File format · RAW

.PEF — Pentax PEF

Pentax Electronic File RAW; Pentax bodies can also save DNG.

.pef
File extension
RAW
Type
12–14-bit
Bit depth
2003
Introduced
R/W
ExifTool support (R/W/C)

What is a .pef file?#

Pentax Electronic File RAW; Pentax bodies can also save DNG.

Made by: Pentax.

Advantages#

  • DNG alternative in camera

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 Pentax cameras.

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

Best for: Pentax DSLRs.

Other RAW formats#

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

Frequently asked questions#

What opens .pef 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 Pentax cameras.

Is .pef a RAW file?

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

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