TGA to ARW Converter
Convert TGA to ARW in your browser. You download a Linear DNG (.dng), not a .arw: only a Sony camera can create a genuine ARW, and every editor that opens ARW also opens DNG. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
TGA expected · other image formats also work
How to use TGA to ARW
- 1
Add your TGA files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since DNG has none.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .dng files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for tga to arw
Where a ARW would go
ARW files are opened by Sony Imaging Edge, Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One and darktable, and every one of them opens the DNG too.
DNG next to TGA
Neither format compresses much, so the DNG lands close to the TGA in size.
Written without a lossy pass
The DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels decoded from the TGA arrive unchanged.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
TGA vs ARW
What changes from TGA to ARW
Encoding: the TGA uses uncompressed or run-length encoded (RLE); ARW uses Sony's lossy compressed raw, uncompressed (since the A7R II) or lossless compressed (since the A1), and the download is a Linear DNG: demosaiced 8-bit RGB with the colour matrices raw editors need.
Bit depth: 8, 15, 16, 24 or 32 bits per pixel in the TGA; ARW allows 12 or 14 bits per channel, and the DNG written here has 8 bits per channel, linearised.
Colour: RGB, greyscale or a colour map in the TGA; ARW supports camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Transparency: the TGA stores it as the fourth byte of each 32-bit pixel (or one bit in 16-bit files); the DNG has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Metadata: the TGA can carry an image ID field and an optional extension area with author and date; ARW can carry EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG, but nothing is copied across.
About TGA
TGA is a simple raster format still widely used for game textures and 3D rendering pipelines because it stores alpha channels reliably and loads fast.
A TGA has an 18-byte header (ID length, colour map type, image type 2 for true colour or 10 for RLE, origin, size, bits per pixel and a descriptor byte whose bits give the alpha depth and whether rows run top-down), then the pixels; version 2 files end with a 'TRUEVISION-XFILE' footer.
TGA files usually come from game engines, 3D renderers and texture painting tools.
About ARW
ARW is the raw format of Sony Alpha, RX and Cyber-shot cameras. It stores the sensor data (compressed, uncompressed or lossless compressed, depending on the model) with a full-size JPEG preview.
ARW is TIFF-based: the first directory carries EXIF and Sony's JPEG preview and the sensor data sits in a sub-directory. In Sony's classic compressed raw each block of 16 same-colour pixels keeps an 11-bit maximum and minimum plus 7-bit steps for the rest, which can leave artefacts beside high-contrast edges.
ARW files come from Sony Alpha mirrorless and SLT cameras, RX compacts and some Cyber-shot models.
When converting TGA to ARW makes sense
Forms and workflows that ask for ARW usually feed a raw editor, and each of those opens DNG as well, so the DNG can take the ARW's place. Keep the TGA if you only need to view or share the picture.
What ARW offers when it comes straight from the camera: A full-size JPEG preview from the camera; Lossless compressed raw on recent bodies; Wide support across Sony's long Alpha line. Its drawbacks: Sony's classic compressed mode is lossy; Uncompressed files of 60 MB and more on high-resolution bodies; Creative Looks are ignored by most third-party raw editors.
Limitations
- Some writers store rows bottom-up and some top-down; the descriptor byte says which, and the decoder follows it, so orientation is preserved.
- Game textures often hide data in the alpha byte (gloss or height); a target without transparency discards it.
- The DNG holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, so it adds no dynamic range or detail beyond the TGA.
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Frequently asked questions
Why do I get a .dng file instead of a .arw?
A real ARW is written by Sony cameras and holds the sensor's own readings (12 or 14 bits per channel, stored as Sony's lossy compressed raw, uncompressed (since the A7R II) or lossless compressed (since the A1)) along with EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG. A TGA holds no sensor data, so no software outside the camera can create a genuine ARW. The Linear DNG you get instead is Adobe's open raw format, and every editor that opens ARW files opens it with the same raw controls. It holds decoded pixels, so it adds no quality or dynamic range.
Does converting TGA to ARW lose quality?
DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded.
What happens to transparency when converting TGA to ARW?
TGA stores transparency as the fourth byte of each 32-bit pixel (or one bit in 16-bit files). DNG has no alpha channel, so transparent pixels are composited onto a solid colour, white unless you pick another. To keep transparency, convert to PNG, WebP or AVIF instead.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.