How to Convert Camera RAW Files: CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG Explained

Professional and enthusiast photographers shoot in RAW format because it preserves all the data captured by the camera sensor before any in-camera processing is applied. RAW files give photographers maximum control over the final image in post-processing. They also create a significant compatibility problem: RAW files cannot be opened by most standard image applications without specialised software.

What Is a Camera RAW File?

A RAW file is the unprocessed data captured by a camera sensor — the digital equivalent of a film negative. Unlike JPEG, which applies the camera's built-in processing (sharpening, noise reduction, white balance, colour correction) and discards the rest of the data, RAW preserves everything the sensor captured. This gives the photographer complete control over every aspect of the final image during post-processing.

Different camera manufacturers use different proprietary RAW formats:

• CR2 / CR3 — Canon cameras
• NEF — Nikon cameras
• ARW — Sony cameras
• ORF — Olympus cameras
• RW2 — Panasonic cameras
• DNG — Adobe's open standard (used by Leica, Pentax, some others)
• RAF — Fujifilm cameras

Why Browsers Cannot Open RAW Files

Browser JavaScript has no built-in capability to decode any of these proprietary RAW formats. They require the manufacturer's SDK, LibRaw, or rawpy — specialised C libraries that implement the complex demosaicing algorithms needed to convert sensor data into a viewable image. None of these are available in browser environments.

How FlipFiles Pro Converts RAW Files

FlipFiles Pro uses rawpy — a Python library that wraps LibRaw, the industry-standard open-source library for RAW image decoding. It supports all major RAW formats and implements the full RAW processing pipeline:

1. Demosaicing — Converting the sensor's Bayer pattern data into RGB pixels
2. White balance — Applying the camera's recorded white balance (use_camera_wb=True)
3. Colour correction — Applying the camera's colour profile
4. Tone curve — Adjusting overall brightness and contrast
5. Output sharpening — Light sharpening optimised for the output resolution