Exposera

Image processing & RAW conversion

How RAW uploads are converted, expected timing, generated variants, and steps to take if a conversion fails.

When you upload a camera RAW file (for example DNG, CR2, NEF, ARW), Exposera processes the file in the background to produce a display-ready JPEG and the smaller optimized variants used on the site. RAW uploads are treated differently from standard images: they are queued for conversion and the converted JPEG is used for EXIF extraction, AI labeling, and generating thumbnails and delivery variants.

What happens after you upload RAW
  1. The upload completes and the photo is marked for conversion.
  2. A background conversion job is enqueued and processed by our conversion service. When it finishes we create a converted JPEG and then generate the site variants (thumbnails, optimized sizes, etc.).
  3. After conversion we extract EXIF metadata (including date and, where present, GPS), and update the photo in your library. Some features (AI labels, preview thumbnails) are only available after conversion completes.
Expected timing

Most RAW conversions complete quickly — typically on the order of a few seconds to about 15 seconds per image. Larger files, complex RAW formats, or periods of heavy load can make conversions take longer (several minutes in rare cases). If a conversion is "processing" in the UI, give it a few minutes before taking further action.

File variants & originals

After conversion we generate the display variants used on the website (thumbnails, resized and optimized images). The converted JPEG becomes the image we extract EXIF from and use for AI features. We also keep the original upload where your plan allows — if you need to preserve the true RAW original, keep a local copy in addition to uploading to Exposera.

Note: RAW uploads are a Pro feature and have a higher per-file size limit (see Uploading photos & supported formats for details).

Troubleshooting & next steps
  • If the photo shows "processing": wait a few minutes. Conversions are processed in background and may be queued during busy periods.
  • If conversion shows an explicit "failed" status or the photo never appears with thumbnails after several minutes, try reloading the photo page. In many cases a transient error is resolved automatically.
  • If problems persist, re-uploading the original file often resolves corrupt or partially-uploaded files.
  • To help us investigate include as much detail as possible when contacting support: the photo ID (from the photo page URL), original filename, approximate file size, and the time you uploaded it.

If you need help beyond these steps, our support team can look into conversion failures and queue issues.

Email support@exposera.com