Camera RAW
What is an IIQ file?
Updated Jul 2026
IIQ is the RAW image format used by Phase One medium format cameras. It stores the full, unprocessed data straight off the camera's sensor, so every detail from the shoot is preserved with nothing thrown away. The tradeoff is that very little software outside Phase One's own ecosystem can open it without converting it first.
- Extension
- .iiq
- Type
- Camera RAW
- Typically
- Phase One backs
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Why IIQ exists
Phase One builds high-end medium format cameras aimed at professional and studio photographers, and IIQ is the RAW format those cameras write. Because the sensors are larger than a typical camera's, the files carry a huge amount of detail, which is exactly what studio, fashion, and landscape photographers are paying for.
Like other RAW formats, IIQ saves the sensor data losslessly rather than compressing it into a finished-looking image the way a JPG does. That means no color or exposure decisions are locked in yet. A photographer can still adjust white balance, exposure, and highlight recovery well after the shot was taken, with nothing lost from the original capture.
The problem is that IIQ is a proprietary format tied closely to Phase One's own cameras. Most photo editors, browsers, and client-facing tools don't recognize it, so photographers end up converting it to a DNG, TIFF, or JPG before they can edit it broadly, hand it to a client, or post it anywhere online.
The trade-offs
Strengths
- Preserves the full detail and dynamic range of a medium format sensor
- Lossless, so no image data is discarded during capture
- Keeps every editing option open since nothing is baked in yet
- Retains full metadata from the shoot, including camera and lens settings
Watch-outs
- Not readable by most photo software outside Phase One's own tools
- Very large file sizes compared to JPG or even other RAW formats
- Needs converting before clients or most editors can view it
- Limited support in web browsers and everyday image viewers
A note on privacy
An IIQ file carries the shoot's full metadata, including camera settings and, depending on the setup, GPS location. Uploading it to an online converter to get a usable TIFF or JPG sends that entire file, and everything embedded in it, to someone else's server. Converting it on your own computer keeps the RAW file and its metadata local the whole time.
Questions
How do I open an IIQ file?
Phase One's own capture software opens it natively. Outside that ecosystem, most editors need the file converted to DNG, TIFF, or JPG first.
Is IIQ better than other RAW formats?
It captures more raw detail than most RAW formats because of the larger medium format sensor behind it, but that comes with much bigger files and far less software support.
Why does my camera save photos as IIQ?
Phase One medium format cameras write IIQ by default so nothing from the sensor is processed or thrown away, giving you the most to work with when editing later.
Can I convert IIQ without uploading it?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts IIQ to formats like TIFF or JPG directly on your machine, so the file and its embedded metadata never leave your computer.
Morphjet opens and converts IIQ and 1,800+ other formats, all on your own computer. Launching this July.