Merge PEF to PDF

How to Merge PEF Files to PDF Online

1. Upload Your PEF Files: Click "+ Add Files" or drag and drop multiple Pentax RAW photos. Batch is supported — upload an entire shoot in one go. Reorder by dragging thumbnails to set page sequence.
2. Pick Page Layout and Paper Size: Default is Portrait at A4. Switch to Landscape for wide compositions. Open the Paper size dropdown for Letter, Legal, Tabloid, Ledger, Executive, A3, ARCH A/B, ISO B4/B5, or Original (use each photo's pixel dimensions).
3. Set Placement, Alignment, and Margin (Optional): Image placement is Cover (fill the page, may crop edges) or Contained (fit within margins, default). Image alignment is Top, Center (default), or Bottom. Margin presets are No margin (0"), Narrow (0.5", default), Moderate (0.75x1"), Normal (1"), or Large (2x1").
4. Tune Compression and Merge: Image Quality slider runs 1-100 (default 75). Compression Type sets Ghostscript distillation: Screen (smallest), Ebook, Default, Prepress, or Printer (highest). Choose Single PDF (default) or Individual PDFs under Combine?. Click Merge to download. Files process in your browser session — no sign-up, no watermark.

Why Merge PEF to PDF?

PEF (Pentax Electronic File) is a proprietary RAW format used by Pentax DSLRs and mirrorless cameras — K-1, K-3, K-70, KP, and the older 645D/645Z medium-format bodies. Pentax (owned by Ricoh since October 2011, with the company renamed to Ricoh Imaging in August 2013) lets you choose either PEF or Adobe DNG as the camera's RAW output, but PEF remains the default on most bodies. PEF preserves full sensor data — typically 14-bit per channel on modern Pentax models — which is great for editing but unreadable in standard photo viewers, browsers, and email previews. Merging to PDF rasterizes each PEF into one page of a single document anyone can open in Acrobat, Preview, or Chrome.

• Client proofs and contact sheets — Send a wedding shoot or product gallery as one PDF instead of 200 unviewable RAW files, with consistent margins and order locked in.
• Medium-format portfolios — 645Z files are often 50+ MB each; bundle a curated 30-image set as a Prepress-quality PDF for print buyers.
• Archive packaging — Group a trip's PEF files chronologically into one PDF for cold storage; keep the originals separately for re-edits.
• Offline review on tablets and phones — iPads and Android devices play PDFs natively but need third-party RAW viewers for PEF; Contained placement with Center alignment is the standard portfolio look.
• Legal and insurance documentation — Combine date-stamped PEF evidence photos into one signed, paginated PDF with Letter or A4 margins.
• University and gallery submissions — Most submission portals reject .pef but accept .pdf; A3 Landscape with Cover placement maximizes each photo on the page.

PEF vs DNG vs JPEG — Format Comparison

The raw sensor data inside PEF and Pentax-output DNG is bit-for-bit identical — DNG just wraps it in Adobe's documented container, which means newer Pentax bodies' PEF files often need a software update before Lightroom can open them, while DNG works immediately.

PDF Compression Type Quick Guide

Defaults are Screen for compression and Image Quality 75. For client-facing portfolios, switch to Prepress and raise Image Quality to 90+; for quick email previews, Screen at 60-70 cuts file size dramatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the merged PDF preserve full RAW editing data?

No — PDFs cannot store sensor RAW data. Each PEF is rendered (demosaiced and tone-mapped) to an embedded image when placed on a page. Keep your original .pef files for re-editing in Lightroom, Darktable, or RawTherapee; the PDF is a viewing-and-sharing copy, not an editing master.

Why is my PEF-to-PDF much larger than the same photos as JPEG-to-PDF?

PEF files contain far more data than JPEG (12-14 bit vs 8-bit, demosaiced from sensor RAW). Even after rendering, the embedded images carry richer tonal data. For smaller PDFs, drop Image Quality to 60-70 and use Screen or Ebook compression. If you need a tiny file, convert PEF to JPG first then merge JPGs into PDF — two-step but typically 4-6x smaller.

What's the difference between Cover and Contained placement?

Contained (default) fits the entire image inside the page margins — you'll see white space on two sides for landscape photos on portrait pages. Cover fills the whole page edge-to-edge and crops whatever doesn't fit. Use Contained for accurate portfolio reproduction, Cover for full-bleed photo-book layouts.

Why does my Pentax shoot PEF when I set the menu to DNG?

The K-3 and a few other Pentax bodies are documented to revert RAW format to PEF after a movie/photo-mode switch, firmware reset, or memory card change. Recheck Rec Mode 1 → File Format in the menu after each session. The merger handles both PEF and DNG, so you don't need to reconvert in-camera.

Can I include both PEF and JPEG files in the same PDF?

Yes — upload them together, drag to set order, and merge. Mixed formats (PEF, DNG, JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC) all render to PDF pages with the same layout/placement/margin settings. Useful when a shoot has selects in JPEG plus RAW outtakes you want noted in the proof PDF.

Which Pentax cameras output PEF, and what bit depth?

Most modern Pentax DSLRs and mirrorless: K-1 / K-1 II (14-bit, full-frame), K-3 / K-3 III (14-bit, APS-C), KP (14-bit, APS-C), K-70 (14-bit), and the 645D/645Z medium-format bodies (14-bit). Older K100D and K200D wrote 12-bit PEFs. Files from any of these merge identically.

Is there a file count or total size limit?

No fixed cap on the count, but the merger runs in your browser, so total memory matters. Sessions of 50-100 PEF files at 30-40 MB each (1.5-4 GB total) are routine. For a 500-image batch, split into two PDFs or use Compress PDF afterward to shrink the output.

Can I create one PDF per file instead of a single combined document?

Yes. Set Combine? to Individual PDFs and the tool produces one PDF per uploaded PEF, all packaged in a downloadable ZIP. Useful when each PEF needs its own deliverable (e.g., individual product shots for an e-commerce upload).

Does the merger upload my PEF files to a server?

PEF files do upload to xconvert's processing servers — RAW demosaicing and Ghostscript PDF distillation aren't practical entirely in-browser. Files are deleted after the session and no account is required. If you need fully offline processing for confidential shoots, render each PEF to JPEG locally in Lightroom/Darktable first, then merge images to PDF.