What is SRW?

Samsung Raw (SRW) contains raw sensor data from Samsung NX series cameras.

What is IIQ?

Phase One IIQ is a professional medium-format raw format used by Phase One digital backs, delivering exceptional image quality for commercial photography.

When Should You Use SRW vs IIQ?

SRW vs IIQ: Key Differences

• •SRW uses lossless compression while IIQ uses lossless compression — both take the same approach to file size management.
• •Since both SRW and IIQ 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: IIQ supports transparency, so alpha information is preserved during conversion.
• •SRW files are typically 15-40MB per photo while IIQ files range 50-150MB per image from medium-format backs
• •Primary audience: SRW is built for samsung camera raw post-processing scenarios, while IIQ focuses on professional studio photography, digital back capture — pick the format that matches your output requirement.

Advantages of SRW

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

Advantages of IIQ

• ✓IIQ applies lossless compression specifically calibrated for Professional studio photography, digital back capture.
• ✓IIQ enjoys broad native support across operating systems, browsers, and creative tools alike.
• ✓IIQ guarantees every bit of the original data survives — no approximations, no shortcuts.
• ✓You will find IIQ support built into virtually every tool that handles Professional studio photography, digital back capture — no plugins or converters needed.

Common Use Cases for SRW to IIQ Conversion

• Graphic design projects
• E-commerce product images
• Email marketing campaigns
• Presentation graphics
• Blog and article illustrations
• Mobile app UI assets

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Best Practices for SRW to IIQ Conversion

• →Before converting SRW to IIQ, decide whether you need maximum quality or smallest file size — this determines which format truly fits
• →Save a master copy in a lossless format before converting to IIQ — you cannot recover detail lost during lossy compression
• →Check the color profile: SRW images may use a wider gamut than IIQ supports, causing a visible shift after conversion
• →Resize images to the final display dimensions before converting — this avoids unnecessary processing of oversized files
• →Run a single test conversion first to verify quality meets your standards
• →Strip unnecessary metadata to reduce file size after conversion

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Troubleshooting SRW to IIQ Conversion

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

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