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Image MIME Reference
HEIC-Sequence

HEVC Image Sequence (HEIF Container)

image/heic-sequence
VS

Olympus Raw Format

image/x-olympus-orf
Olympus-ORF

A complete technical comparison of HEVC Image Sequence (HEIF Container) and Olympus Raw Format — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.

HEIC-Sequence wins on browser support

Feature Support

Feature HEIC-Sequence Olympus-ORF
Transparency (Alpha) Yes ✕ No
Animation Support Yes ✕ No
Progressive Loading ✕ No ✕ No
HDR Support Yes Yes
EXIF Metadata Yes Yes
ICC Color Profile Yes Yes
HEVC Image Sequence (HEIF Container)
image/heic-sequence
Extension
.heics.heic
Container HEIF / ISOBMFF (ISO/IEC 14496-12)
Compression Lossy / Lossless
Algorithm
HEVC (H.265)
Color Depth 8-bit, 10-bit, 12-bit, 16-bit
Developed by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) / Apple
Released 2017
Magic Bytes
XX XX XX XX 66 74 79 70 68 65 76 63
Full HEIC-Sequence reference →
Olympus Raw Format
image/x-olympus-orf
Extension
.orf
Container TIFF-based (with proprietary variants)
Compression Uncompressed / Proprietary Lossless
Algorithm
NoneOlympus Proprietary Lossless
Color Depth 12-bit (Per Channel)
Developed by Olympus Corporation (Now OM Digital Solutions)
Released 2000
Magic Bytes
49 49 52 4F (IIRO) or 4D 4D 4F 52 (MMOR) or 49 49 53 52 (IIRS)
Full Olympus-ORF reference →

Browser Support Comparison

Browser HEIC-Sequence Olympus-ORF
Chrome Chrome
✕ ✕
Firefox Firefox
✕ ✕
Safari Safari
✓ 11+
 ✕
Edge Edge
✕ ✕
IE IE (Legacy)
✕ ✕
HEIC-Sequence

HEIC-Sequence Strengths

  • Incredibly efficient storage for bursts and short animations compared to GIF or motion JPEG
  • Supports 16-bit color, HDR, and alpha channel transparency across all frames
  • Shares frame data blocks, meaning the base image and animation data are heavily optimized for space
Limitations
  • Zero support in web browsers outside the Apple ecosystem (Chrome, Firefox, Edge do not support it)
  • Heavily encumbered by HEVC patent pools, hindering open-source adoption
  • Complex container structure makes parsing and decoding difficult without specialized libraries
Olympus-ORF

Olympus-ORF Strengths

  • Retains maximum sensor data, allowing extreme recovery of highlights and shadows that would be permanently lost in a JPEG
  • White balance, sharpening, and color profiling are saved as metadata instructions, meaning they can be completely altered in post-production
  • Unique magic byte signatures make programmatic file sniffing highly reliable compared to other camera manufacturers' TIFF-spoofing headers
Limitations
  • Proprietary format means it requires constant updates to raw processing engines every time a new camera model is released
  • Produces very large file sizes (often 15MB to 30MB+ per image depending on sensor resolution)
  • Cannot be directly embedded into web pages or used in standard HTML/CSS contexts

When to choose which format

HEIC-Sequence
Use HEIC-Sequence when…
  • Apple Live Photos
  • Burst Photography
  • High-Quality Animations
  • Cinemagraphs
Olympus-ORF
Use Olympus-ORF when…
  • Professional Digital Photography
  • Non-destructive Image Post-Processing
  • High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging Archival

More comparisons

HEIC-Sequence vs ACES → Olympus-ORF vs ACES → HEIC-Sequence vs APNG → Olympus-ORF vs APNG → HEIC-Sequence vs AVCI → Olympus-ORF vs AVCI → HEIC-Sequence vs AVCS → Olympus-ORF vs AVCS → HEIC-Sequence vs AVIF → Olympus-ORF vs AVIF → All comparisons →
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