIF Metadata Remover
Strip hidden GPS coordinates, camera serial numbers, timestamps, and XMP/IPTC metadata from JPG, PNG, WebP, and TIFF photos before sharing online.
Image to Text (OCR)
Extract text from images using optical character recognition. Supports photos of documents, screenshots, receipts, and handwritten notes in 100+ languages.
JPG to Word Converter (OCR)
Convert scanned JPG, PNG, and WEBP images into editable Microsoft Word (DOCX) documents using 12-language optical character recognition (OCR).
CONVERT FROM RAW
Common Use Cases
Photography post-processing, professional camera output, maximum edit flexibility
Related Formats
Popular comparisons
RAW vs JPG
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
RAW vs PNG
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
RAW vs WEBP
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
RAW vs AVIF
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
RAW vs GIF
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
RAW vs BMP
Differences, file size, and when to choose each format.
Popular RAW conversions
The most-requested destinations when starting from RAW.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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.
It depends on the task. JPG is the smallest file size for photographs; PNG is lossless with transparency; RAW has its own niche that may favour colour depth, animation, or encoding efficiency over one or both of those. For the final web publish, test all three and measure file size plus visible quality on real content.
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High-throughput enterprise pipeline for files up to 2,048 MB, 50-file batches, ISO PDF/A, and priority processing.
Convert thousands of camera RAW files (CR3, NEF, ARW) to WebP, AVIF, or TIFF in one pass.
GPU-accelerated RAW development with end-to-end 16-bit ICC color profile management.