Supported Image Formats
| Format | Description | Compatibility | Pros | Cons | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARW Sony RAW |
Uncompressed RAW sensor data | Sony cameras, Lightroom | Maximum quality, full edit control | Large files, requires RAW software | View ARW Options |
| BMP Bitmap Image |
Uncompressed raster | Windows, basic editors | Simple, lossless | Huge files, no compression | View BMP Options |
| CR2 Canon RAW |
Uncompressed RAW sensor data | Canon cameras, Lightroom | Max quality, rich metadata | Large, needs RAW converter | View CR2 Options |
| DNG Adobe RAW |
Open RAW format | Most RAW editors | Standardized, editable | Still large, conversion step | View DNG Options |
| GIF Graphics Interchange |
8-bit palette with animation | All browsers, social | Animation support, small | 256-color limit, dated | View GIF Options |
| JPG JPEG |
Lossy photo compression | Universal | Small files, fast decode | Artifacts, lossy | View JPG Options |
| PNG Portable Network |
Lossless raster, alpha | Web, design | Transparency, crisp | Large vs JPG | View PNG Options |
| PEF Pentax RAW |
Uncompressed RAW | Pentax cameras | High fidelity | Large, proprietary | View PEF Options |
| NEF Nikon RAW |
Uncompressed RAW | Nikon cameras | Full dynamic range | Huge files | View NEF Options |
| ORF Olympus RAW |
Uncompressed RAW | Olympus cameras | Max quality | Proprietary, large | View ORF Options |
| WebP Google WebP |
Modern lossy/lossless | Modern browsers | Small size, alpha | Legacy support limited | View WebP Options |
| RAF Fujifilm RAW |
Uncompressed RAW | Fujifilm cameras | High fidelity | Large, specialized | View RAF Options |
| RW2 Panasonic RAW |
Uncompressed RAW | Panasonic cameras | Maximum detail | Huge files | View RW2 Options |
| HEIC HEIF Image |
Efficient lossy/lossless | iOS, modern OS | High quality, small | Limited support | View HEIC Options |
| ICO Icon Image |
Windows icon | Windows, browsers | Multiple sizes | Not for photos | View ICO Options |
| TIFF Tagged Image File |
High-quality raster | Publishing, print | Lossless, multipage | Large files, complex | View TIFF Options |
Quick Conversions: PNG to JPG | JPG to PNG
What Are Image Formats?
Image formats differ by compression (lossy vs lossless), color depth, metadata support, and intended use. RAW formats preserve sensor data for editing; raster formats like JPG and PNG are optimized for web and general viewing.
RAW vs Raster
RAW: full sensor data, maximal flexibility.
Raster: processed pixels, ready-to-use.
Lossy vs Lossless
Lossy (JPG, WebP): smaller size, some quality loss.
Lossless (PNG, TIFF): perfect fidelity, larger files.
Specialized
GIF: animations;
ICO: icons;
HEIC: modern mobile; TIFF: print/publishing.
When to Use Each Format
Choose JPG When:
- Photographs – small size, good quality
- Web use – universal support
Choose PNG When:
- Transparency – logos, graphics
- Lossless detail – text, screenshots
Choose WebP When:
- Modern web – efficient, supports alpha
- Bandwidth savings – smaller than PNG/JPG
Choose RAW (ARW, CR2, NEF, etc.) When:
- Professional editing – maximal dynamic range
- Future-proof archiving – full sensor data
Choose TIFF When:
- Print/publishing – multipage, high fidelity
- Archival lossless – preserves all detail