What is EXR?

OpenEXR is a high-dynamic-range raster image format developed by Industrial Light & Magic for the VFX and film industry.

What is RW2?

Panasonic Raw v2 (RW2) contains raw sensor data from Panasonic Lumix digital cameras.

When Should You Use EXR vs RW2?

EXR vs RW2: Key Differences

• •The core technical difference: EXR relies on lossless compression whereas RW2 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: RW2 supports transparency, so alpha information is preserved during conversion.
• •File sizes: EXR files typically range 15-100MB for high-res HDR frames and RW2 files 20-45MB per photo.
• •EXR is optimized for vfx, 3d rendering, hdr imaging while RW2 is designed for panasonic/lumix camera raw editing — choose based on your specific workflow needs

Advantages of EXR

• ✓The lossless nature of EXR means file sizes stay reasonable while handling VFX, 3D rendering, HDR imaging efficiently.
• ✓From mobile devices to enterprise servers, EXR is recognized and supported everywhere.
• ✓The trade-off for EXR's perfection is larger files — but for archival work, it is worth every megabyte.
• ✓EXR is a first-class citizen in all major software ecosystems, from creative suites to development environments.

Advantages of RW2

• ✓RW2 applies lossless compression specifically calibrated for Panasonic/Lumix camera raw editing.
• ✓RW2 enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓RW2 guarantees every bit of the original data survives — no approximations, no shortcuts.
• ✓You will find RW2 support built into virtually every tool that handles Panasonic/Lumix camera raw editing — no plugins or converters needed.

Common Use Cases for EXR to RW2 Conversion

• Print materials and publications
• Social media posts and ads
• Digital photography and editing
• Graphic design projects
• E-commerce product images
• Email marketing campaigns

Industry Applications

Best Practices for EXR to RW2 Conversion

• →When converting EXR to RW2, check whether RW2 supports transparency — if not, your transparent areas will be filled with a solid color
• →Use RW2 for maximum quality archival and EXR for smaller file sizes when quality is less critical
• →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 EXR to RW2 Conversion

• !RW2 shows visible compression artifacts → lower the compression level or switch to a lossless variant
• !The converted RW2 image looks washed out → the source EXR likely uses a wider color space than RW2 supports
• !RW2 file is much larger than expected → check if the conversion preserved an unnecessarily high resolution
• !Text in the converted RW2 looks fuzzy → text-heavy images benefit from higher quality settings or a different output format

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