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| ProRes RAW | |
|---|---|
| Name | ProRes RAW |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
| Released | 2018 |
| Type | Video codec |
| Container | QuickTime |
ProRes RAW ProRes RAW is a family of high-performance, visually lossless video codecs introduced by Apple Inc. in 2018 that capture raw sensor data into a compressed format for professional motion-picture workflows. It aims to combine the flexibility of raw image data with the efficiency of intraframe ProRes codecs to streamline on-set recording and post-production tasks used by filmmakers, cinematographers, and broadcasters. The format intersects with camera hardware, storage systems, and software ecosystems across major studios, post houses, and independent productions.
ProRes RAW was announced by Apple Inc. as an extension of the ProRes family intended to record sensor-level data with reduced processing overhead compared with traditional raw pipelines. The format targets workflows common to productions involving companies such as Panasonic Corporation, Sony Corporation, Canon Inc., and accessory manufacturers like Atomos and Blackmagic Design. It was adopted by facilities that work alongside entities including Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, Framestore, and broadcasters like BBC and NBCUniversal. Cinematographers affiliated with organizations such as the American Society of Cinematographers have integrated it alongside established formats used by productions for Academy Awards-level cinematography. ProRes RAW emphasizes interoperability with editing and grading applications developed by Apple Inc., Adobe Systems, Blackmagic Design, and Avid Technology.
ProRes RAW encodes filtered or debayered sensor data into a compressed intraframe format based on architectures similar to earlier ProRes profiles. It supports variable bit depths and scalable data rates comparable to other raw formats from manufacturers like RED Digital Cinema, ARRI, and Canon EOS digital cinema lines. The codec operates inside the QuickTime container and aligns with storage systems such as RAID (computing), networked SAN (storage), and portable solid-state media used on sets. It is designed to preserve latitude and highlight rolloff important for high dynamic range workflows used in productions for studios like Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures. Performance characteristics are often discussed in relation to hardware acceleration provided by Intel Corporation processors, Apple M1 series systems, and GPU vendors such as NVIDIA and AMD.
ProRes RAW integrates into non-linear editing systems from vendors like Apple Inc. (Final Cut Pro), Adobe Systems (Premiere Pro), and Avid Technology (Media Composer), as well as color grading suites from Blackmagic Design (DaVinci Resolve). Camera manufacturers including Sony Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, and Canon Inc. have implemented recording pipelines and metadata support that enable interoperability with on-board tools and external recorders by Atomos and SmallHD. Post houses often combine ProRes RAW footage with deliverables encoded for distributors such as Netflix, Amazon Studios, and Hulu, following specifications shaped by standards organizations and guilds like SMPTE and the IATSE craft unions. Integration with asset management platforms from companies like Avid Technology and Dalet Digital Media Systems facilitates collaboration on large-scale projects for networks including CBS and Fox Broadcasting Company.
External recorders from Atomos and monitors/recorders from SmallHD have been among the first to add ProRes RAW support, enabling cameras from Sony, Canon, and Panasonic to output sensor data via standards such as SDI and HDMI. Camera models in the field of digital cinematography, from lines by Sony, Canon, Panasonic, and boutique makers like RED Digital Cinema and ARRI, have varying levels of native or companion-device support. Playback and monitoring in dailies and finishing suites use hardware from manufacturers like AJA Video Systems and Blackmagic Design, while color-managed screening occurs on displays certified under programs from Dolby Laboratories and Technicolor used in theatrical and post environments.
In grading, ProRes RAW footage provides flexibility similar to other raw formats from ARRI (ARRIRAW) and RED Digital Cinema (REDCODE), letting colorists manipulate exposure, white balance, and noise reduction with granular control in applications like DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere Pro. Facilities that service major studios and streaming platforms incorporate LUT pipelines, ACES workflows promulgated by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences initiatives, and color certification standards applied by companies such as Dolby Laboratories and Technicolor. The codec’s metadata enables streamlined conform and relinking during editorial stages used by teams at houses like MPC Film and The Mill.
Apple distributes ProRes RAW as a proprietary codec under licensing terms that govern implementation in camera firmware and external recorders; manufacturers negotiate agreements with Apple Inc. to enable recording and playback. Discussions around codec licensing involve patent frameworks overseen by entities such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office and international standards bodies like ISO. Competing codec models—evident in formats from Google LLC, Microsoft Corporation, and open initiatives like FFmpeg—have led to industry dialogues about open vs. proprietary formats, interoperability, and royalty regimes affecting vendors and post houses in markets served by companies including Netflix and Amazon Studios.
ProRes RAW’s arrival influenced camera accessories, post workflows, and studio practices at organizations including BBC, Netflix, Warner Bros., and boutique production companies. It spurred feature support from recorder and camera vendors, altered decisions at cinematography-focused educational programs at institutions like the American Film Institute and New York University, and fed into debates among professionals represented by the ASC and BSC (British Society of Cinematographers) about format choice. While it competes with raw formats from RED Digital Cinema, ARRI, and other proprietary pipelines, ProRes RAW contributed to faster editorial turnaround and tighter integration with Final Cut Pro ecosystems in many independent and studio-level productions.