PEF Converter
PEF is Pentax's proprietary raw format. Pentax bodies can write DNG straight out of the camera instead, so a PEF on the card means the photographer chose the proprietary option deliberately — and needs it converted before anyone without a raw editor can see it.
PEF at a glance
| Full name | Pentax Electronic Format |
|---|---|
| Extension | .pef |
| MIME type | image/x-pentax-pef |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Transparency | No |
| Animation | No |
| Colours | 14-bit per channel |
| Browser support | None — RAW editors only |
| Typical use | Pentax DSLRs, which can also write DNG |
| Introduced | 2003 |
Convert PEF to another format
PEF questions
How do I open a PEF file?
Pentax Digital Camera Utility reads PEF, and Lightroom, Camera Raw, darktable and RawTherapee support it too. Because Pentax is a smaller platform, PEF support in newer or niche software is less reliable than for Canon or Nikon raw.
Should I shoot PEF or DNG on a Pentax camera?
Pentax bodies can write either, straight out of the camera. DNG is the open format and is read more widely; PEF is Pentax's own and is slightly smaller. If a file will be archived or shared with someone else's software, DNG is the safer choice.
Which Pentax cameras write PEF files?
The full-frame K-1 and K-1 II, and the APS-C bodies including the K-3 series, the K-70 and the KP. All of them offer DNG as an alternative in the same menu.
Does converting PEF keep the Pixel Shift detail?
Only if the software that reads it understands Pixel Shift, which combines four exposures for full colour at every pixel. Software that does not simply uses the first frame, giving a normal raw result rather than an error.