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ARW at a glance
ARW
As Sony expanded from consumer electronics into serious camera bodies and sensors, ARW became part of the broader shift that put Sony raw support on the critical path for many photo applications.
PFM Raw at a glance
PFM Raw
PFM persists from the era when HDR imaging, rendering research, and tone-mapping workflows needed straightforward file carriers for floating-point image data long before mainstream consumer HDR delivery formats matured.
Format comparison
| Feature | ARW | PFM Raw |
|---|---|---|
| File type | Image | Image |
| Extensions |
|
|
| MIME type |
|
|
| Compression / quality | raw | depends |
| File size characteristics | large | medium |
| Compatibility | limited | broad |
| Editability | high | moderate |
| Created year | 2006 | 1998 |
| Inventor | Sony | PBRT / Paul Debevec community |
| Status | proprietary | active |
| Transparency | Not supported | Not supported |
| Animation | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary use cases |
|
|
| Common software |
|
|
| Archival suitability | strong | moderate |
| Metadata handling | rich | moderate |
| Delivery profile | limited | strong |
| Workflow fit | source | delivery |
| Layer support | Not supported | Not supported |
| Vector scaling | Not supported | Not supported |
| Camera raw data | Supported | Not supported |
| HDR support | Not supported | Supported |
| Streaming ready | Not supported | Not supported |
When to use each format
When to use ARW
- capture ingest
- editing
- web or print delivery
- Preserve capture-stage sensor information.
When to use PFM Raw
- capture ingest
- editing
- web or print delivery
- Stores floating-point pixel data directly.
FAQs
Why convert ARW to PFM Raw?
Choose PFM Raw as target when HDR rendering, tone-mapping, or scientific-imaging workflows need floating-point pixel values to survive intact between tools.
What changes when converting ARW to PFM Raw?
Convert to PFM raw when HDR rendering, tone-mapping, or scientific-imaging workflows need floating-point pixel values to survive intact between tools. It is especially useful as an intermediate format for graphics research, physically based rendering, and analytical image-processing pipelines that operate on scene-referred data.
What should I review after converting ARW to PFM Raw?
After conversion, review these destination checks: Open converted output in ImageMagick and verify behavior on real samples; Compare output against the expected depends quality profile; Weak formal standardization and uneven parser behavior.
How can I keep quality stable in ARW to PFM Raw conversion?
Run representative samples, keep settings deterministic, and monitor these risks: Poor fit for mainstream publishing and consumer software; Weak formal standardization and uneven parser behavior; Validate destination compatibility before large-batch conversion.