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HDR at a glance
HDR
HDR raster formats became important in rendering and lighting workflows before consumer-facing HDR delivery stories matured in mainstream media formats.
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.
Format comparison
| Feature | HDR | ARW |
|---|---|---|
| File type | Image | Image |
| Extensions |
|
|
| MIME type |
|
|
| Compression / quality | depends | raw |
| File size characteristics | medium | large |
| Compatibility | broad | limited |
| Editability | moderate | high |
| Created year | 1989 | 2006 |
| Inventor | Greg Ward | Sony |
| Status | active | proprietary |
| Transparency | Not supported | Not supported |
| Animation | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary use cases |
|
|
| Common software |
|
|
| Archival suitability | moderate | strong |
| Metadata handling | moderate | rich |
| Delivery profile | strong | limited |
| Workflow fit | delivery | source |
| Layer support | Not supported | Not supported |
| Vector scaling | Not supported | Not supported |
| Camera raw data | Not supported | Supported |
| HDR support | Supported | Not supported |
| Streaming ready | Not supported | Not supported |
When to use each format
When to use HDR
- capture ingest
- editing
- web or print delivery
- Supports workflows where dynamic range matters more than consumer display compatibility.
When to use ARW
- capture ingest
- editing
- web or print delivery
- Preserve capture-stage sensor information.
FAQs
Why convert HDR to ARW?
Choose ARW as target when preserving Sony camera originals or returning processed material to a Sony raw workflow.
What changes when converting HDR to ARW?
Convert to ARW when preserving Sony camera originals or returning processed material to a Sony raw workflow. It is useful for archival retention, high-latitude editing, and non-destructive photographic post-processing.
What should I review after converting HDR to ARW?
After conversion, review these destination checks: Open converted output in vendor photo software and verify behavior on real samples; Compare output against the expected raw quality profile; Compatibility often depends on vendor or decoder support.
How can I keep quality stable in HDR to ARW conversion?
Run representative samples, keep settings deterministic, and monitor these risks: They are source formats, not publication-ready outputs; Compatibility often depends on vendor or decoder support; Validate destination compatibility before large-batch conversion.