What is a DPX file?
DPX stands for Digital Picture Exchange. It was created by SMPTE, from Kodak's Cineon format and first released in 1994. DPX holds a single frame per file, so a scanned film is a folder of thousands of numbered DPX files. Film scans are often stored in a logarithmic encoding that keeps the full range of the negative, which is why an ungraded DPX looks flat and grey.
| Type | image |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless |
| Colour | 8, 10, 12 or 16 bits per channel, most often 10-bit RGB |
| Transparency | Yes |
| Animation | No |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; DaVinci Resolve, Nuke, After Effects and other film tools open it |
| Common uses | film scanning, visual effects and digital cinema work |
| MIME type | image/x-dpx |
Which format should you convert DPX to?
- DPX to JPG for photos that must open everywhere and stay small.
- DPX to PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with transparency.
DPX is lossless, so converting it to a lossy format is where the file gets much smaller.
How to open a DPX file
A DPX file does not open in a web browser, and only some devices have a program for it. Here is what works on each. If none of these is to hand, converting the file to PNG here is the quickest way to see what is inside it.
| Windows | DaVinci Resolve (free edition), Nuke and After Effects open it. |
|---|---|
| Mac | DaVinci Resolve (free edition), Nuke and After Effects open it. |
| iPhone and iPad | iPhone and iPad cannot show DPX. Convert it to PNG or JPG here to view it. |
| Android | Android cannot show DPX. Convert it to PNG or JPG here to view it. |
Want the technical details? See what a .dpx file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
DPX compared with other image formats
How DPX stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPX | Lossless | Yes | 1994 | film scanning, visual effects and digital cinema work |
| JPG | Lossy | No | 1992 | camera photos, web images and email attachments |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | 1996 | screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with transparency |
| WebP | Either | Yes | 2010 | images served by websites to save bandwidth |
| HEIC | Lossy | Yes | 2017 | photos taken on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11 |
How to use the DPX converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your DPX files on the box, or press Choose DPX files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. The file is converted on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back.
Tips for converting DPX files without losing quality
DPX is lossless, so it is a good source for any conversion. Converting it to a lossy format is where the file gets much smaller, and converting it to another lossless format keeps every pixel.
- Keep the original file. It holds the layers, masks or raw data that a converted image does not, and you can always convert from it again.
- Choose PNG for artwork, screenshots and anything with sharp edges, and JPG for photos that must be small.
- Converted images are flattened: layers, adjustments and editable text become pixels, so make changes in the original and convert again.
- The server accepts files up to 25 MB; save very large files at a smaller size first.
Convert DPX files from the command line
ImageMagick does the same on your own computer:
magick input.dpx output.pngConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
DPX converter FAQ
What is a DPX file?
DPX stands for Digital Picture Exchange, an image format created by SMPTE, from Kodak's Cineon format in 1994. DPX holds a single frame per file, so a scanned film is a folder of thousands of numbered DPX files. Film scans are often stored in a logarithmic encoding that keeps the full range of the negative, which is why an ungraded DPX looks flat and grey.
How do I open a DPX file?
DPX does not open in browsers; DaVinci Resolve, Nuke, After Effects and other film tools open it. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common DPX conversion?
DPX to PNG is the conversion people search for most. ImageMagick, the open-source image toolkit, reads the DPX on our conversion server and saves it as a lossless PNG.
Does converting DPX files here upload them?
Yes. DPX conversions need ImageMagick, an open-source program that cannot run in a browser, so they run on our conversion server. The file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept.
Is the DPX converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert DPX files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your DPX files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several DPX files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.