PCX to DNG Converter
Convert PCX to DNG in your browser. PCX files usually come from DOS paint programs (PC Paintbrush, Deluxe Paint), old games, and fax and scanner software; DNG is the better fit for raw editing and archiving raw files in an open format. You get a Linear DNG: demosaiced 8-bit RGB with the colour matrices raw editors need. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
PCX expected · other image formats also work
How to use PCX to DNG
- 1
Add your PCX files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
There is nothing to tune: the DNG 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 .dng files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for pcx to dng
Where the DNG goes next
DNG opens in Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One, darktable, RawTherapee, Affinity Photo and macOS Photos.
DNG next to PCX
The DNG is written uncompressed, so expect it to be several times larger than the PCX, which stores byte-wise run-length encoding.
Written without a lossy pass
The DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels decoded from the PCX arrive unchanged.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
PCX vs DNG
What changes from PCX to DNG
Encoding: the PCX uses byte-wise run-length encoding; DNG uses lossless (or lossy) JPEG-compressed sensor data, plus optional JPEG previews, and the download is a Linear DNG: demosaiced 8-bit RGB with the colour matrices raw editors need.
Bit depth: 1, 2, 4 or 8 bits per pixel with a palette, or 24-bit as three 8-bit planes in the PCX; DNG allows 8 to 16 bits per channel, and the DNG written here has 8 bits per channel, linearised.
Colour: a 16 or 256-colour palette, or 24-bit RGB in the PCX; DNG supports camera RGB plus the colour matrices that map it to XYZ (demosaiced linear RGB in a Linear DNG), written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the PCX can carry only a 128-byte header with the resolution; DNG can carry EXIF, XMP and DNG tags for colour matrices, calibration and lens corrections, but nothing is copied across.
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.
PCX files usually come from DOS paint programs (PC Paintbrush, Deluxe Paint), old games, and fax and scanner software.
About DNG
DNG is Adobe's openly documented raw format. Some cameras and phones record it directly, Adobe DNG Converter turns other brands' raw files into it, and a Linear DNG holds already-demosaiced RGB that raw editors treat like any other raw file.
DNG is built on TIFF/EP. The raw image sits in a sub-IFD marked as the main image, with tags for black and white levels, colour matrices and the colour filter pattern; a Linear DNG (PhotometricInterpretation 34892) stores demosaiced RGB instead of a mosaic. Previews are optional, and Adobe DNG Converter can write a medium (1024 px), full-size or no preview.
When converting PCX to DNG makes sense
DNG is the better choice for raw editing and archiving raw files in an open format, while PCX suits DOS-era software, retro games and old fax or scanner tools.
DNG strengths: Open specification read by every raw editor; Lossless compression and optional previews; Recorded directly by Leica, Pentax, DJI drones and phones. Drawbacks to weigh: Large files; No browser or ordinary photo viewer support on every platform.
Limitations
- DOS art was often drawn for 320×200 screens shown at 4:3, where pixels were slightly taller than wide, so it can look a little squashed on a modern display.
- A palette PCX holds at most 256 colours, so a full-colour target keeps them exactly but adds nothing.
- The DNG holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, so it adds no dynamic range or detail beyond the PCX.
- Raw editors apply their own default profile and tone curve to a DNG, so it can look slightly different from the source until you adjust it.
- A Linear DNG has no sensor mosaic, so demosaicing settings in your raw editor have no effect on it.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting PCX to DNG lose quality?
DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded.
Can Lightroom edit this DNG like a camera raw file?
It opens with the full raw controls in Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One and darktable, because it is a valid Linear DNG. It holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, though, so it has no more dynamic range or detail than the image it came from.
Which apps open DNG files?
Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One, darktable, RawTherapee, Affinity Photo and macOS Photos. 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.