ARW to PDF
Turn a Sony ARW camera capture into a one-page PDF proof. It is developed to 8-bit sRGB, so keep the ARW for raw edits and full tonal latitude.
Format Comparison & Technical Specifications
| Specification | ARW | |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/x-sony-arw | application/pdf |
| Type | Sony camera RAW | document container |
| Compression | Sony ARW compressed / uncompressed 14-bit raw | Flate / JPEG / JBIG2 / CCITT |
| Standard Specification | Sony ARW 2.3 Specification | ISO 32000-2:2020 |
| Magic Bytes Header | 49 49 2A 00 (TIFF with Sony MakerNote) | 25 50 44 46 (%PDF) |
Format Overview & Applications
Sony shooters can keep exposure and color decisions in their raw editor; a PDF is useful when a producer only needs a particular developed frame for comments.
Technical Specifications & Codec Breakdown
LibRaw demosaics the ARW with adaptive homogeneity-directed processing, applies camera white balance and camera color matrix, orients pixels, and emits 8-bit sRGB channels before PNG embedding.
OS & Browser Compatibility
Sony Imaging Edge or a raw editor can adjust the ARW capture; colleagues who only need to review the developed view can open its PDF page.
Useful info
Make exposure and white-balance decisions in the raw editor before sharing a final proof; this path develops with camera white balance and does not provide adjustment controls.
Format Comparison & Technical Specifications
A 6000×4000 Sony Alpha frame in a client proof occupies 40×26.7 inches at 150 dpi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ARW stay at its sensor bit depth?
The LibRaw call emits 8 bits per output channel in sRGB after demosaicing, so the PDF page is a developed image rather than raw sensor data.
What happens to the camera orientation?
LibRaw is configured to apply the file orientation, so its decoded pixels are upright before they are placed on the page.
Should I send the PDF instead of the ARW to the retoucher?
Send the ARW when further raw edits are expected; the page is useful as a reference for the requested look.