X3F to M2V Converter

How to Convert X3F to M2V Online

1. Upload Your X3F File: Drag and drop, or click "+ Add Files" to select Sigma Foveon X3F RAW files from your device. Batch upload is supported, and the embedded JPEG preview inside each X3F is decoded automatically — Sigma Photo Pro isn't needed on your machine.
2. Pick Merge Strategy and Duration: Choose "Merge images" to combine multiple X3Fs into one continuous M2V slideshow, or "Video per image" to emit one M2V per source file. Set Duration (default 5 seconds per frame; presets from 1/60 second up to 10 seconds) for how long each still holds on screen. Pick a Background Color (default Black) for letterboxing when the X3F aspect ratio doesn't match the video frame.
3. Set Video Resolution and Quality Preset (Optional): Under Video resolution pick Preset Resolutions (480p / 576p / 720p / 1080p / 2160p), a Fixed Resolution such as 720x480 for NTSC DVD or 720x576 for PAL DVD, or Keep original and override Width x Height. Under Quality Preset, choose Constant Quality (Lowest through Highest; default Very High) for visual-quality targeting, or Constraint Quality for a bitrate-capped output that stays under DVD-Video's 9.80 Mbit/s video peak.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and grab your .m2v elementary stream. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically after a few hours — no sign-up, no watermark, never shared.

Why Convert X3F to M2V?

X3F is Sigma's proprietary RAW format (ASCII signature FOVb), used by every camera built around the Foveon X3 stacked-photodiode sensor — the SD9 (2002), SD10, SD14, SD15, SD1/SD1 Merrill, DP1/DP2 series, and the dp Quattro and SD Quattro bodies that closed the line in 2016. Outside Sigma Photo Pro and a small handful of converters (libopenraw, Iridient, RawTherapee), X3F support is patchy: Lightroom Classic still doesn't ingest X3F natively, and Adobe Camera Raw rejects most Merrill/Quattro files. M2V — an MPEG-2 Part 2 video elementary stream (.m2v) — sits at the opposite end of the workflow, carrying compressed video frames only so a DVD-authoring suite can mux it with separate AC-3, MP2, or LPCM audio. Going X3F → M2V is the fastest path from a Foveon shoot to a ready-to-author DVD asset that bypasses Sigma Photo Pro entirely.

• DVD-Video authoring assets — DVDStyler, DeVeDe, TMPGEnc Authoring Works, and Adobe Encore all consume M2V plus separate AC-3 or LPCM audio. An M2V exported at 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) drops straight into the project as a menu background, chapter still, or motion intro without re-encoding.
• Foveon archive previews for non-Sigma machines — Editors on a stock Lightroom or Capture One workstation can't view X3F natively. An M2V slideshow generated from a Foveon shoot plays in VLC and most NLEs without installing Sigma Photo Pro or running Adobe DNG Converter first.
• Slideshow chapters from SD9-era files — Combine multiple X3Fs from older Foveon DSLRs with a 3-7 second per-frame duration to build a Ken Burns-style slideshow chapter. "Merge images" produces one continuous M2V the authoring suite treats as a single timeline asset.
• Legacy broadcast and STB pipelines — Set-top boxes and edit bays from the 2000s often ingest MPEG-2 elementary streams natively, so exporting from a Foveon RAW directly to M2V skips an extra TIFF→MPEG-2 re-encode hop.
• Replacing a corrupted DVD chapter still — When you need to rebuild a single VOB segment without re-authoring the disc, an M2V exported at matching resolution and bitrate (typically 4-9 Mbit/s) slots in cleanly during a remux.
• Title cards for archival projects — Foveon's per-pixel RGB capture produces crisp text and edge detail on title slates, and MPEG-2 at the Main Profile @ Main Level handles those high-contrast frames with stable GOP structure for broadcast encoders.

X3F vs M2V — Format Comparison

DVD-Video M2V Settings Quick Guide

DVD-Video caps the combined audio + video stream at 10.08 Mbit/s and video alone at 9.80 Mbit/s peak per the DVD-Video specification. Stay below those caps or the authoring tool will reject the M2V. Multi-angle titles drop the per-angle video ceiling to 8 Mbit/s.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert a Foveon X3F to M2V instead of MP4?

M2V is video-only and targets DVD-authoring tools that demand a separate MPEG-2 elementary stream plus a separate audio file (typically AC-3 or LPCM). If you're posting Foveon work online, sharing socially, or playing the file directly, use X3F to MP4 — MP4 includes a container, supports audio, and plays in every modern browser and OS. M2V only makes sense when a DVD-authoring pipeline, broadcast encoder, or legacy MPEG-2 workflow specifically requires the elementary stream.

Will the Foveon color advantage survive the conversion?

Partially, and only in the source frame. The Foveon X3 sensor captures full R+G+B per photosite using three vertically stacked photodiodes, which produces sharper edges and more accurate color than Bayer demosaicing. But MPEG-2 Main Profile uses 4:2:0 chroma subsampling at 8-bit luma, so the chroma resolution is halved both horizontally and vertically during encoding. Keep the X3F as your editable master — or export through X3F to PNG for a lossless stills workflow — and treat the M2V purely as a delivery asset for DVD-Video pipelines.

Which X3F cameras are supported?

We decode the embedded JPEG preview that every Sigma Foveon body writes into its X3F file, so any X3F shot on the SD9, SD10, SD14, SD15, SD1, SD1 Merrill, DP1/DP1s/DP1x, DP2/DP2s/DP2x, DP Merrill series, dp Quattro series, or SD Quattro / SD Quattro H is handled. The preview is what gets composited into the M2V frame — full Huffman-encoded Foveon RAW decoding is what Sigma Photo Pro and libopenraw do, and isn't required to assemble a DVD-grade video asset.

What duration should I pick for a single still?

DVD chapter stills typically hold 5-10 seconds (that's why the default is 5 seconds). For a Ken Burns slideshow, 3-7 seconds per frame is common. For a 1-second pre-roll bumper, drop to 1 second. The Duration dropdown supports 1/60, 1/30, 1/24, 1/10, 1/5, 1/3, 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10-second values, so you can match almost any authoring template.

Why does my M2V have no audio?

By design. M2V (.m2v) is an MPEG-2 video elementary stream — the format intentionally excludes audio so DVD-authoring software can pair it with a separate audio track (.ac3, .mp2, or LPCM .wav) and a chapter file at mux time. DVD-Video allows AC-3 up to 448 kbit/s, MP2 up to 912 kbit/s, LPCM up to 6,144 kbit/s, or DTS up to 1,509.75 kbit/s. If you want one self-contained file with audio, export to X3F to MPG instead — that wraps the video in a program stream that can hold audio.

Can I burn an M2V directly to a DVD?

No. M2V is one input asset; you still need DVD-authoring software (DVDStyler, DeVeDe, Adobe Encore, TMPGEnc Authoring Works) to combine it with audio, menus, chapter marks, and the navigation tables that produce the final VIDEO_TS folder with its .VOB, .IFO, and .BUP files. Drop the M2V into your authoring project as a video track, attach an audio file, and let the suite produce the final ISO or burned disc.

NTSC or PAL — which should I pick?

For NTSC (North America, Japan, parts of South America) use 720x480 at 29.97 fps. For PAL (most of Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa) use 720x576 at 25 fps. Pick the wrong one and the DVD will either be rejected by authoring software or display with the wrong aspect ratio and incorrect playback speed on a region-locked player. If you genuinely don't know the target region, NTSC plays on most modern multi-region PAL players; the reverse is less reliable.

Constant Quality vs Constraint Quality — what's the difference?

Constant Quality (CQ) targets a perceptual quality level (Lowest through Highest) and lets the bitrate float — good when you want consistent visual quality and don't care about file size. Constraint Quality holds the bitrate under a ceiling, which is what DVD-Video actually requires (9.80 Mbit/s video peak, 10.08 Mbit/s combined). For DVD targets pick Constraint Quality; for archival masters that will be re-muxed or transcoded later, Constant Quality at Very High is fine.

Can I play the M2V I just made to check it?

Most consumer media players choke on raw elementary streams, but VLC plays .m2v directly on Windows, macOS, and Linux. MPC-HC, FFplay, and most professional editors (Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro) also import M2V cleanly. If a player refuses to open it, remux the M2V into an .mpg container — that solves nearly every playback compatibility issue without re-encoding. For a stills-only Foveon spot check, X3F to JPG gives you a frame at full resolution.