ARW to PCX Converter
Convert ARW to PCX in your browser. The full-size JPEG Sony stores in the file is what gets converted, so the sensor coding never reaches the output. No raw development happens here. You get a run-length encoded PCX: 8-bit indexed when the image has 256 colours or fewer, otherwise 24-bit RGB. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
RAW expected · other image formats also work
How to use ARW to PCX
- 1
Add your ARW files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
There is nothing to tune: the PCX is written losslessly. Resizing and rotating are under More options if you need them.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .pcx files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for arw to pcx
Where the PCX goes next
PCX opens in GIMP, IrfanView, XnView, ImageMagick, Paint Shop Pro and DOSBox-era tools.
PCX next to ARW
The PCX holds the camera preview's pixels with lossless compression: usually smaller than a 25 to 80 MB raw file, though far larger than a JPEG of the same photo.
No new artefacts
The preview inside the ARW is a camera JPEG; the PCX stores its decoded pixels losslessly, so this step adds no compression damage of its own.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
ARW vs PCX
What changes from ARW to PCX
Encoding: the ARW uses Sony's lossy compressed raw, uncompressed (since the A7R II) or lossless compressed (since the A1); PCX uses byte-wise run-length encoding, and the download is a run-length encoded PCX: 8-bit indexed when the image has 256 colours or fewer, otherwise 24-bit RGB.
Bit depth: 12 or 14 bits per channel in the ARW; PCX allows 1, 2, 4 or 8 bits per pixel with a palette, or 24-bit as three 8-bit planes, and the PCX written here has 8-bit indexed or 24-bit RGB. The sensor's 12 or 14 bits are not used: the 8-bit camera preview is converted.
Colour: camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic in the ARW; PCX supports a 16 or 256-colour palette, or 24-bit RGB, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the ARW can carry EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG; PCX can carry only a 128-byte header with the resolution, but nothing is copied across.
About ARW
ARW is the raw format of Sony Alpha, RX and Cyber-shot cameras. It stores the sensor data (compressed, uncompressed or lossless compressed, depending on the model) with a full-size JPEG preview.
ARW is TIFF-based: the first directory carries EXIF and Sony's JPEG preview and the sensor data sits in a sub-directory. In Sony's classic compressed raw each block of 16 same-colour pixels keeps an 11-bit maximum and minimum plus 7-bit steps for the rest, which can leave artefacts beside high-contrast edges.
ARW files usually come from Sony Alpha mirrorless and SLT cameras, RX compacts and some Cyber-shot models.
About PCX
PCX is the image format of ZSoft's PC Paintbrush, the standard for DOS paint programs, scanners and games before GIF and BMP took over. It compresses with a simple run-length scheme.
A PCX file has a 128-byte header (the byte 0x0A, version, encoding, bits per pixel, image window, DPI, a 16-colour palette and the number of colour planes), then RLE-compressed scanlines; 256-colour files end with the byte 0x0C and a 768-byte palette.
When converting ARW to PCX makes sense
PCX is the better choice for DOS-era software, retro games and old fax or scanner tools, while ARW suits editing Sony photos in a raw developer.
PCX strengths: Read by most legacy and modern viewers; Simple, lossless run-length compression. Drawbacks to weigh: Poor compression for photographs; No transparency; Obsolete outside retro software.
Limitations
- Creative Look or Picture Profile settings are baked into that preview; a raw editor can start again from neutral.
- PCX's run-length compression suits flat-colour art; photographs barely shrink.
- Transparency is flattened onto the background colour, since PCX has no alpha channel.
More conversions
Related tools
Convert PCX to ARW in your browser, saved as a Linear DNG, the raw file every ARW editor also opens. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert ARW to JPG in your browser, made from the full-size preview your Sony camera stored in the file. Batch, private, no uploads.
Shrink JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF and GIF files with MozJPEG, OxiPNG and modern codecs, with a live before/after preview.
Resize to exact pixels, a percentage or a longest side, with Lanczos3 and Magic Kernel resampling. Batch ready.
Strip EXIF, GPS, XMP, IPTC and comments losslessly. Pixels are never re-encoded for JPG, PNG and WebP.
Convert between 34 image formats in bulk: HEIC, WebP, AVIF, JPEG XL, PNG, JPG, GIF, TIFF, SVG, ICO, PSD, RAW and more.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting ARW to PCX lose quality?
PCX is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Those pixels come from the camera's JPEG preview, so its compression stays, but nothing new is lost. The sensor's 12 or 14 bits are not used: the 8-bit camera preview is converted.
Which apps open PCX files?
GIMP, IrfanView, XnView, ImageMagick, Paint Shop Pro and DOSBox-era tools. It does not open in web browsers.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.