How Photographers Can Batch Convert RAW Files

RAW files (CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG) give photographers maximum control in post-processing, but they’re impractical for sharing, uploading, or archiving at scale. Converting RAW to JPEG, TIFF, or WebP is a necessary step — and when you have hundreds or thousands of files, batch conversion is essential.

Supported RAW Formats

KoalaPic handles the major camera RAW formats:

Choosing Your Output Format

For most photographers, JPEG at quality 90–95 is the right choice for client delivery. For web portfolios, WebP produces noticeably smaller files.

Batch Conversion via Web

1. Go to the KoalaPic converter
2. Select all your RAW files (drag and drop works, and so does folder upload)
3. Choose output format and quality
4. Convert and download as a ZIP

KoalaPic handles the demosaicing (converting the RAW sensor data into a visible image) automatically. The default rendering produces well-balanced results, though serious post-processing should still be done in Lightroom or Capture One first.

Batch Conversion via API

For automated workflows — say, converting files as they sync from a camera card:

import requests
from pathlib import Path

API_KEY = "kp_your_api_key"
RAW_DIR = Path("/Volumes/card/DCIM/")

for raw_file in RAW_DIR.glob("*.CR2"):
    with open(raw_file, "rb") as f:
        response = requests.post(
            "https://koalapic.com/api/v1/convert",
            headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"},
            files={"file": f},
            data={
                "output_format": "jpg",
                "quality": 92,
            },
        )
    result = response.json()
    print(f"Converted {raw_file.name}: {result['download_url']}")

Quality Settings for Photography

• Quality 95–100: Near-lossless, ideal for archival JPEGs. Large files.
• Quality 88–92: Excellent quality, half the file size of quality 100. Best for client delivery.
• Quality 80–85: Very good for web portfolios and social media.
• Smart quality (high): Automatically finds the sweet spot using perceptual analysis.

EXIF Preservation

RAW files contain extensive metadata: camera model, lens, focal length, exposure settings, GPS coordinates. When converting, this metadata is preserved in the output JPEG/TIFF by default.

If you want to strip location data for privacy (e.g., before uploading to social media), see our guide on EXIF data management.

Next Steps

• Convert your RAW files: KoalaPic converter
• Set up automated batch workflows: batch API guide
• Learn about image compression for web