Pentax K-1 RAW at a glance
| RAW format | PEF — Pentax Electronic Format (.PEF) |
|---|---|
| Sensor | 36 MP full-frame |
| Resolution | 36 megapixels |
| Typical RAW size | about 36-45 MB |
| Released | 2016 |
| RAW options | 14-bit PEF RAW with lossless compression; DNG is also available in-camera as an alternative format. |
Editing K-1 files with imagic
imagic opens .PEF files from the Pentax K-1 natively on Windows and macOS. Point it at a card or shoot folder and it builds previews, scores every frame for sharpness, closed eyes, and composition, and groups near-duplicate bursts — so a full shoot collapses to its keepers before you edit anything.
Processing runs through the bundled RawTherapee engine, entirely on your machine: batch-apply one look across the keepers and export JPEGs in a single pass. Nothing uploads, which matters at about 36-45 MB per frame. The 7-day trial is full-featured and needs no card; licenses are one-time, from €19.
Frequently asked questions
What RAW format does the Pentax K-1 use?
The Pentax K-1 writes PEF files with the .PEF extension. 14-bit PEF RAW with lossless compression; DNG is also available in-camera as an alternative format.
How big are Pentax K-1 RAW files?
Expect about 36-45 MB per frame from the 36 MP full-frame sensor, depending on compression settings and scene detail. A full shoot adds up quickly, which is why culling before editing matters on this body.
How can I open Pentax K-1 .PEF files for free?
imagic opens PEF files from the Pentax K-1 natively on Windows and macOS — the 7-day trial needs no card. It culls the shoot with AI quality scoring, groups duplicates, and batch-processes keepers locally through its RawTherapee engine.
More about PEF
The K-1's .PEF files share their structure with every Pentax (Ricoh Imaging) body using PEF — the full PEF guide covers compression variants, free openers, and conversion options in depth.
Other Pentax bodies
Cull a K-1 shoot before your coffee cools
AI quality scoring, duplicate grouping, and local batch processing for .PEF — free for 7 days, no card required.