File format · RAW

.ARW — Sony ARW

Sony Alpha RAW, used by α DSLRs/SLTs and E-mount cameras, with uncompressed, lossless and lossy options.

.arw
File extension
RAW
Type
12–14-bit
Bit depth
2006
Introduced
R/W
ExifTool support (R/W/C)

What is a .arw file?#

Sony Alpha RAW, used by α DSLRs/SLTs and E-mount cameras, with uncompressed, lossless and lossy options.

Made by: Sony.

Advantages#

  • Lossless compressed option on modern bodies

Drawbacks#

  • Older lossy mode could show artefacts

How to open and convert it#

Open & edit: Adobe Lightroom / Camera Raw, Capture One, DxO PhotoLab, darktable and RawTherapee (free), or the manufacturer's own free software. Windows and macOS preview most RAW formats natively after updates.

Convert: Adobe DNG Converter (free) turns proprietary RAW into DNG; any RAW editor exports JPEG or 16-bit TIFF.

See all Sony cameras.

Read metadata: exiftool file.arw — see the EXIF tag reference.

Best for: Sony cameras.

Other RAW formats#

.3fr.arq.cr2.cr3.crm.cs1.czi.dcr.dng.erf.fff.gpr.iiq.k25.kdc.mef.mos.mrw.nef.nrw.pef.r3d.raf.raw

Frequently asked questions#

What opens .arw files?

Open & edit: Adobe Lightroom / Camera Raw, Capture One, DxO PhotoLab, darktable and RawTherapee (free), or the manufacturer's own free software. Windows and macOS preview most RAW formats natively after updates.

Convert: Adobe DNG Converter (free) turns proprietary RAW into DNG; any RAW editor exports JPEG or 16-bit TIFF.

See all Sony cameras.

Is .arw a RAW file?

Yes — it stores minimally processed sensor data from Sony cameras.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources