Batch convert Zeiss DCM to PDF — no more one-by-one exports

Eye care clinics using Zeiss Forum face a persistent workflow problem: when another provider requests patient data, the only export option is DICOM — a format most recipients can’t open. Staff end up downloading PDFs one at a time, sometimes 50 or more per patient.

reaConverter 8 now includes dedicated support for Zeiss Forum DICOM files, including the non-standard embedded PDFs that cause other converters to fail.

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Why Zeiss DICOM Files Are Different

Standard DICOM converters often can’t read Zeiss Forum exports. That’s because Zeiss stores PDFs inside DICOM containers using a proprietary structure that doesn’t follow typical DICOM conventions.

The result: your conversion software reports “Reading file… Fail” even though the data is intact inside the file.

reaConverter detects these Zeiss-specific structures and extracts the embedded content correctly.

What You Can Convert To

• PDF — for referrals, insurance, and external providers
• JPG, PNG — for individual images
• TIFF — for archival quality

All formats support batch processing — convert entire folders at once.

Step-by-Step DCM to PDF Conversion

Follow these steps:

1. Install reaConverter 8

Download the latest version from reaConverter.com. Zeiss DICOM support requires version 8.0.184 or later.

2. Add Your DCM Files

Drag your .dcm files into the main window, or use Add Folder to load an entire export directory.

3. Select Output Format

Choose PDF for most sharing scenarios. The output panel lets you set destination folder and naming conventions.

4. Click Start

reaConverter reads the Zeiss DICOM structure, extracts embedded documents, and writes them to your chosen format. No manual steps required.

Who This Helps

This feature addresses a specific need for:

• Ophthalmology and optometry practices using Zeiss Forum
• Medical records staff handling inter-provider transfers
• IT administrators managing clinical data workflows

If your clinic regularly shares Zeiss imaging data externally, batch DICOM conversion eliminates hours of repetitive manual exports.

Automation Options

For high-volume clinics or IT teams managing multiple Zeiss workstations, reaConverter offers additional automation capabilities:

Watch Folders — Set up a monitored folder that automatically converts any new DCM files as they arrive. Drop Zeiss exports into the folder and get PDFs out without launching the application.

Command Line Support — Integrate DICOM conversion into existing scripts, scheduled tasks, or backup workflows. Automate nightly batch processing or trigger conversions from your practice management system.

Both options are available in reaConverter Pro, making it possible to build hands-off conversion pipelines that require zero manual intervention.

Background

This feature was developed after a customer reached out about their Zeiss Forum workflow:

“When we get requests to send patient data to another provider, all we can do is download 10–50+ PDFs one at a time because Zeiss only allows for DICOM files on export, which nobody we deal with can use.”

We obtained sample files, identified the non-standard DICOM structure Zeiss uses, and built extraction logic that handles it reliably.

Conclusion

Converting Zeiss Forum DICOM to PDF using reaConverter eliminates one of the most time-consuming bottlenecks in ophthalmic data sharing. Instead of manually exporting dozens of files one at a time, you can batch process entire patient folders in minutes. Whether you’re handling a single referral or managing large-scale data transfers between providers, reaConverter gives you a reliable way to turn locked-down Zeiss DCM exports into standard, shareable formats — no workarounds required.

Get reaConverter and convert your first DCM to PDF in minutes!

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RAW image conversion represents a key feature used by professional photographers, graphic artists, web designers and other types of advanced image editors. In case you are a developer who designs a program addressed to these users and which can deliver RAW conversion, together with a wide array of image editing options, reaConverter Pro is just what you need! Why? Because, as opposed to many other converters, reaConverter Pro not only supports a GUI interface, but can also be operated through command-line. Which means it can help you integrate a large variety of image conversions — including from the RAW format — in your very own custom solution.

RAW image files, also known as digital negatives, store image details with a high degree of accuracy. Most professional photographers prefer to set their cameras in the RAW shooting mode because this means the lens will capture images that are as close as they can get to what you can see with your naked one. Moreover, RAW image files are preferred by professionals because they allow a wide range of computer processing. In other words, they provide more control for the photographer on aspects such as contrast and saturation, applying color filters and correcting the white balance.

However, in addition to all these advantages, RAW images also have an important drawback: they tend to be huge! One RAW file can get up to 6 times larger than a JPEG, which means RAWs are more difficult to send by e-mail and they take a lot of space on your computer. In addition, they are not compatible with most regular image viewers and can often be opened and edited only using an advanced graphics editing program, such as Corel Draw or Adobe Photoshop.

reaConverter Pro provides a quick and easy way to convert RAW images and apply a wide-ranging set of image editing options, which you can include in your own integrated solution. A program of this kind will help its user automate the reoccurring operations related to handling their RAW files, thus spending less time repeating the same operations, and generally increasing productivity and being more effective.

Install reaConverter

How does it work?

Through reaConverter’s command-line tool, cons_rcp.exe. Over 500 image formats can be processed and converted through this tool, including digital camera RAW images. The tool can be accessed directly from the command-line interface.

The tool allows you to set the output format of the RAW file — several accessible formats are available, such as JPG, PNG or TIF.

To convert one CR2 raw file run from cmd:

cons_rcp.exe -s "C:\Path_to\input_file.cr2" -o "C:\Path_to\output_file.jpg"

You can use config.cfg and action .act files for batch raw conversion and editing:

cons_rcp.exe "C:\Path_to\cfg_file.cfg" "C:\Path_to\act_file.act" -f source_file1 source_file2 source_file3

Configuration (.cfg) and action (.act) files are useful to automate the image conversion and editing process, especially when dealing with large numbers of images.

Configuration files contain details about the output extension of the converted images and the destination folder, as well as other additional features, such as RAW Formats Loading Settings, file name modifications or other conversion options.

Action files include the actual editing actions that will be applied to images, such as resizing, cropping, rotating, adjusting white balance, watermarking, etc.

The .cfg and .act files can be created using any text editor, but it is easier to create them using directly reaConverter.

Any parameter from .cfg or .act file can be specified in a command line, for example

cons_rcp.exe -s "C:\Path_to\input_file.cr2" -o "C:\Path_to\output_file.jpg" -resize 50x50% qh 1 -jpg_quality 100

You can specify the exact processes you want to apply to your files, involving image editing. A complete set of instructions on how to use reaConverter Pro to integrate RAW command-line image conversion in your own custom solution, including a list of parameters, is available in our (CLI) Command Line Interface Reference Guide.

You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

Are you designing a program targeting people who work in architecture, construction engineering or design? If so, you probably want to add DWG conversion as one of its useful features. DWG (“Drawing”) is one of the most helpful and popular formats in handling computer-aided design or drafting (CAD).

However, though preferred by many for its ability to edit and optimize 3D design data and metadata, DWG files also have a few drawbacks. Firstly, in order to open them you need to have AutoCAD or IntelliCAD installed, and using these programs requires not only a powerful computer, but also special training. Secondly, DWG files tend to have very large sizes and require long loading times. For all these reasons, most people who work with DWGs prefer to be able to convert them into PDFs, because thus it becomes much easier to store, open and e-mail them.

If you are a developer who wants to integrate DWG conversion into a customized solution, reaConverter Pro is precisely what you need. This easy-to-install software which can be downloaded at reaconverter.com and has a 15-day free trial period.

Install reaConverter

reaConverter can be operated both through a GUI interface and through command-line. In order words, you can work with reaConverter not only by issuing command through graphic interface, but also by writing “command lines”. The latter option is particularly useful when you want to include DWG conversion as a feature in the software you are designing. Command-line is an effective way to automate reoccurring conversion operations and generally simplify the way users handle image manipulation. It also increases the operation speed, thus saving time and energy, and decreases the possibility of errors.

reaConverter Pro supports conversion and image editing through command-line for over 500 image file formats, including DWG.

How does it work?

Directly from the command-line, through command (batch) files or through third party applications.
In each case, you can use reaConverter’s command-line tool, cons_rcp.exe, which allows you run conversion with configuration (.cfg) and action (.act) files.

Here is the simple usage of cons_rcp.exe:

cons_rcp.exe -s source_file -o output_file [cfg_file.cfg] [act_file.act]

In the config files, you can set the output format of the converted file, as well as where you want to save it on your computer, under what name, and using what kind of conversion options. In the action type of files, you can define the exact image editing actions you want to apply to the images. You can read more about config and action files here: reaconverter.com/features/config-and-action-files.html

Detailed information about how to use command-line for converting DWG files, together with a list of required and optional parameters for doing conversions through command-line, is available at reaconverter.com/features/command-line.html

Moreover, if you encounter any difficulties integrating DWG conversion in your customized software, reaConverter also offers hight quality technical support.

While at the moment JPEG and PNG are considered to be the most popular formats for storing and transferring images, Google promises things will look different in the future. In 2010, the company launched WebP, a new image format meant to challenge the leading position of the two formats mentioned above. And ever since then, its developers have added several new features and functions, while more and more people have begun to discuss the usefulness of switching to WebP.

The purpose of WebP is in line with one of Google’s long-term goals: improving the speed of browsing. Since the average Internet page has a content of over 50% images, Google has decided to come up with a format that offers the same image quality as JPEG or PNG, but using a smaller size. WebP offers both lossy and lossless compression. According to the format’s developers, WebP images are 26% smaller in size when compared to lossless PNG and up to 34% smaller when compared to lossy JPEG.

JPEG file size: 43.84 KB

WebP file size: 29.61 KB

Through praised by some for its ability to provide a reduced size for decent image quality, and hence smaller loading times especially when using the internet from your smartphone or tablet, WebP is still regarded skeptically by others. The main reasons? WebP is still not used as extensively as JPEG, for example, and it is not compatible with some image viewers and browsers. And this can pose serious difficulties in opening or transferring such files. Moreover, analysts continue to see the WebP format as “work in progress”, with several features still waiting to be developed.

Whether you want to convert an image file to or from the WebP format, reaConverter is equally effective in providing you with fast and easy-to-use conversion services. This quality software supports batch conversion for over 500 image formats, including WebP.

All you have to do is:

Load all the files you need to convert and add them to the conversion list. As opposed to other online converters, reaConverter offers batch conversion for all its supported formats, helping you save the time and energy you would otherwise spend doing repetitive operations.

Decide what kind of image processing you want to add to your output files. You can opt for rotating or resizing the image, cropping or mirroring it, adding image effects or applying an image or text watermark, to make sure it doesn’t get used without your permission.

Finally, choose where the output image will be located on your computer, and what will be its format. In case you are converting a JPG or PNG to WebP, here you can also set format settings and decide if you want to opt for lossless compression or for a customizable image quality. Then press Start and start the conversion. Your brand new image files will be ready immediately!

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Advanced users can handle WebP files using command line interface or DLL in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

Do you have a TIF file which includes several pages and you would like to convert it into a PDF with the same multipage structure? Or perhaps you would like each page to be transformed into a separate PDF? In each of these cases, reaConverter is the tool which will help you manage your conversions fast and easy.

Here is how:

Install reaConverter

Firstly, go to www.reaconverter.com, download and install reaConverter, and take full advantage of its 15-day free trial period. This quality piece of software is small and it installs quickly on your computer, without occupying too much space or taking too many resources. Moreover, it has a user-friendly menu and you will figure out how to use it in no time.

Open TIF files in reaConverter

Start reaConverter and load one or all the multipage TIF files you plan to convert. Unlike most other free converters available online, reaConverter supports batch conversion. This will help you avoid the hassle of repeating the same operation for every single file you plan to convert. Instead, you can process them all at once. reaConverter supports over 500 image file formats, including TIF.

The Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) is generally preferred by photographers or advanced image editors for storing photographs or scanned images. In comparison with other popular formats, such as JPEG, TIF files can ensure a “lossless compression” of the image, which means they preserve image details with greater accuracy. Moreover, they can be easily edited using graphics design programs.

As opposed to TIF, which is a raster format, PDF contains both vector and raster information. Consequently, it looks better when printed. Also, PDFs are easier to embed in a web-page and can even be read in a web browser, whereas TIFs are supported neither by most browsers nor by image sharing sites. Finally, PDF files are typically smaller in size then TIFs. If, for any of these reasons, you plan to transform one or more TIF files into one or more PDFs, here is how to go about it.

Set-up multipage to multipage conversion option

Once you’ve loaded your TIF files with reaConverter, you just have to click Menu → Saving Settings → Additional Saving Settings… and then go to the Multipage menu in order to decide what to do with your files.

The options include saving every page of your TIF as a separate PDF file, converting your multipage TIF into a single multipage PDF, and others. Click on the most suitable option for your needs and then go to the final step of the conversion process, where you choose the destination folder and the output format you want. If you must stick to a multipage format, PDF is the best option. If not, many others are also available, including JPEG, BMP or PNG.

Convert your images

Go to the Saving options and pick a destination for your output PDF files.
reaConverter offers several options for saving them locally.

Finally, choose PDF as output format. Simply press one of the buttons on the bottom of the window, or click the + Plus button if you don’t see PDF button there.

After all this is set, just press the Start button and your files will be transformed almost instantly!

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Advanced users can convert multipage TIFF images to PDF via command line interface or DLL in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

In case you happened to find yourself having a group of TGA files (perhaps someone sent them by e-mail or transferred them to your computer) and are not sure how to handle them, here are some quick tips.

The TGA (Truevision Graphics Adapter) format was created in the 1980s by a company called Truevision as a raster graphics file format and it is also referred to as ‟TARGA (Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter) format”. Though the company doesn’t exist anymore under this name, the file is still widely used for storing deep-pixel images and graphics that contain image data up to 32-bits per pixel. You will often find TGA images associated with 3D video games or have them used for still-video editing.

TGA files can be handled using advanced graphics design programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw or GIMP. They can also be opened by some photo viewers, such as ACDSee or Apple Quick Time Viewer. However, if you plan to share TGA files online, to transfer, send them by e-mail or make them widely available, the easiest thing to do is convert them to a more accessible format, such as JPEG.

Managing the conversion of a group of files from TGA to JPEG format can be really easy when you are using a proficient converter such as reaConverter. This software can be used for competently reading over 500 image formats and for writing over 50 types of image extensions. In the case of TGA, reaConverter supports conversion both to and from this format.

The batch conversion of your TGA files to JPEG is easy to operate with the software’s user-friendly menu by following these 3 steps:

1. Load TGA Files Into reaConverter

Add all the TGA files you need to convert to the conversion list. By supporting batch conversion, reaConverter helps you save a lot of time and avoid doing recurring operations.

2. Edit TGA Images

Explore the wide array of image editing options made available by this software. Here you can opt for rotating or resizing all converted images, for adding image effects or correcting colors. You can also add an image or text watermark, so as to protect the rights of the image owner. All the options you choose in this section can be tuned up and you can easily see how they will transform your images by ticking the Preview checkbox.

3. Apply the Result

Choose the destination of the output file and its format. In case you have a large number of images you intend to convert and you would like to automatically modify their filename, here you can also opt for adding a predefined prefix or suffix to the new filename. For example, you can use the date or time as predefined elements that help you keep track of your images. After setting all these details, simply start the conversion process and quickly enjoy your images in a new format.

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Online TGA Converter:

reaConverter is a highly efficient tool for managing a large amount of TGA images on a frequent basis. However, if you are planning to convert only a few TGA files and only once in a while, then you can try online TGA image converter imverter.com.

Advanced users can convert TGA files via command line interface or DLL in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

JPG and PNG are two of the most popular extensions for image files, but which one is the best? Some people prefer the JPG format because of its small size, because it is easy to upload online and it is compatible with any image viewer program you might have and with all photo sharing websites. However, JPG is a lossy compression format, which means it discards some of the encoding information of the image so as to ensure the file is not too large. This translates into poorer quality — including some image noise and possibly irregular shapes, which is relevant particularly if you plan to print the image or use it for graphics editing.

On the other hand, the PNG format provides a lossless compression, which means it stores all the necessary data that allows the compressed image to reconstruct the original one. PNGs are a better choice than JPG if you plan to apply later editing to a photo, and are also more suitable for saving images that include text, line drawings or iconic.

If you have one or more JPG files that you need to convert to lossless PNG, you can easily do so using reaConverter.

This powerful software supports conversion to and from over 500 image formats, including lossless PNG. All you need to do is:

Load JPG Files

Load all the JPGs you need to convert and include them in the list for batch conversion.

Edit Images in Batch

Move on to the second step of the conversion process, where you can add image processing and tune it up. Here you can opt for rotating, resizing and cropping your image, or adjusting contrast and brightness. You can also add an image watermark or text watermark that will appear on all your output images, or add borders and shadows. The wide array of editing options can be tuned up according to your desire and can be tested live. You only need to tick the “preview” box and you will instantly be able to see all the image corrections as they are applied.

Save result in lossless PNG

Finally, select the destination folder and PNG as the extension of the output file.

Consequently, push the Format settings button and then take a few moments to check the PNG menu (see below). Here you have several options for your output file, including the compression level. The default number you have here is 7, but if you want to opt for a lossless compression, the PNG compression level should be 0.

After you have changed this number, click OK and push the Start conversion button. Your new image files will be ready to use in no time!

Advanced users can convert JPG images to losslessPNG in batch via command line interface or DLL in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

If you are a fan of Canon cameras, you probably have a bunch of CR2 images stocked on your computer. CR2 is the proprietary format of Canon cameras, used for creating RAW images. Or in other words, images that you can later edit using advanced graphics editing software. While this format might be OK to use if you are a professional designer and if you have Adobe Photoshop or other similar programs installed on your computer, transfer CR2 images, sending or posting them online might pose some problems.

As in the case of most RAW image files, CR2s tend to have a very large size, so storing them or sending them by e-mail can be difficult. In addition, they are not compatible with many regular image viewing aditing programs and they are not accepted by photo labs or image sharing websites. So, how to deal with them in this case?

The best solution for handling your CR2 images is converting them to a more popular image format, which takes less space and is supported by more image viewers. You can choose from several extensions, including JPG or TIF. But while converting CR2 to JPG usually implies some serious compromise in terms of image quality, when it comes to the TIF format, preserving image quality is no longer an issue.

As opposed to JPG, which is a lossy compression format, TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) can ensure a lossless compression of the image. Or in other words, it helps you maintain image quality when you switch from CR2. However, for this conversion to take place successfully, you need to use a powerful piece of software, with advanced conversion settings. We recommend ReaConverter, which supports conversions to and from over 400 image formats, including CR2.

All you need to do is:

Download and Install reaConverter

Go to the reaConverter’s website reaConverter.com, download and install the software to your PC.

Load Your CR2 Files

Start it and load all the image files you need to convert because, as opposed to most free online converters, reaConverter supports batch conversion. So you can save the time and energy you would lose with doing repetitive operations.

Edit CR2 photos

You can tune CR2 loading settings with RAW Formats Loading Settings option.

Adjust white balance, brightness and interpolation, or apply denoise filter and color correction.

reaConverter also lets you choose between a wide array of image editing options. Here you can opt for rotating or cropping your images, for adding filters, effects or watermarking. You can easily check the effect of the image options you select here by ticking the Preview button.

Save in TIFF

Go to Saving options and pick a location for your TIF images. Pick the TIF extension for your output files by clicking the corresponding button from the lower part of the window.

Consequently, click on the TIF format settings button and go to the TIF menu in the newly opened window. Then select No compression in order to have a lossless conversion from CR2 to TIF.

After completing this step, simply start the conversion and in a few moments you will be able to enjoy your newly converted TIFF image files!

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Video Tutorial

Online CR2 Converter:

reaConverter is a highly efficient tool for managing a large amount of CR2 files on a frequent basis. However, if you are planning to convert only a few CR2 photos and only once in a while, then you can also try online RAW photo converter imverter.com.

Advanced users can convert CR2 photos to TIFF files into images via command line interface in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

We got this question from a reader who had just been sent an e-mail with an ORF file attached and wasn’t sure whether opening such files is safe or not. Moreover, if it is safe, what software would he need to open it? Because Windows did not seem to be able to handle the file with the regular programs installed.

ORF is a file extension used for RAW image files created with an Olympus camera. Our reader probably received a photograph that did not have a more popular format, such as JPEG or PNG, because its owner wanted to allow future editing to the image, including advanced customization such as correcting exposure or white balance. Most photographers prefer using the RAW format for their images, because this way they have more options to add digital adjustments and make the image look the way they want. However, as opposed to JPEG files, for example, RAW images have the disadvantage of taking a lot of space and of being difficult to open and handle. Because they can be up to 6 times larger than JPEGs, they are also difficult to send and archive.

Hence, the answer to our reader would be the following: yes, it is safe to open an ORF file. However, in order to do this you would probably need a not-so-easy-to-find and potentially not very user-friendly software. Programs that can open ORF files include Corel Draw and Adobe Photoshop. All tend to have large sizes, to be rather expensive and not particularly easy to use. So our recommendation would be to download the ORF file from the e-mail attachment and then convert it to a format that is easier to handle. How to do this?

The quick and simple way to handle your ORF conversions is to get a quality piece of software, such as reaConverter. You can download and try it for free at reaconverter.com. Although it is small, this software is extremely efficient in managing a wide range of conversions. As you will soon realize, ReaConverter will help you avoid spending countless hours trying to figure out how to use an advanced digital editing program to open the photos you made with your brand new Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ, for example. But at the same time, it will allow you to apply a wide range of editing options.

Here is a glimpse of what this program can do with your images:

• Resize your output image by defining its width and height, or resolution.
• Crop a particular number of pixels from your image.
• Rotate your image by using a specific angle.
• Change the background colour of your output image.
• Convert your photo to black and white.
• Apply watermarking to protect the copyright of your image. Image or text watermarking are available and you have several options to make sure the watermark goes exactly where you want it on the photograph.
• …and much more!

Download and try reaConverter  (~35 MiB)

Advanced users can process ORF files using command line converter in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

Online ORF conversion:

reaConverter is a great solution for efficiently managing a large amount of files, on a frequent basis. However, if you are planning to convert only a few ORF photos and only once in a while, then you can also try Imverter, free online photo converter.

Though when Adobe released the DNG (Digital Negative) format, in 2004, many people were skeptical about the need for an additional type of raw file when each camera manufacturer already had a typical raw extension for each brand — NEF for Nikon, ORF for Olympus, CR2 for Canon, in time the DNG format grew in popularity.

One of the main advantages of DNG is that it is an open format which stores all the raw information captured by the camera’s sensor. This translates in great image quality and in the availability for image editing using advanced graphics design software. DNG can be handled using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, as well other imaging programs.

When compared with RAW image files, DNGs have an additional advantage that is highly valued by professional image editors. Apart from its ability to store the raw image data, a DNG file can also contain the metadata, and can even include the original RAW file in the camera’s proprietary format, in case you ever want to revert at it. Moreover, they tend to be smaller in size then RAW images, when they carry the same amount of information.

If you are among the fans of the DNG format, you will certainly need at some point to be able to convert DNGs into a format that is smaller, easier to archive and transfer. And if you want to opt for a format that is both popular and compatible with any image viewer, that can be easily uploaded on photo sharing websites and opened by any browser without requiring extra applications or plug-ins (even when you are using your smartphone or tablet), than JPEG will fit all your needs. So here are 3 easy steps to convert your DNGs into JPGs:

1. Download and install reaConverter from www.reaconverter.com, and quickly load all the DNG files you need to convert. This powerful software supports conversions to and from over 400 image formats, including archaic and rare.
   
2. Decide if you want to apply any image editing to the files you intend to convert. reaConverter offers you a large variety of options, including the addition of a text or image watermark on each of your image files, rotating or resizing, adding photo effects, as well as many others.
   
3. Choose among the long list of extensions available for conversion. You can opt for JPEG, but also BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF and many other formats that correspond to your needs. Then simply start the conversion and quickly enjoy your new image files!
   

Every image editing action will be applied to every DNG file you loaded and the result will be saved into JPEG by desired way.

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Advanced users can do the same using command line converter in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.