Sony RAW Editing on a Mac
Sony Alpha is where RevelRaw runs deepest: .ARW is the format the app was designed around, and this page collects everything on the site for Sony shooters — three RAW formats, the how-tos, and editor comparisons for specific Alpha bodies. Drag any Sony RAW in and AI scene detection ranks 40+ presets against the photograph, with the full set of fine-tune controls on top. Everything runs on your Mac; no file ever leaves it.
Sony's three RAW formats
| Extension | Era | Written by | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| .ARW | 2006 → | Every Sony Alpha body | What is an ARW file? |
| .SR2 | 2005 | DSC-R1, the pre-Alpha bridge camera | What is an SR2 file? |
| .SRF | 2001–2004 | Early Cyber-shot (F707, F717, F828) | What is an SRF file? |
Modern bodies write ARW with up to three compression settings — Compressed, Lossless Compressed and Uncompressed — and which ones exist depends on the generation. Lossless Compressed is the one to shoot where offered: full quality, two-thirds the size.
Guides for Sony shooters
- How to open ARW files on a Mac — what works out of the box, and the fixes when Preview refuses a file.
- How to convert ARW to JPEG on a Mac — Preview, Photos, the sips command for whole folders, and editing first.
- Best editing software for the a7 IV · the a7 III · the a6700 — seven editors judged per body.
- Lightroom alternatives for Sony shooters — six escape routes compared by price model.
- RAW vs JPEG on a Sony Alpha — what the ARW records that the JPEG throws away.
- Getting the film look from a Sony RAW — faded blacks, curve shoulders, grain, and the Portra and Velvia color moves.
What to know before your first edit
The thing that surprises every new Alpha owner: Creative Looks are metadata. The FL or IN look you picked on the camera is stored in the ARW as a note, and only Sony's own Imaging Edge Desktop renders it — every other editor, ours included, starts from the neutral sensor data. Your import isn't broken; the camera preview was a processed JPEG. The second thing is generational: compression options changed across bodies, and software support for the newest setting has historically lagged a few months behind each camera launch.
Open an ARW in RevelRaw and it decodes the sensor data on your Mac, classifies the scene, and ranks its 40+ presets so the most relevant looks surface first — then you fine-tune exposure, color, curves and grain, and export as JPEG, PNG, TIFF or HEIF with platform presets for Instagram, print and web.
FAQ
Does RevelRaw open Sony RAW files?
Yes — ARW from every Alpha body, plus SR2 and SRF from the pre-Alpha era. Sony is the app's deepest specialty.
Does RevelRaw render Creative Looks?
No — and neither does anyone except Sony's Imaging Edge. The look is metadata; third-party editors start from the neutral sensor data.
Which ARW compression setting should I shoot?
Lossless Compressed where your body has it. Availability varies by generation — the a7 III lacks it, the a7 IV has it.
Why won't my ARW file open on my Mac?
A just-released body can wait months for Apple's RAW support. Imaging Edge reads every ARW today, and RAW+JPEG keeps you covered meanwhile.
See a Sony file the fast way. Download RevelRaw, drop an .ARW in, and watch it ranked against 40+ presets in seconds — with one full-quality export on the house. Get it on the Mac App Store (requires macOS 26 or later).
Related reading: All RAW formats RevelRaw opens · ARW editing in RevelRaw · The RevelRaw blog