PEF to MP4 Converter

PEF to MP4 Converter

PEF is Pentax's RAW photo format — the unprocessed sensor data a Pentax camera writes straight to the card. MP4 is a video container, not an image format, so this conversion does something specific: it takes your still PEF photo and holds it on screen as a short MP4 clip. There is no motion in the source, so the result is a single frame (or a sequence of your photos) displayed for a duration you choose. People reach for this when a platform that only accepts video — an Instagram Reel, a TikTok, a YouTube Short, or a digital-signage screen — won't take a static RAW file.

PEF Format at a Glance

MP4 Format at a Glance

How to Convert PEF to MP4

1. Upload Your PEF File: Drag and drop your PEF onto the page or click "+ Add Files." You can add several PEF photos at once if you want them combined into one clip.
2. Set Image Duration: Under Advanced Options, choose how long each photo is held on screen (the default is 5 seconds per frame) — this is the entire length of the clip for a single still.
3. Pick Quality Preset and Resolution: Leave the Quality Preset on "Very High (Recommended)" for a near-lossless frame, or set a Video Resolution preset (or a custom Width × Height) if a platform needs an exact size. A Background Color fills any area the photo's aspect ratio doesn't cover.
4. Convert and Download: Click Convert and save your MP4. No sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the MP4 actually move, or is it a static photo on screen?

It is static. A PEF is a single still capture with no motion data, so the MP4 simply displays that one frame for the duration you set. If you upload multiple PEF photos and choose to merge them, you get a basic slideshow — each photo shown in turn — but no pans, zooms, or transitions are added.

Does converting to MP4 keep the full RAW quality of my Pentax photo?

No — and nothing can. PEF holds 12-bit or 14-bit unprocessed sensor data, while MP4/H.264 video is 8-bit and lossy by design, so the file is rendered (demosaiced) to a standard video frame during conversion. Keeping the Quality Preset on "Very High" minimizes visible compression, but if you want to preserve editing latitude, keep the original PEF and use PEF to JPG for a still you can share.

How long is the output clip, and can I change it?

The clip length equals the per-image duration you pick in the Image Duration setting — the default is 5 seconds for a single photo. Choose a shorter or longer value to match the platform you're posting to; many social feeds prefer clips of a few seconds.

Why is there a black bar or border around my photo in the video?

A RAW photo's aspect ratio (often 3:2 from a Pentax sensor) rarely matches a video preset like 16:9 or 9:16. When you pick a fixed resolution that doesn't match, the leftover area is filled with the Background Color — black by default. Set a matching resolution, or change the Background Color, to control how that fill looks.

Can I combine several PEF photos into one MP4?

Yes. Add multiple PEF files, then in Advanced Options choose the merge strategy ("Merge images") to assemble them into a single MP4 with each photo held for the duration you set. The alternative produces one separate video per image.

Is my PEF file kept private during conversion?

Your file is uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after conversion — no sign-up, no watermark, never shared or made public. In our testing, a single 24-megapixel PEF held for 5 seconds at the "Very High" preset produced an MP4 of roughly 1-3 MB, since one repeated frame compresses efficiently.

Should I convert PEF straight to MP4, or go through JPG first?

Convert straight to MP4 if your only goal is a postable clip of the photo — this tool handles the RAW decode for you in one step. Go through JPG (or PNG) first only if you also want a standalone still image to keep or edit; the same image-to-video tool will then accept that file, the same way JPG to MP4 does.