Convert Blackmagic RAW (BRAW) to ProRes, H.264 or EXR on a Mac without Resolve
6 min read · Checked against Sequency 1.3 · Updated
Short answer
Import the .braw clip into Sequency, choose a Decode Intent in the Blackmagic RAW card (Camera / Sidecar Look for viewable files, Scene Linear ACES 2065-1 for VFX plates), then pick ProRes, H.264 or an OpenEXR image sequence and export. Decoding goes through the Blackmagic RAW SDK 5.1, so debayer and colour science match Blackmagic's own.
Steps
- 1
Import the clip
Click Import… (⌘I) and choose the .braw file, or drag it in. Sequency reads the clip's resolution, frame rate and camera metadata through the Blackmagic RAW SDK.
- 2
Choose a Decode Intent
Open the Blackmagic RAW card. Camera / Sidecar Look gives a viewable image, using the clip's .sidecar or embedded look when Use Sidecar / Embedded Look is on. Scene Linear ACES 2065-1 gives linear ACES data for compositing.
- 3
Adjust the RAW controls (optional)
Change ISO, Kelvin, Tint and Exposure, or turn on Highlight Recovery, exactly as you would in a RAW panel. These are applied by the SDK during decode.
- 4
Pick the output
For dailies or editorial, keep Video File and choose ProRes 422 or H.264. For VFX plates, switch Container to Image Sequence and choose OpenEXR in Format Options.
- 5
Set audio
For movie outputs, open Audio and choose Copy from Source, AAC or PCM to keep the clip's sound, or No Audio.
- 6
Export
Click Export Selected… (⌘E), or Add to Queue to process a whole card of clips.
Recommended settings
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Decode Intent | Camera / Sidecar Look | Viewable dailies and proxies with the DP's look. |
| Decode Intent | Scene Linear ACES 2065-1 | Linear plates for comp; pair with OpenEXR output. |
| Output for plates | Image Sequence → OpenEXR | Keeps full float range from the RAW decode. |
| Output colour for EXR | ACES2065-1 by default | Switch Output Color Space to ACEScg if your comp works in AP1. |
Why the SDK matters
Blackmagic RAW is partially debayered in camera and finished in software. The Blackmagic RAW SDK is the reference implementation of that last step. Sequency bundles version 5.1 and uses it for every frame, with GPU decoding on Metal and a CPU fallback.
Plates for compositing
With Scene Linear ACES 2065-1 and OpenEXR output, Sequency writes linear ACES frames, by default in ACES2065-1, the ACES interchange space. If your compositing script works in ACEScg, set Output Color Space to ACEScg before exporting so the plates drop straight into the comp.
Choose EXR compression in Format Options: PIZ or ZIP are lossless; DWAA and DWAB are much smaller and visually lossless for most plates.
Questions
- Do I need DaVinci Resolve installed?
- No. The Blackmagic RAW SDK is bundled inside Sequency.
- Does it use the look from my .sidecar file?
- Yes, with Decode Intent set to Camera / Sidecar Look and Use Sidecar / Embedded Look turned on.
- Is audio kept?
- Yes for movie outputs. Choose Copy from Source, AAC or PCM in the Audio card.