Blackmagic RAW
The system-level support that lets other applications read .braw footage.
What it does
Blackmagic RAW is a camera codec that keeps sensor data with the demosaic deferred to playback, while staying far smaller than traditional RAW. The installer provides:
- the codec itself, so applications on the machine can decode
.braw, - Blackmagic RAW Player for quick review of clips,
- Blackmagic RAW Speed Test for benchmarking decode performance,
- plugins for Adobe and Avid applications.
Resolve has BRAW support built in; this package is what makes the footage readable everywhere else.
Notes
Not in Homebrew. Keep the codec version at or ahead of the camera firmware that produced the files — older decoders reject newer BRAW variants outright.
Alternative to
| Alternative | Type | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing | — | BRAW is Blackmagic’s own format, and only their decoder reads it |
| ProRes RAW, Canon Cinema RAW Light or RED R3D | Built in / Free | The equivalent vendor packages for other cameras |