Smaller Nikon ZR files. More room for your next shoot. Compress R3D, N-RAW and supported ProRes RAW into H.265 10-bit 4:2:2, optional 4:2:0, or Apple ProRes, with automatic exports or manual RAW control in Resolve.
A concise introduction to ZR RAW Extended, followed by the setup process so you can move from download to your first queue with confidence.
Subscribe on YouTubeEarly reactions from filmmakers following the public launch.
“The ZR Raw Extended tool is a game-changer for the creator, significantly simplifying their workflow by automating the transcoding of large Nikon ZR files.”Lorenzo Galeano@LorenzoGaleanoYT ↗
“I just tried and it worked amazingly.”↗02
“Amazing man! Keep up the good work!!”↗03
“I’ll do my part by spreading your work.”↗
Short excerpts from public YouTube comments. Open any card to see its original context. No commenter was paid or incentivized.
This is not RAW after conversion, and it is not pretending to be. It is a practical, high-quality next step for footage that no longer needs major camera-RAW adjustments.
ISO, white balance, decode settings, and other camera-RAW decisions become baked into the finished file. Keep the original RAW for shots that still need significant recovery or reinterpretation.
Keep Standard 4:2:2 for more color detail, or choose optional Sony-inspired and Nikon-inspired 4:2:0 bitrate presets. Clear descriptions and per-clip estimates make the storage tradeoff visible. Camera names refer to bitrate, not color profiles.
The result retains strong grading latitude in the same bit-depth and chroma-sampling class as a high-quality internal recording format. R3D footage keeps its established RED-derived color foundation.
About playback: performance depends on the Mac, editing application, resolution, and frame rate. H.265 is chosen here for storage efficiency, not as a universal promise of smoother playback.
No codec maze. No mystery folders. No babysitting render tools. The app keeps the decisions visible and the machinery out of your way.
Files, folders, or watched directories.
Choose REDline or Resolve for the session.
Clean names, history, and verified output.
Choose once for the session. Queue controls, listener automation, history, progress, output profiles, verification, and recovery stay exactly where they are.
On supported Apple silicon Macs, DaVinci Resolve can process many RAW jobs faster thanks to its mature hardware acceleration and highly optimized media engine. It is our preferred-quality option, enables Timeline Builder for manual Camera RAW work, and adds guarded ProRes RAW and ProRes RAW HQ camera-original support.
Resolve 21.1 tested · ProRes RAW Auto Export: 20.2+; Timeline Builder: 21.1+ · Local scripting requiredA selectable RAW processing integration that stays inside the same focused queue, listener, progress, verification, and recovery experience.
Availability checked during guided setupThese supplied 4K stills place RAW-decoded source frames beside their compressed counterparts. Open any frame at full resolution and inspect skin texture, fine edges, shadow detail, and highlight transitions for yourself.
The source and export remain remarkably close on a frame with fine hair, skin gradients, window detail, and bright fabric.
Source / R3D RAW4K ↗
Output / H.2654K ↗The subject stays large so texture and edge differences are easier to spot. Every crop opens to its original 3840 x 2160 still.
RAW-decoded source beside the ZR RAW Extended H.265 result.
RAW source4K ↗
App export4K ↗Clearly labeled N-RAW paths from the same portrait setup.
RAW reference4K ↗
Resolve export4K ↗Same outdoor setup for visual reference; this pair is not frame-matched.
App export4K ↗
Camera codec4K ↗Visual field comparison, not a controlled laboratory benchmark. Display scaling, JPEG screenshots, camera settings, lens behavior, and playback state can affect perceived detail. Preview files receive the same web treatment; linked 4K stills are the untouched supplied screenshots.
Per-clip output choices, export history, folder automation and manual RAW control. Open the User Guide ↗
The 1.2.3 workspace separates new and previously processed media at a glance and adds a guarded Convert NEV to R3D utility for queued files or a chosen folder.
High-fidelity UI demonstration with fictional mediaLarge previews, RAW metadata, target format, measured savings, verification, and file progress stay in one view.
Cancel before processing starts and make any last queue changes.
5Five-second reviewCancel before the project is built. Render Timeline Clips stays manual.
The selected destination stays synchronized with prepared Resolve jobs. Prior exports remain visible before another compression.
Watch multiple directories, preserve history, then choose automatic export or a prepared Resolve timeline.
Everything important is in the queue. Everything else stays out of the way.
Drop supported clips or folders into the app or onto its Dock icon to add them to one queue. Check thumbnails, camera details, processing history and estimated savings before you commit.
Set H.265 or ProRes for the whole queue, then override individual files when a shot needs something different. Mixed formats run in one organized Resolve session.
Timeline Builder prepares an organized Resolve project without starting the export. Adjust Camera RAW controls with preview colors on, then render camera log with those RAW adjustments baked and preview grades excluded.
The menu-bar listener watches selected directories, gives you five seconds to cancel, then either exports automatically or prepares a Resolve timeline for manual grading.
Every queue row shows the selected bitrate, estimated output size, and expected percentage smaller than the RAW. When the selected engine finishes, estimates switch to measured results. Elapsed time and estimated finish time help you plan the rest of the queue.
Hide the main window and keep the listener running. When new RAWs arrive, the app builds a reviewable queue and starts a visible five-second countdown before automatic export or an organized, editable Timeline Builder project.
REDCINE-X / REDline is installed during setup. DaVinci Resolve Studio is the preferred-quality engine and is required for Timeline Builder.
You do not need DaVinci Resolve for automatic R3D or N-RAW workflows. Timeline Builder requires Resolve Studio. ProRes RAW Auto Export requires 20.2+; its Timeline Builder requires 21.1+. Nikon N-Log and Panasonic V-Log profiles are recognized. Panasonic EVA1 has been tested; Nikon ZR camera-specific testing is pending. Unknown ProRes RAW profiles stop safely. Test a short clip and keep your originals.
Open the DMG and launch the installer.
If macOS blocks this non-notarized community build, review Privacy & Security and choose Open Anyway only if you trust the download.
Setup checks required components before placing the app in Applications. Internet access and administrator approval may be needed; Resolve can be configured later.
ZR RAW Extended 1.2.3 · Build 253 · October 8, 2026Free to download. No account, payment, or donation required.
Looking for ZR RAW Extender? You're in the right place. The app's official name is ZR RAW Extended.
macOS 13+ / Intel + Apple silicon / Resolve optional for automatic R3D and N-RAW exportDonations are entirely optional and help fund testing and future support. Support the project ↗