RW2 Converter

RW2 is the proprietary RAW image format used by Panasonic Lumix digital cameras, introduced in 2008 with the Lumix DMC-G1 — the world's first Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera — and used across the entire Lumix lineup including the full-frame S-series. RW2 files capture the unprocessed 12-bit or 14-bit readout from the camera's CMOS sensor in its native Bayer mosaic pattern, stored in a TIFF-based container with lossy or lossless compression options depending on the camera model. The format records extensive metadata through Panasonic's proprietary MakerNote tags, including lens identification for both native and adapted optics, body and lens firmware versions, image stabilization data from Panasonic's Dual I.S. system, and Photo Style settings (Standard, Vivid, Natural, L.Monochrome, Cinelike D/V, and others). RW2 files from video-centric models like the GH series also store the settings context for their renowned video capabilities, though the RAW files themselves are still-image captures. Panasonic cameras introduced several innovations — contrast-detect AF, DFD (Depth from Defocus) focusing, and Dual Native ISO — and the RW2 format preserves the data needed to leverage these technologies during post-processing. One advantage is the format's connection to Panasonic's imaging innovation: RW2 files from cameras like the GH5 and S1H preserve the sensor output from bodies at the intersection of stills and cinema, valued by hybrid shooters. The format is supported by Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, DxO, Panasonic's SILKYPIX-based RAW converter, dcraw, and RawTherapee.