.ORF File Extension
Olympus RAW File
Developer | Olympus |
Popularity |
3.6 | 15 Votes |
What is an ORF file?
An ORF file is a RAW photo taken with an Olympus digital camera. It is saved in the Olympus RAW Format (ORF), which stores image data exactly as captured by the camera's sensor. ORF files also include color, saturation, contrast, and temperature data and metadata detailing the specifications of the camera that captured the ORF image.
More Information
Various Olympus digital cameras utilize the ORF format, including the SP-350, E-600, E-PL3, and XZ-2 models. Casual and professional photography enthusiasts are most likely to encounter ORF files whether they own an Olympus camera or download or receive ORF images from other photographers.
Since ORF images are uncompressed, they tend to be much larger in file size than compressed image formats, such as .JPEG, .PNG, and .TIFF. Although the images are larger, they store more image data, which allows you to capture higher-quality images and more accurately adjust the white balance, contrast, sharpness, exposure, and saturation of the photographs with an image editor.
NOTE: In November 2022, Olympus was renamed to OM System.
How to open an ORF file
You can open ORF files with Olympus-specific software, such as Olympus Workspace and Olympus Master, or with third-party applications. Some image editors that support ORF files include Adobe Photoshop (multiplatform), Corel AfterShot Pro (multiplatform), and Adobe Photoshop Express (Android and iOS).
If you are a Mac user, you can also view ORF images with Apple Preview and Apple Photos, which both come bundled with macOS.
NOTE: While most Olympus digital cameras capture images as ORF files, many of them produce ORF files with different formatting. Therefore, some applications may recognize certain ORF files but not others.
How to convert ORF files
You can convert ORF files to other image formats, such as JPEG and PNG with several image editors, including Adobe Photoshop and Corel PaintShop Pro (Windows). In macOS, you can also convert ORF images to other formats with Preview by selecting File → Export....