RAW File Viewer

Free Photo Viewer opens camera RAW files alongside standard JPEG and PNG images. Browse, preview, and inspect EXIF metadata from unprocessed sensor data - no separate RAW converter required for basic viewing.

Supported RAW extensions

The program recognizes these RAW file extensions:

.nef (Nikon), .cr2 / .crw (Canon), .arw (Sony), .orf (Olympus), .mrw (Minolta), .raf (Fujifilm), .pef (Pentax), .dcr / .dng / .raw (various), .srf / .erf (Sony/Epson), and related formats.

Standard raster formats are also supported: JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, TIF, PSD, and others.

How RAW preview works

By default, many RAW files contain an embedded JPEG preview. When Convert RAW files for viewing is disabled in Settings → View, the program displays this embedded preview - fast, but not a full demosaic of the RAW data.

When conversion is enabled, the built-in RAW engine (msdcraw.dll) renders the file. This produces a more accurate preview but takes longer, especially on slow CPUs. Adjust RAW Performance to trade quality for speed (render 100%, 1/2, or 1/4 of the image area).

RAW-specific settings

Beyond View options, the Settings dialog includes RAW sub-sections:

  • RAW (Common) - General conversion parameters
  • RAW (Brightness) - Exposure and brightness adjustments
  • RAW (Enhancements) - Sharpening and color tweaks
  • RAW (Rare) - Advanced options for less common cameras

These map to the underlying converter library. For most users, the default values work well; adjust only if previews look too dark or flat for your camera.

File associations

On the File types settings page, click RAW to associate all supported RAW extensions with Free Photo Viewer. Double-clicking a RAW file in Explorer will then open it directly.

My camera's RAW files won't open

Free Photo Viewer uses msdcraw.dll for RAW rendering. The library authors add support for new camera models over time. We bundle an updated DLL with each program release.

If your camera model is very new, check Release Notes for updates or contact support. Until support arrives, you may still see the embedded JPEG preview if conversion is turned off.

See also