X3F to Video Converter

How to Convert X3F to Video Online

1. Upload Your X3F Files: Drag and drop or click "+ Add Files" to load X3F RAWs from Sigma SD, DP, dp Quattro, or fp cameras. Batch upload is supported — drop in an entire shoot and the tool will arrange them in upload order (rename files beforehand to control sequence).
2. Choose Output Video Format: Pick from MP4 (default, universal playback), MOV (Mac / Final Cut Pro), MKV (multi-track, lossless-friendly), AVI (legacy Windows), WebM (browser embedding), or specialised options like HEVC, AV1, MPEG-2, FLV, 3GP, and others from the Output Format dropdown.
3. Set Image Duration, Merge Type, and Background (Optional): Under Image Duration, pick how long each X3F frame stays on screen — defaults to 5 seconds; 3-5 seconds is the slideshow sweet spot, 1-2 seconds works for time-lapse-style sequences. Under Merge Type, choose Merge images to stitch all X3Fs into one video or Video per image for one short clip per RAW. Set Background Color (white default) for frames that don't fill the canvas after resize, and pick a Fixed Resolution preset (4K 2160p, 1440p, 1080p, 720p, 480p) or enter custom Width × Height.
4. Tune Quality and Convert: Default Quality Preset is Very High (Recommended). Switch to Constant Quality for a CRF slider (lower = better; 18 is visually lossless for H.264, 23 is default), Constraint Quality for capped variable bitrate, or Specific file size to target an exact MB cap. Click Convert. 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 Video?

X3F is Sigma's proprietary RAW format, introduced in February 2002 alongside the Sigma SD9 — the first production camera built around the Foveon X3 sensor. Unlike Bayer-pattern sensors that interpolate colour from neighbouring pixels, Foveon stacks red, green, and blue photodiodes vertically at each pixel site, so every X3F captures full RGB per location with no demosaicing required. That gives X3F files exceptional per-pixel colour fidelity, but it also means they're a niche format — only Sigma Photo Pro, Adobe Camera Raw (older Sigma models only), Iridient Developer, and a handful of other tools can decode them. Turning a folder of X3Fs into a video sidesteps the compatibility problem entirely. Common reasons:

• Show clients or friends without a Sigma viewer — Recipients who don't have Sigma Photo Pro can't open X3F directly. A 30-second MP4 slideshow plays on every phone, browser, smart TV, and email preview pane on Earth.
• Time-lapse from a Sigma fp or SD Quattro — Sigma's fp and SD Quattro H can shoot bursts; stitching 200 X3Fs at 1/10 sec each yields a 20-second 60 fps time-lapse without bouncing through a separate intermediate format.
• Social posts from a Sigma shoot — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and X all want MP4 (H.264 inside an MP4 container is the universal safe default). Convert your X3F portfolio shoot directly to a vertical 1080×1920 MP4 for Reels.
• Photo-essay backups on disk — A multi-GB folder of X3F masters becomes a single 50-100 MB H.265 MKV that any device can replay, while you keep the X3F originals archived.
• Wedding / event highlight reels — Pair an X3F set with a soundtrack in your editor afterward; a MOV intermediate keeps quality high for Final Cut Pro or Premiere ingest.
• Sharing with people who don't know what a RAW is — A relative who just wants to see vacation photos shouldn't need to install Sigma Photo Pro. One MP4 lands in WhatsApp, iMessage, or email and just plays.

If you only need still images, convert X3F to JPG or X3F to PNG instead, or merge stills into a deck via X3F to PDF. Already have JPGs from another camera and want to mix them in? Use JPG to Video or the general Image to Video tool.

Which Output Format Should You Pick?

The Output Format dropdown spans 25+ video containers — most users want one of these five.

Quality Preset and Slideshow Timing Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert X3F to video instead of just JPG?

JPGs give you stills — one image, one file. Video bundles many X3Fs into a single playable file with timing, transitions (via image duration), and the option to add audio in a post step. For sharing a 50-frame portfolio shoot, one 30-second MP4 is dramatically easier to send than a ZIP of 50 JPGs. If you only want stills, X3F to JPG is the right tool.

Which Sigma cameras produce X3F files?

Every Sigma camera built around the Foveon X3 sensor: the original SD9 (2002) and SD10, the SD14, SD15, SD1, and SD1 Merrill DSLRs; the DP1, DP2, DP3, and DP Merrill compact cameras; the dp Quattro series (dp0/dp1/dp2/dp3 Quattro); and the SD Quattro / SD Quattro H. The Sigma fp and fp L (full-frame mirrorless, launched 2019/2021) use Bayer sensors and shoot DNG, not X3F.

What's the best duration per image for a slideshow?

3 to 5 seconds is the documented sweet spot — long enough for viewers to absorb the frame without losing pace. Mark Luckie and BBC slideshow guidance both recommend a minimum of 3 seconds and a maximum of 10. Pick 5 seconds for detailed scenes (landscapes, group shots), 3 seconds for simpler portraits, and drop to 1-2 seconds only if you're cutting to music or building a time-lapse from sequential frames.

Should I pick MP4, MOV, or MKV?

MP4 for almost everything — universal playback on every modern device, ideal for sharing, email, social, web embed, and archives that recipients will actually open. MOV if your downstream workflow is Final Cut Pro, iMovie, or QuickTime-only. MKV if you need multiple audio tracks, lossless video (FFV1), or you're archiving and don't mind that Safari/iOS won't play it natively. WebM is for browser embedding; AVI is mostly historical now.

Will the video preserve the Foveon "look"?

The colour rendering depends on how the conversion engine decodes the X3F RAW into pixels — once those pixels are inside a standard video frame, they're treated like any other RGB image. You won't get the same per-channel tonality you'd get from a calibrated Sigma Photo Pro export, but the visible colour will match a typical RAW-to-JPG demosaic. If colour-critical work matters, export X3Fs to high-quality JPGs in Sigma Photo Pro first, then build the video from those JPGs via JPG to Video.

Can I add music or audio to the video?

Not directly in this converter — the output is silent video. Drop the resulting MP4 into a free editor (CapCut, DaVinci Resolve, iMovie, Shotcut) to layer a music track and adjust per-frame timing. For better music sync, pre-trim your slideshow length to match your soundtrack: e.g., a 4-minute song fits ~48 photos at 5 seconds each.

What resolution should I pick for Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube?

Instagram Reels and TikTok prefer 1080×1920 (vertical 9:16). YouTube Shorts also wants 1080×1920. Regular YouTube and Facebook take landscape 1920×1080 (Full HD) or 3840×2160 (4K) — pick the resolution preset that matches your X3F aspect ratio to avoid letterboxing. Use the Background Color setting to control how unfilled space appears if your X3Fs and target resolution don't share an aspect ratio.

How long will the output video be?

Total length = number of X3F files × image duration. For 60 X3Fs at 5 seconds each you get a 5-minute video; at 1/10 second each, a 6-second time-lapse. The Image Duration dropdown ranges from 1/60 sec (good for 60 fps time-lapse) through 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and up to 10 seconds.

Are my X3F files uploaded to a server?

Conversion runs on our servers and the files are deleted automatically after a few hours. No account, no watermark, no file-count cap, and no Pro tier hidden behind the convert button. Compare this to desktop apps like Sigma Photo Pro, which keep your X3Fs local but require installation and Sigma-only camera support.