Camera RAW
What is an SRF file?
Updated Jul 2026
SRF (Sony RAW File) is the raw image format used by some older Sony digital cameras. It stores the full, unprocessed data straight from the sensor, so nothing is compressed away and every detail from the shot is preserved. The tradeoff is that most photo viewers, editors, and websites can't open it directly, so you usually need to convert it to something like JPG or TIFF first.
- Extension
- .srf
- Type
- Camera RAW
- Typically
- Sony cameras
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Why SRF exists
SRF shows up on early Sony Cyber-shot and some DSLR-era models, where it was Sony's way of giving photographers the raw sensor data instead of an already-processed image. Unlike a JPG, which the camera compresses and finalizes on the spot, an SRF file holds the untouched readings from the sensor, along with the exposure and color information needed to turn that into a finished photo later.
That's the appeal of any raw format: you get to make the real editing decisions, like white balance and exposure, on the full data instead of on a file the camera already compressed. Sony later moved most of its lineup to the newer ARW format, which is why SRF now mostly turns up in older photo libraries rather than current cameras.
People usually run into SRF when they dig up old photos and find their current software won't touch the format, or when a photo library rejects the file the moment they try to import it. Since so few programs read SRF natively, converting it to JPG or TIFF is often the only practical way to view, edit, or share those images again.
The trade-offs
Strengths
- Preserves the full sensor data with no lossy compression
- Gives much more room to adjust exposure and white balance after the fact
- Keeps the original camera settings and metadata attached to the image
Watch-outs
- Very limited support outside older Sony software
- Large file sizes compared to JPG
- Superseded by Sony's ARW format, so it's increasingly obscure
- Needs converting before most people can open or share it
A note on privacy
An SRF file carries EXIF metadata, including the camera settings and often the date, time, and GPS location of the shot. Uploading it to an online converter to get a usable JPG means that file and its metadata leave your machine and sit on someone else's server. Converting it on your own computer keeps the photo and everything attached to it in your hands the whole time.
Questions
How do I open an SRF file?
You'll need software that specifically supports Sony's older raw formats, and a lot of current photo apps have dropped that support. The more reliable route is converting it to JPG or TIFF, which opens anywhere.
Is SRF better than JPG?
For editing flexibility, yes: SRF keeps the full sensor data so you can adjust exposure and color without the quality loss a JPG already locked in. For everyday viewing and sharing, JPG wins because almost everything can open it.
Why does my old Sony camera save photos as SRF?
Older Sony models used SRF as their raw format before switching to ARW. If your camera is from that earlier generation, SRF was simply the raw option it offered at the time.
Can I convert SRF without uploading it?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts SRF files on your own computer, so the images and their metadata never get sent anywhere.
Should I keep the original SRF file after converting?
It's worth keeping if storage isn't a concern, since it holds more editing headroom than the converted copy. If you only need the photo for viewing or sharing, the converted JPG or TIFF is usually enough on its own.
Morphjet opens and converts SRF and 1,800+ other formats, all on your own computer. Launching this July.