[Ducky13]

Hi All,

I recently got myself a KP & have been shooting in RAW, but I can't open the PEF files on my Windows PC. I don't do any major post processing & hence don't own Photoshop or Lightroom. How can I open the PEF files on the Windows photo viewer? Is there a plugin that I can download or do I need a special program to view them? If the latter then could you please recommend one that's free?

Thanks,
Ducky

[blende8]

The easiest way would be to change the RAW format to DNG in the settings.

[Ducky13]

Thanks, but how do I do that for photos that I have already taken?

[UncleVanya]

Adobe Digital Negative Converter

[mattt]

You need the camera extensions pack

Download Microsoft Camera Codec Pack (6.3.9721.0) from Official Microsoft Download Center

[35mmfilmfan]

Faststone (which is free !) will open PEF files as well as DNG, and enable you to do PP work as well.

[Ducky13]

You need the camera extensions pack

Download Microsoft Camera Codec Pack (6.3.9721.0) from Official Microsoft Download Center

Matt thanks for that, I think that's probably what I need. However, are you able to please share the link for the Windows 10 version? The one that you shared is for Windows 7.

Thanks,
Ducky

[Not a Number]

The extension pack will not install on Windows 10. Even if it did it does not support the KP. The latest Pentax DSLR supported by that pack is the K-5

At the moment there is no native solution from Microsoft to view later PEF files under Windows 10.

For now you can install the Pentax Digital Camera Utility 5 that comes with the KP which will allow you to view the PEF in the phtoo browser and develop them to JPEG files. Some of the other RAW developer programs will also support PEF files from the KP but offhand I don't recall which ones. There a thread or two on this matter.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-troubleshooting-beginner-help/310854-...ght=windows+10

[pschlute]

. I don't do any major post processing & hence don't own Photoshop or Lightroom.

Hi Ducky13

If you are not doing any post processing you are better off shooting JPEG in camera rather than RAW. The RAW files without any processing will look very dull and lifeless in any photo viewer.

[Ducky13]

Thanks for all the replies

---------- Post added 12-02-17 at 03:10 PM ----------

Adobe Digital Negative Converter

I tried this but the converted images are only 1024 X 768 resolution & the quality is pretty terrible. Am I doing something wrong?

[twilhelm]

You can get the latest version of Irfanview which should open them with no trouble. It’s free btw. I use it for resizing and saving for the web, although it can do more.
As stated above, it is better to shoot RAW DNG as it’s a more universal format.

[pschlute]

I tried this but the converted images are only 1024 X 768 resolution & the quality is pretty terrible. Am I doing something wrong?

I imagine you are looking at a jpeg preview of the RAW DNG file. You will not have a "converted image" untill you actually process the converted DNG file

[mattt]

Matt thanks for that, I think that's probably what I need. However, are you able to please share the link for the Windows 10 version? The one that you shared is for Windows 7.

Thanks,
Ducky

Having been given a bread crumb, you can just use google to find an answer... I did the googling for you

Microsoft Camera Codec Pack for Windows 10 64-bit - Microsoft Community

I operate under Win 10, but I upgraded from a Win 7 OS and I had the codec already installed ---- so it lives as a ghost on my machine. Install the link I sent while in compatibility mode and you are set.

[Not a Number]

The WIndows 7 camera pack will not install on Windows 10 even in compatibility mode. I patched the install package to remove the OS version check (link provided in above referenced thread). However the latest Pentax DSLR supported is the K-5. PEF files from later models will not be recognized.

The last update of the camera pack was for Windows 8.1. This is an update package and cannot be hacked in the same manner as an install package. It cannot be installed in compatibility mode. The latest model this supports is the K-30 so again it will not support PEFs from the KP.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2859675/update-adds-support-for-new...-and-windows-r

Pentax (PEF formats only): *ist D, *ist DL, *ist DS, K10D, K20D, K100D, K100D Super, K110D, K200D, K-01, K-5, K-7, K-30, K-r, K-x

The following free viewer/editors support PEF files but not Pixel Shift resolution processing:
http://www.irfanview.com/ (plug-in pack required for PEF support)
http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm
https://www.xnview.com/en/xnview/

Rawtherapee supports Pixel Shift
http://rawtherapee.com/blog/features

[PDL]

Here we go again.
Microsoft DOES NOT WRITE CODEC'S FOR CAMERA MANUFACTURES.
It is Ricoh's responsibility to provide CODEC's the last Codec for PEF file was written by HOYA.
What happened to PEF support in Windows. - PentaxForums.com