What is ARW?

Sony Alpha Raw (ARW) is Sony's proprietary raw image format containing unprocessed sensor data from Sony Alpha and Cyber-shot cameras.

What is FITS?

Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) is a scientific data format used primarily in astronomy for storing and transmitting images and datasets.

When Should You Use ARW vs FITS?

ARW vs FITS: Key Differences

• •The core technical difference: ARW relies on lossless compression whereas FITS uses lossless compression.
• •Neither format changes compression philosophy — both are lossless compression — so any size differences are due to encoding efficiency, not a shift in quality approach.
• •How transparency is handled: FITS supports transparency, so alpha information is preserved during conversion.
• •ARW files are typically 20-40MB per photo while FITS files range Varies from 1MB to several GB
• •Use case fit: ARW targets sony camera post-processing, professional editing and FITS targets astronomy, scientific imaging, research — your choice depends on which workflow stage you are serving.

Advantages of ARW

• ✓At its core, ARW relies on lossless encoding — a design choice that makes it perfect for Sony camera post-processing, professional editing.
• ✓You won't run into compatibility issues with ARW — it's a universal standard across platforms.
• ✓File size management with ARW: larger files guaranteed to match the original exactly.
• ✓Every major application in the Sony camera post-processing, professional editing space supports ARW natively.

Advantages of FITS

• ✓FITS applies lossless compression specifically calibrated for Astronomy, scientific imaging, research.
• ✓FITS enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓FITS guarantees every bit of the original data survives — no approximations, no shortcuts.
• ✓You will find FITS support built into virtually every tool that handles Astronomy, scientific imaging, research — no plugins or converters needed.

Common Use Cases for ARW to FITS Conversion

• Presentation graphics
• Blog and article illustrations
• Mobile app UI assets
• Product photography for marketplaces
• Digital art portfolios
• Brochure and flyer design

Industry Applications

Best Practices for ARW to FITS Conversion

• →When converting ARW to FITS, check whether FITS supports transparency — if not, your transparent areas will be filled with a solid color
• →Use FITS for maximum quality archival and ARW for lossless workflows
• →Optimize images for web to reduce page load times — tools like our converter let you adjust quality settings before conversion
• →Maintain original aspect ratio to avoid distortion during conversion
• →Always keep a backup of your original files before converting
• →Choose the appropriate quality settings for your specific use case

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Troubleshooting ARW to FITS Conversion

• !Converting ARW to FITS gives blurry output → increase the quality setting before conversion
• !Colors look different in FITS than ARW → check color profile mismatch (sRGB vs Adobe RGB)
• !File size changed more than expected → FITS uses different compression, file size differences of 2-5x are normal
• !Transparent areas in ARW turned white in FITS → FITS may not support transparency

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