Reference

PEF (Pentax RAW)

PEF (Pentax Electronic Format) is Pentax’s RAW image format, storing unprocessed sensor data from Pentax cameras. Files are large and need Pentax’s software, Lightroom/Adobe Camera Raw, or conversion to DNG or JPEG to edit and share.

Files & formatsGeneral

PEF (Pentax RAW)

Also known as: Pentax RAW, PEF file, how to open PEF, .pef

Pentax RAW format (Pentax Electronic Format)
Many Pentax bodies can shoot DNG instead
Opens in Digital Camera Utility, Lightroom, or Camera Raw

What a PEF file is

PEF is the proprietary RAW format Pentax DSLR cameras write when shooting RAW. It records the raw sensor data, an embedded JPEG preview, and EXIF metadata, so all exposure and color choices stay editable later. Many Pentax bodies can also shoot RAW directly to DNG as an alternative.

Like any RAW file, a PEF holds far more data than a JPEG of the same shot, so RAW shooting fills cards and backups much faster than JPEG.

How to open and convert PEF

PEF opens in Pentax’s bundled Digital Camera Utility software, Adobe Lightroom and Camera Raw, Apple Photos/Preview on recent macOS, and most full editors. Basic viewers often cannot read it.

Export to JPEG for everyday sharing, or convert PEF to DNG for a more universal RAW file — or simply set the camera to shoot DNG from the start. Keep the original RAW only while you still plan to re-edit it.

Related terms

Keep reading the reference.

Files & formatsCamera RAW (CR2, NEF, ARW)Camera RAW is the umbrella for manufacturer-specific files that store unprocessed data straight off the camera sensor — Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, and others. They keep maximum editing flexibility, which makes them far larger than the JPEG or HEIC the same shot would produce.General Files & formatsDNG (digital negative)DNG (Digital Negative) is an open raw image format created by Adobe. Like other raw files, it stores the unprocessed sensor data from a camera for maximum editing flexibility — and like all raw files, it takes far more storage than a JPEG or HEIC.GeneraliOS Files & formatsRAW imageA RAW image is the unprocessed data straight from a camera sensor, before any in-camera compression or color processing. It preserves maximum editing flexibility but produces very large files — many times bigger than a JPEG or HEIC of the same shot.GeneraliOS Files & formatsJPEGJPEG (.jpg) is the most widely supported photo format. It uses lossy compression to shrink photographs dramatically, trading a small amount of detail for much smaller files. It has no transparency and is larger than newer formats like HEIC or WebP at the same quality.General

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