Sony-ARW

Sony Alpha Raw Image

image/x-sony-arw Released 2006 · by Sony Corporation

The image/x-sony-arw MIME type represents the Sony Alpha Raw (ARW) image format. Following Sony's acquisition of Konica Minolta's camera division in 2006, ARW was developed as the successor to the Minolta MRW format. It is the proprietary raw format utilized across Sony's extensive lineup of Alpha mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and advanced compacts (such as the RX100 series). Built on the standard TIFF file specification, an ARW file stores uncompressed, losslessly compressed, or high-efficiency lossy pixel data directly from the camera's sensor. By retaining this unprocessed data alongside EXIF metadata, lens correction profiles, and Sony-specific MakerNotes, ARW files provide photographers with massive latitude for non-destructive post-processing.

Photography & Raw Imaging ✦ HDR Production Ready

Technical Specifications

MIME Type

image/x-sony-arw

Extensions

.arw

Container

TIFF-based (Proprietary)

Compression

Uncompressed & Lossless Compressed & Lossy Compressed

Algorithms

NoneSony Proprietary LosslessSony Proprietary Lossy

Color Depth

12-bit (Per Channel), 14-bit (Per Channel)

Metadata

EXIF XMP ICC

Capabilities

Transparency

Animation

Progressive Loading

Alpha Channel

HDR Support

Official Specification

Aliases: image/arw

Magic Bytes & HTTP Headers

File Signature (Magic Bytes)

49 49 2A 00

ASCII: II*\x00

HTTP Headers

Content-Type: image/x-sony-arw

HTML Accept Attribute

accept="image/x-sony-arw, .arw"

Browser Support Matrix

Browser	Status	Min Version
Chrome	Not Supported	—
Firefox	Not Supported	—
Safari	Not Supported	—
Edge	Not Supported	—
Internet Explorer	Not Supported	Legacy

Advantages & Limitations

Advantages

Retains absolute maximum sensor data, enabling massive shadow recovery and highlight protection compared to compressed in-camera JPEGs
Embeds high-quality JPEG previews and robust metadata, allowing photographers to match in-camera color science (like Creative Looks) perfectly during raw processing
Utilizes the standard TIFF container structure, ensuring broad compatibility with open-source decoding libraries (like LibRaw)

Limitations

Proprietary format means it requires constant updates to raw processing engines every time Sony releases a new camera model
Sony's historically controversial lossy compression algorithm (often called 'star eater' due to spatial filtering artifacts) was a drawback for astrophotography in older ARW versions, though largely resolved in newer models with uncompressed/lossless options
Cannot be directly embedded into web pages or used in standard HTML/CSS contexts

Developer Code Snippets

import magic
# Libmagic will identify ARW files as standard TIFFs due to the shared 49 49 2A 00 header
print(magic.from_file('photo.arw', mime=True)) # Outputs 'image/tiff'

const FileType = require('file-type');
const type = await FileType.fromFile('photo.arw');
console.log(type?.mime); // Usually resolves to 'image/tiff'. You must rely on the .arw extension for precise routing.

import (
    "bytes"
    "net/http"
    "strings"
)
// Native Go HTTP detection reads the TIFF magic bytes and returns 'image/tiff'.
// You must explicitly check the filename extension to infer Sony ARW intent.
// isARW := strings.HasSuffix(strings.ToLower(filename), ".arw")

$mime = mime_content_type('photo.arw');
echo $mime; // Standard PHP setups will resolve this to 'image/tiff' based on the file header.

File Detection Steps

How to programmatically detect a image/x-sony-arw file by reading its raw bytes:

1 ARW files are built upon the standard TIFF specification and therefore begin with the standard little-endian (49 49 2A 00) magic bytes.
2 Because they share this exact header with standard TIFF files and other TIFF-based raw formats (like Nikon NEF and Canon CR2), standard MIME sniffers often misidentify ARW files as 'image/tiff'.
3 To definitively detect an ARW file programmatically, you must parse the TIFF header directories and examine the EXIF MakerNote to confirm the 'Sony' manufacturer signature.

Software Support

S

Sony Imaging Edge Desktop

A

Adobe Lightroom Classic / CC

C

Capture One

R

RawTherapee

Conversion Tools

Share & Embed

Markdown Badge

[![Sony-ARW Format](https://freewebptojpg.com/mime/image/sony-arw/badge.svg)](https://freewebptojpg.com/mime/image/sony-arw)

Interactive iframe Widget

<iframe src="https://freewebptojpg.com/mime/image/sony-arw/embed" width="100%" height="280" style="border:1px solid #cbd5e1;border-radius:8px;" title="Sony-ARW Specs"></iframe>

JSON API

All data on this page is available as a free, open JSON API. Use it in your project, documentation, or tooling.

GET https://freewebptojpg.com/mime/image/sony-arw.json Open JSON

Free to use

No auth required

CORS enabled

Use from any domain

Cached 24h

Cache-Control headers set

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Sony ARW file?

An ARW file is the proprietary raw image format used by Sony digital cameras, specifically the Alpha and RX series. It contains unprocessed data directly from the camera's image sensor, allowing for maximum flexibility in editing exposure, color, and white balance.

How do I open an ARW file?

Standard web browsers and basic OS image viewers often cannot render ARW files natively. You need specialized software such as Sony Imaging Edge Desktop, Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, or open-source alternatives like Darktable and RawTherapee.

Is an ARW file just a TIFF file?

Yes and no. Structurally, ARW files are built upon the TIFF specification, which is why standard file sniffers often identify them as 'image/tiff'. However, the image data inside is raw sensor data (typically mosaiced), not standard RGB pixel data, meaning it requires specialized demosaicing algorithms to be viewed properly.