X3F to 3G2 Converter

How to Convert X3F to 3G2 Online

1. Upload Your X3F Files: Drag and drop or click "+ Add Files" to select Sigma Foveon raw files (.x3f) — from an SD9, SD10, SD14, SD15, SD1 Merrill, DP-series, or Quattro body. Batch upload is supported; each X3F becomes one frame (or one clip) in the resulting 3G2.
2. Pick Merge Strategy and Image Duration: Choose "Merge images" to stitch every X3F into a single 3G2 slideshow, or "Video per image" to emit one 3G2 file per raw. Set Image Duration (1-10 seconds per frame) so each Foveon frame holds long enough to read on a 240p or 320p mobile screen.
3. Set Background Color, Quality Preset, and Resolution (Optional): Background Color (default Black) fills letterbox bars when X3F aspect ratios don't match 3G2's typical 4:3 or QVGA frame. Quality Preset ranges Lowest to Highest — Very High is the default but produces large files for a CDMA-era container. Under Video resolution, keep "Original" or pick a Fixed Resolution preset (144p, 240p, 360p, 480p) that matches the small displays 3G2 was designed for.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert". X3F decoding plus video encoding runs server-side; downloads stay in your browser session — no account, no watermark, no email required.

Why Convert X3F to 3G2?

X3F is Sigma's proprietary container for the Foveon X3 sensor, which stacks red, green, and blue photosites at every pixel location instead of using a Bayer filter — first shipped in the Sigma SD9 in 2002 and used through the SD1 Merrill, DP Merrill, and Quattro lines. 3G2 (3GPP2) is the multimedia container defined by 3GPP2 in January 2004 for CDMA2000 mobile multimedia services. Converting X3F into 3G2 is a deliberately niche workflow — the reasons are almost always archival, hardware-emulator, or legacy-device-test specific.

• Loading a Foveon photo set onto a vintage CDMA handset for a museum or retro-tech exhibit — handsets built for Verizon, Sprint, or US Cellular pre-2018 expect 3G2, not MP4, in their gallery apps. A short slideshow of X3F stills converted to 3G2 plays natively.
• Emulator and feature-phone testbeds — BREW and early Qualcomm-based emulators only accept the .3g2 extension; developers retro-fitting test imagery use 3G2 even when the source is high-resolution raw.
• Demoing Foveon color rendition at QVGA — the Foveon sensor's distinctive color depth shows differently when scaled to 320×240. A 3G2 reel of X3F frames is a compact way to share that look without shipping 40 MB raws.
• Generating evidence files for legacy CDMA-network forensics — some forensic tooling, casework from before the Verizon CDMA shutdown on December 31, 2022 and the Sprint CDMA shutdown on May 31, 2022, still references 3G2 reference clips.
• Time-lapse from Sigma DSLR sequences for embedded displays — small kiosk or signage hardware with built-in 3GPP2 decoders accepts the .3g2 stream more reliably than MP4.

For the more common workflow of pulling stills out of X3F for editing or sharing, Convert X3F to JPG is the right tool. For a GSM-network equivalent of this slideshow, see Convert X3F to 3GP.

3G2 vs 3GP — Format Comparison

Image-to-Video Settings Quick Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would anyone convert a Sigma raw to 3G2 in 2026?

The legitimate cases are narrow: museum exhibits running vintage handsets, BREW/Qualcomm emulator demos, embedded signage hardware whose decoder predates MP4, and forensic reference clips for casework dated before the US CDMA shutdowns. If your goal is to share Foveon stills on a modern phone, convert to JPG or PNG instead and skip 3G2 entirely.

What's the difference between 3G2 and 3GP — can I just use 3GP?

Both containers share the same ISO base media structure and the same H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2, and H.264 video codecs. The split is on audio: 3G2 adds CDMA-only codecs (EVRC, QCELP, SMV, VMR-WB) and drops the GSM-only AMR-WB+ and HE-AAC v2. If your target device is a Verizon, Sprint, or KDDI CDMA handset, use 3G2. If it's a European GSM handset or an Android phone that accepts either, 3GP is more broadly compatible.

Does the Foveon sensor's three-layer color survive the conversion?

No. Foveon's signature is per-pixel RGB capture at the sensor level — that information is collapsed during demosaic into a standard YUV stream before H.263 or H.264 encoding. The 3G2 output is a normal compressed video; it does not preserve the layered raw data. For color-faithful work, keep the X3F as the master and use Sigma Photo Pro or a compatible RAW workflow.

What resolution should I target for a 3G2 file?

3G2 was designed for handsets with QCIF (176×144), QVGA (320×240), and VGA (640×480) displays. Picking 144p or 240p matches what the format was tuned for; 360p or 480p still play on the rare modern decoders that accept .3g2. Anything above 720p defeats the purpose — modern playback should be MP4/H.264 instead.

Will my modern phone play the resulting 3G2 file?

It depends on the OS. Recent versions of VLC and ffmpeg play 3G2 on desktop. iOS and stock Android both removed reliable 3G2 gallery playback over the past few major releases; the file may open in a third-party player but not the system video app. For modern-phone playback, convert to MP4 via Convert 3G2 to MP4 after generating the 3G2.

Can I open X3F files directly, or do I need Sigma Photo Pro?

xconvert decodes X3F server-side using open-source libraw-based tooling, so you do not need Sigma Photo Pro to convert. That said, Sigma Photo Pro remains the only software that uses Sigma's official Foveon color science. If color accuracy matters more than the 3G2 wrapper, export TIFF/JPG from Sigma Photo Pro first, then bring those into a video tool.

Why is my 3G2 file so much larger than the original handset clips I remember?

Vintage handset clips were typically capped around 64-384 kbps video and used the low-bitrate EVRC or AMR-NB audio codecs to fit MMS limits. Converting X3F at the Very High Quality Preset and 480p resolution gives a far higher bitrate than any 2005-era handset would produce. Drop the Quality Preset to Medium or Low and choose a 240p resolution to land closer to period-accurate file sizes.

Which Sigma camera models produce X3F files I can convert here?

Any Foveon X3 body should work: SD9 (2002), SD10, SD14, SD15, SD1 and SD1 Merrill, the DP1/DP2/DP3 Merrill compacts, and the dp Quattro line. The X3F header starts with the ASCII signature "FOVb"; if your file starts with anything else (some DNG converters re-wrap raws), the converter may reject it.

Is there a file-size limit for X3F uploads?

xconvert accepts X3F files up to the standard per-file cap published on the homepage. Quattro and SD1 Merrill X3Fs are typically 40-60 MB each, so batches of more than a handful should be queued in groups rather than all at once for the smoothest experience.