All about RW2 files

RW2 is Panasonic's proprietary RAW image format and is used in most Lumix cameras. Like other RAW formats, RW2 directly saves the image data from the camera sensor without lossy compression or post-processing, as occurs with JPEG. The file therefore contains data for later editing – it is a kind of "digital negative".

Technical details and history of RW2

The RW2 format was introduced in 2008 with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, at the time the first mirrorless system camera with interchangeable lenses. It replaced the older RAW format, which Panasonic had previously used in its compact cameras. With the success of further Panasonic camera series, RW2 secured its place among RAW formats. Like many other RAW formats (CRW, CR2, ORF, or NEF), the RW2 format is also based on the TIFF container.

Last updated on 12. March 2026 by Sören with the experience of more than 127,912,722 converted files since 2013.