What is QOI?

QOI (Quite OK Image) is a lossless image format designed for simplicity and performance. It offers fast encoding and decoding with compression ratios comparable to PNG, making it ideal for game development and real-time applications.

What is X3F?

Sigma Raw (X3F) contains raw sensor data from Sigma cameras using the unique Foveon X3 sensor technology.

When Should You Use QOI vs X3F?

QOI vs X3F: Key Differences

• •QOI uses lossless compression while X3F uses lossless compression — both take the same approach to file size management.
• •Since both QOI and X3F use lossless compression, the quality characteristics are comparable — differences in file size come down to how efficiently each format implements compression.
• •How transparency is handled: X3F supports transparency, so alpha information is preserved during conversion.
• •File sizes: QOI files typically range Similar to PNG, typically 20-30% smaller than uncompressed data and X3F files 25-60MB per photo.
• •Primary audience: QOI is built for game development, pixel art, embedded systems, quick texture loading scenarios, while X3F focuses on sigma/foveon camera raw processing — pick the format that matches your output requirement.

Advantages of QOI

• ✓The lossless nature of QOI means file sizes stay reasonable while handling Game development, pixel art, embedded systems, quick texture loading efficiently.
• ✓From mobile devices to enterprise servers, QOI is recognized and supported everywhere.
• ✓The trade-off for QOI's perfection is larger files — but for archival work, it is worth every megabyte.
• ✓QOI is a first-class citizen in all major software ecosystems, from creative suites to development environments.

Advantages of X3F

• ✓The lossless nature of X3F means file sizes stay reasonable while handling Sigma/Foveon camera raw processing efficiently.
• ✓From mobile devices to enterprise servers, X3F is recognized and supported everywhere.
• ✓The trade-off for X3F's perfection is larger files — but for archival work, it is worth every megabyte.
• ✓X3F is a first-class citizen in all major software ecosystems, from creative suites to development environments.

Common Use Cases for QOI to X3F 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 QOI to X3F Conversion

• →When converting QOI to X3F, check whether X3F supports transparency — if not, your transparent areas will be filled with a solid color
• →Use X3F for maximum quality archival and QOI 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

Related Article

Troubleshooting QOI to X3F Conversion

• !X3F shows visible compression artifacts → lower the compression level or switch to a lossless variant
• !The converted X3F image looks washed out → the source QOI likely uses a wider color space than X3F supports
• !X3F file is much larger than expected → check if the conversion preserved an unnecessarily high resolution
• !Text in the converted X3F looks fuzzy → text-heavy images benefit from higher quality settings or a different output format

Related Image Converters

All Image Formats

More Image tools

Related Tools