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ARW converter

An .arw file is a Sony Alpha RAW photograph holding unprocessed sensor data from Sony's mirrorless and DSLR cameras. Since Sony sensors also power much of the industry, .arw files from bodies like the a7 series are among the most common RAW files in circulation today.

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Drop ARW files here

Batch files can each use a different output. Nothing uploads for local conversions.

Working inputs include camera RAW, browser-local audio/video, PDF, CBZ/CBR comics, office documents, ebooks, markup, 3D models, structured text, images, and archives.

Where ARW comes from

Sony introduced ARW with the Alpha line it launched in 2006 after acquiring Konica Minolta's camera business, whose engineering underpinned the first a100. For years Sony offered only a lossy compressed mode, drawing criticism from professionals, until uncompressed RAW arrived in 2015 firmware and a true lossless compressed option debuted with the a7 IV generation in 2021.

How ARW works

  • TIFF-based layout carrying Bayer mosaic data at 12 or 14 bits per photosite
  • Sony's classic compressed mode uses delta encoding within 16-pixel blocks (roughly 11+7-bit), which can rarely produce edge artifacts in extreme contrast
  • Uncompressed and, on newer bodies, lossless compressed modes eliminate that concern at larger file sizes
  • Pixel Shift Multi Shooting composites combine 4 or 16 exposures for full color sampling at every site
  • 14-bit readout drops to 12-bit in some continuous-drive and silent-shutter modes

When to use ARW

  • Raw development from Sony a1/a7/a9/a6000-series and RX cameras
  • High-dynamic-range landscape work leaning on Sony sensors' shadow latitude
  • Pixel-shift studio captures for maximum resolution product photography

Strengths and limitations

Strengths

  • Exceptional dynamic range and shadow recovery from modern Sony sensors
  • Multiple compression choices balance file size against absolute fidelity
  • Massive user base ensures immediate third-party support for new bodies

Limitations

  • Legacy lossy-only compression on older bodies occasionally shows artifacts under heavy editing
  • Mode-dependent bit depth reductions are easy to trigger unknowingly
  • Substantial storage requirements, especially uncompressed 60-megapixel files

Compatibility

All major raw processors — Lightroom, Capture One (which has a special relationship with Sony), DxO, darktable — support ARW, and OS-level codecs on Windows and macOS preview most variants. As with every vendor RAW, browsers offer nothing natively; client-side web conversion goes through LibRaw in WebAssembly.

Standard EXIF plus Sony MakerNotes covering lens corrections, focus data, and camera settings; XMP edits are typically stored in sidecar files by raw editors.

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