What is a PEF file?
PEF is the native RAW format of Pentax DSLRs, from the *ist D era through today's K-1 Mark II, K-3 Mark III, and KF. Pentax is unique among major brands in offering a choice in-camera: shoot proprietary PEF or open DNG, at identical quality.
The Pentax base is loyal and archive-heavy — weather-sealed bodies, landscape and travel work, files going back two decades. Whichever format those archives are in, they process identically.
PEF at a glance
| Extension | .PEF |
|---|---|
| Maker | Pentax (Ricoh Imaging) |
| Introduced | 2003 (*ist D) |
| Container | TIFF-based |
| Bit depth | 12- or 14-bit depending on body |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Shot by | Pentax K-mount DSLRs: K-1/K-1 II, K-3 III, KP, KF, 645 series |
How to open PEF files free
imagic opens PEF natively (and Pentax DNG, naturally). For the typical Pentax landscape or travel archive the useful part is the scoring pass across bracketed and near-duplicate sets — pick the sharpest frame of each composition automatically, then batch-process locally.
darktable and RawTherapee both read PEF well. If you ever hit a tool that doesn't, switching the camera to DNG ends the problem permanently.
Converting PEF files
Pentax shooters can sidestep conversion questions entirely by shooting DNG in-camera. Existing PEF archives convert cleanly with Adobe's free DNG Converter if open-format archiving appeals.
Cameras that shoot PEF
8 popular bodies in our camera guide write .PEF files, including:
Frequently asked questions
Should I shoot PEF or DNG on my Pentax?
Quality is identical. DNG maximises compatibility with any future software; PEF is marginally smaller on some bodies and Pentax's own utilities know it best. Many shooters simply pick DNG and stop thinking about it.
What opens PEF files today?
imagic (free 7-day trial), darktable, RawTherapee, and every major commercial processor. PEF is TIFF-based and well supported despite Pentax's smaller market share.
Does the Pentax 645 medium format use PEF too?
Yes — the 645D and 645Z write PEF (or DNG) with the same structure, just much larger files from the 40-51 MP sensors. Processing works the same; culling just matters more.
Other RAW formats
Cull and edit PEF files in minutes, not evenings
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