Reference Formats
BRAW
BRAW is Blackmagic Design's camera-native raw video format, engineered to combine raw-image editing flexibility with smaller file sizes and faster editing performance than traditional raw workflows.
Extension
.braw
Full name
Blackmagic RAW
Introduced
2018
Vendor
Blackmagic Design
What is inside the container
Like other camera-native raw formats, BRAW stores sensor data and metadata rather than fully rendered pixels, but Blackmagic designed it to offload part of the debayer processing efficiently to GPU/CPU acceleration at decode time, keeping file sizes and editing performance closer to a conventional compressed codec than a typical raw format. It replaced CinemaDNG as Blackmagic's camera raw format and is proprietary, though Blackmagic distributes a fully documented, free SDK explicitly intended to let other camera and software makers adopt it.
How to open it
For archives
BRAW is more edit-friendly than most raw formats because of its efficient decode design, but native support outside DaVinci Resolve still depends on plugins that may lag behind Resolve's own updates, so verify plugin compatibility across the full NLE toolchain before standardizing on BRAW for a shared production archive. As with any camera-native raw format, generate H.264 or ProRes proxies at ingest for browsing and rough-cut work, keeping the original BRAW as the archival master to preserve full grading latitude.
Blackmagic Design introduced Blackmagic RAW publicly at IBC 2018, after roughly two and a half years of development, positioning it explicitly as the successor to CinemaDNG in Blackmagic’s own camera line — the URSA Mini Pro and Pocket Cinema Camera series being the primary cameras that record it. The core design goal was solving a longstanding tension in raw video: traditional camera raw formats preserve maximum editing flexibility but produce enormous files that are slow to decode and edit, while compressed codecs are fast and small but bake in creative decisions at capture time.
BRAW’s answer is to store genuine sensor-level raw data and metadata — the same underlying concept as REDCODE RAW or CinemaDNG — but to offload part of the debayer processing efficiently to GPU and CPU acceleration at decode time, so files play back and edit at speeds much closer to a conventional compressed codec than a typical raw workflow. That efficiency is a large part of why DaVinci Resolve, Blackmagic’s own NLE, can scrub and grade BRAW footage in real time on modest hardware where equivalent raw formats would struggle.
Unlike RED’s more tightly closed ecosystem, Blackmagic distributes a fully documented, free BRAW SDK for Mac, Windows, and Linux, explicitly stating there are no hidden licenses or ongoing fees — a deliberate strategy to get BRAW adopted beyond Blackmagic’s own cameras and software. That’s led to official support in Premiere Pro via Blackmagic’s own free plugin, though notably not in Final Cut Pro, where native BRAW handling still depends on third-party tools rather than an official Apple or Blackmagic plugin. For a DAM, the practical implication mirrors any raw format: generate proxies for browsing, but confirm which specific NLEs in the production pipeline have current, tested BRAW support before treating it as a universally editable master format.
| R3D (REDCODE RAW) | BRAW (Blackmagic RAW) | |
|---|---|---|
| Debayer approach | Full raw decode at edit/playback time | Partial debayer offloaded to GPU/CPU acceleration at decode time |
| SDK licensing | RED SDK, third-party use permitted | Free, fully documented SDK, no licensing fee |
| Native NLE support | DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro (since CS6) | DaVinci Resolve; Premiere Pro via free plugin |
Frequently asked
Is Blackmagic RAW a compressed video codec or a true raw format?
It's a true camera-native raw format — it stores sensor data and metadata rather than fully rendered pixels — but it's engineered to decode more efficiently than traditional raw formats by offloading part of the debayer process to GPU/CPU acceleration, giving it file sizes and edit performance closer to a compressed codec.
Does using BRAW in our pipeline require paying Blackmagic a license fee?
No — Blackmagic distributes a fully documented BRAW SDK for Mac, Windows, and Linux free of charge, explicitly stating there are no hidden licenses or ongoing fees, which is why third-party camera and software makers have been able to adopt it.
What replaced CinemaDNG as Blackmagic's camera raw format?
Blackmagic RAW did, introduced publicly at IBC 2018 as CinemaDNG's successor across Blackmagic's camera line, including the URSA Mini Pro and Pocket Cinema Camera series.
Does Final Cut Pro support BRAW natively?
Not officially — there is no Blackmagic-provided plugin for Final Cut Pro. Native-feeling BRAW support in FCP requires a third-party tool such as BRAW Toolbox rather than an Apple- or Blackmagic-supplied plugin.
How does BRAW compare to R3D for editing performance?
Both are camera-native raw formats storing sensor data rather than rendered pixels, but BRAW was specifically engineered around GPU/CPU-accelerated decode to keep edit performance closer to a compressed codec, which is one reason DaVinci Resolve can scrub BRAW footage smoothly even on modest hardware.
Should we generate proxies for BRAW footage the same way we would for R3D?
Yes — even though BRAW decodes more efficiently than many raw formats, generating H.264 or ProRes proxies at ingest is still standard practice for lightweight browsing and rough-cut work, with the original BRAW retained as the archival master for final grading.
Which NLE has the best native BRAW support?
DaVinci Resolve, Blackmagic's own application, offers the most complete native BRAW support with GPU acceleration and no plugin required; Premiere Pro follows via Blackmagic's official free plugin.
Is BRAW an open, published specification like a standard video codec?
It's proprietary to Blackmagic Design, but Blackmagic publishes the SDK openly and free of licensing fees specifically to encourage broad third-party adoption — a middle ground between a fully open standard and a tightly closed proprietary format.
Sources
- Blackmagic RAW was announced publicly at IBC 2018 as CinemaDNG's successor. checked 2026-08-07 — ProVideo Coalition — Blackmagic Says Goodbye to CinemaDNG, Adopts Blackmagic RAW
- Official Blackmagic RAW product and SDK page, including free-licensing terms. checked 2026-08-07 — Blackmagic Design — Blackmagic RAW
- Technical breakdown of Blackmagic RAW's design goals versus CinemaDNG and ProRes RAW. checked 2026-08-07 — ymcinema — Blackmagic RAW, CinemaDNG and ProRes RAW: All You Need to Know