ORF to HEIC Converter
Convert ORF to HEIC in your browser. The preview inside the maker notes is found by scanning the whole file, and that preview is what gets converted. No raw development happens here. You get a HEIF file whose picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder runs in a browser. 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 ORF to HEIC
- 1
Add your ORF files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Set the quality. 85 keeps the picture close to the original at a modest size.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .heic files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for orf to heic
Where the HEIC goes next
HEIC opens in Apple devices, recent Android phones, and Windows with the HEIF and HEVC extensions.
HEIC next to ORF
The HEIC is made from the camera's 8-bit preview, so it is a small fraction of a 12 to 30 MB raw file.
A second JPEG generation
The pixels come from the JPEG preview the camera embedded in the ORF, so they have been compressed once already; keep the quality at or above the default.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
ORF vs HEIC
What changes from ORF to HEIC
Encoding: the ORF uses losslessly compressed sensor data, with a preview and thumbnail; HEIC uses lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles, and the download is a HEIF file whose picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder runs in a browser.
Bit depth: 12 bits per channel in the ORF; HEIC allows 8 or 10 bits per channel, and the HEIC written here has 8 bits per channel. The sensor's 12 bits are not used: the 8-bit camera preview is converted.
Colour: camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic in the ORF; HEIC supports YCbCr, usually tagged Display P3 on iPhones, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the ORF can carry EXIF and Olympus maker notes, which also contain the preview; HEIC can carry EXIF, XMP and an ICC profile, stored as items, but nothing is copied across.
About ORF
ORF is the raw format of Olympus and OM System cameras, built around Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds sensors. It stores 12-bit sensor data with a JPEG preview kept inside Olympus's maker notes.
ORF looks like TIFF but replaces the version number 42 with the letters 'RO', so a little-endian file starts 'IIRO' and generic TIFF readers reject it. Its JPEG preview is not in the main image directory but inside the camera-settings block of Olympus's maker notes.
ORF files usually come from Olympus E-series DSLRs, OM-D and PEN mirrorless cameras and OM System bodies.
About HEIC
HEIC is the default photo format on iPhones and many Android phones. It is about half the size of JPEG, but Windows, many websites and older software cannot open it without converting.
A HEIC is a HEIF file (ISO base media boxes with the brand 'heic'). iPhone photos store the picture as a grid of 512×512 HEVC tiles that the decoder stitches together, with the thumbnail, depth map and HDR gain map as further items.
When converting ORF to HEIC makes sense
HEIC is the better choice for storing photos on Apple devices, while ORF suits editing Olympus and OM System photos in a raw developer.
HEIC strengths: About half the size of JPEG; Stores depth maps, Live Photos and HDR. Drawbacks to weigh: Not supported by most websites and Windows apps; Patent-encumbered codec.
Limitations
- High Res Shot files combine several exposures in camera; the preview shows the combined result at its stored size.
- The file is a valid HEIF, but its picture is JPEG-coded rather than HEVC, so apps that expect HEVC (Apple Photos, Windows' HEVC extension) may not open it.
- The picture inside is JPEG-coded, so the file is about the size of a JPG at the same quality rather than the half size of a camera HEIC.
More conversions
Related tools
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting ORF to HEIC lose quality?
HEIC is lossy, so detail the eye barely notices is discarded to save space. The ORF's preview is a camera JPEG already, so keep the quality high to avoid stacking artefacts. The sensor's 12 bits are not used: the 8-bit camera preview is converted.
Will the HEIC open in Apple Photos?
Not always. The file is a valid HEIF container, but its picture is JPEG-compressed rather than HEVC, because no HEVC encoder can run in a browser. libheif-based apps such as GIMP, darktable and ImageMagick open it; Apple Photos and Windows' HEVC extension expect HEVC and may refuse it. For an iPhone, JPG is the safer choice.
Which apps open HEIC files?
Apple devices, recent Android phones, and Windows with the HEIF and HEVC extensions. It opens in Safari on recent Apple systems; other browsers do not display it.
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.