JPG to PFM Converter
Convert JPG to PFM in your browser. JPG files usually come from cameras, phones, scanners and almost every app that saves photos; PFM is the better fit for HDR research, depth and disparity maps. You get a 32-bit float colour PFM in linear light. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
JPG expected · other image formats also work
How to use JPG to PFM
- 1
Add your JPG files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
There is nothing to tune: the PFM is written uncompressed. 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 .pfm files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for jpg to pfm
Where the PFM goes next
PFM opens in ImageMagick, OpenCV, Photoshop, Netpbm and HDR research tools.
PFM next to JPG
The PFM is written uncompressed, so expect it to be several times larger than the JPG, which stores lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution.
No new artefacts
JPG is already lossy, since it stores lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution; the PFM keeps the decoded pixels uncompressed, 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.
JPG vs PFM
What changes from JPG to PFM
Encoding: the JPG uses lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution; PFM uses none, and the download is a 32-bit float colour PFM in linear light.
Bit depth: 8 bits per channel in the JPG; PFM allows 32-bit floating point per channel, and the PFM written here has 32-bit float per channel.
Colour: YCbCr shown as RGB, greyscale, or CMYK from print software in the JPG; PFM supports RGB ('PF') or greyscale ('Pf'), in linear values, written here as linear-light RGB.
Metadata: the JPG can carry EXIF (camera, date, GPS), XMP, IPTC and an ICC profile in APP segments; PFM can carry none beyond the header, but nothing is copied across.
About JPG
JPEG is the universal photo format. It compresses by discarding fine detail the eye is least sensitive to, which makes photos small but blurs sharp edges and text if pushed too far.
A JPEG starts with the bytes FF D8 and is a run of marker segments: APP1 carries EXIF and often a thumbnail, APP2 an ICC profile, DQT the quantization tables that decide the quality, and SOS the compressed scan, which ends at FF D9.
JPG files usually come from cameras, phones, scanners and almost every app that saves photos.
About PFM
PFM is a minimal floating-point image format in the Netpbm style: a three-line text header and raw 32-bit floats. Research code uses it for HDR images, disparity and depth maps.
A PFM file is the text 'PF' (colour) or 'Pf' (greyscale), the width and height, and a scale factor whose sign gives the byte order (negative means little-endian), then 32-bit floats with rows stored from the bottom of the image up.
When converting JPG to PFM makes sense
PFM is the better choice for HDR research, depth and disparity maps, while JPG suits photographs that need to open anywhere.
PFM strengths: Full 32-bit float precision; Trivial to read and write. Drawbacks to weigh: Uncompressed and very large; No alpha; Unknown to most apps.
Limitations
- JPEG artefacts already in the file, such as blocking near edges and smeared colour, are kept as pixels: a lossless target preserves them faithfully rather than removing them.
- No range is added: the PFM holds the 8-bit picture in linear light, and nothing in it is brighter than the original white.
- PFM stores 12 bytes per pixel, so files are very large.
- Values are linear light; viewers that show raw values without a display curve make the image look darker.
More conversions
Related tools
Convert PFM to JPG in your browser, ready for photographs that need to open anywhere. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert JPG to PNG in your browser, ready for screenshots, logos, graphics and anything that needs transparency. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert JPG to WebP in your browser, ready for images on websites and in apps. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert JPG to AVIF in your browser, ready for maximum compression on modern websites. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert JPG to HEIC in your browser, a HEIF file with JPEG compression inside. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert JPG to GIF in your browser, ready for short animations and reactions that must play everywhere. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert JPG to PDF in your browser, one PDF page per image. Batch, private, no uploads.
Convert JPG to SVG in your browser, traced into real vector paths. Batch, private, no uploads.
Frequently asked questions
Does converting JPG to PFM lose quality?
PFM is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Artefacts already in the JPG stay, but nothing new is lost.
Which apps open PFM files?
ImageMagick, OpenCV, Photoshop, Netpbm and HDR research 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.