Data Recovery ProDeleted RAW files usually come back with their original names if the card's file table still lists them. After a format, the deep scan still finds Canon CR2 and CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF, Olympus ORF, Panasonic RW2, Pentax PEF, Samsung SRW and DNG files, without their names.
RAW files come back as they were recorded, at full resolution and still RAW: nothing is converted or re-compressed.
When a photo is deleted, its entry in the file table is marked deleted but usually stays readable. The quick scan reads those entries for any RAW format, with names and folders. A format replaces the file table, so then only the deep scan can help. It recognises CR2, CR3, NEF, NRW, ARW, RAF, ORF, RW2, PEF, SRW and DNG by their signatures. Older and rarer types, such as Canon CRW, Sigma X3F and Phase One IIQ, need the file table.
What to expect
| What happened | Chance |
|---|---|
| RAW files deleted in the camera | High with names |
| Card formatted, CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF, ORF, RW2 or DNG | Good without names |
| Card formatted, CRW, X3F, IIQ or other rare RAW | Low the JPEGs shot alongside often come back |
| New photos taken since | Low |
The ratings are a rough guide. We haven't measured recovery rates.
Recover them in four steps
- Stop using the card or driveDon't take more photos, copy files to it or format it. Every new file can overwrite one you want back.
- Connect it to your computer and open Data Recovery ProUse a card slot or a USB reader. If your computer offers to format or initialise the card, click Cancel or Ignore. Data Recovery Pro asks for permission so it can read the card directly.
- Scan and previewThe quick scan takes seconds; the deep scan reads every block. Files appear as they are found, each marked intact, partly damaged or not checked, so you see what can be recovered before you decide.
- Recover to your computerChoose the files you want and save them to a folder on your computer or another drive, never back to the card. You only pay if you choose to recover more than the free allowance.
If you shoot RAW and JPEG together
After a format, the JPEG copies are found by the deep scan too, at full resolution. That matters most for the older RAW types the deep scan doesn't recognise.
Questions
How are RAW files checked?
On a Mac, each one is decoded with macOS's own RAW decoder before it is marked intact. On Windows, the preview comes from the JPEG the camera stores inside the RAW file, so RAW files stay marked not checked.
Will every file come back perfectly?
Most come back exactly as they were, but no one can promise every file. If part of a file was overwritten, Data Recovery Pro recovers what is left and marks it partly damaged. It doesn't repair files. Anything fully overwritten can't be recovered by any software.