FTS to HEIF Converter

Online FTS to HEIF conversion — fast results

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Simple Workflow

Converting FTS to HEIF is straightforward — upload, select the output format, and download. The clean interface guides you through each step.

No Install Needed

The converter runs entirely in your browser — no desktop software required. Works on all major platforms and devices alike.

Format Bridge

Go from specialized FTS (astronomy and scientific research) to universally supported HEIF — making your data accessible to anyone without niche software.

How to convert FTS to HEIF

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose heif or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your heif file right afterwards

About formats

FTS is a file extension for the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS), the standard data format used in astronomy since 1981 when it was defined by Don Wells, Eric Greisen, and R.H. Harten at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and subsequently endorsed by the International Astronomical Union in 1982. FITS was designed from the outset as a self-describing archival format: each file begins with one or more 2880-byte header blocks containing ASCII keyword-value pairs that describe the data's dimensions, coordinate system, observation parameters, and provenance, followed by data blocks in a variety of numeric types — 8/16/32/64-bit integers and 32/64-bit IEEE floating-point values. FITS supports multi-dimensional arrays (images, data cubes, hypercubes), binary tables for catalog data, and ASCII tables, with multiple Header/Data Units (HDUs) that can coexist in a single file. The format handles specialized astronomical data: spectral cubes, radio interferometry visibilities, multi-extension mosaic images from CCD arrays, and time-series photometry. One advantage is scientific rigor: FITS mandates that all metadata needed to interpret the data physically — coordinate transformations (WCS), photometric calibration, telescope and instrument parameters — travels with the file, eliminating the metadata-loss problem that plagues general-purpose image formats in scientific contexts. The format's longevity and institutional backing is another strength — virtually every observatory, space telescope (Hubble, James Webb, Chandra), and astronomical software package (DS9, IRAF, Astropy) uses FITS as its primary data format.
Developer: NASA / IAU
Initial release: 1981
HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) is a container format for images and image sequences standardized by the Moving Picture Experts Group as ISO/IEC 23008-12, first published in 2015. HEIF is built on the ISO Base Media File Format (ISOBMFF, the same container used for MP4 video), providing a flexible structure that can hold single images, image collections, image sequences (like animations or bursts), and derived images with non-destructive editing operations. The container is codec-agnostic — while the most common implementation pairs HEIF with HEVC/H.265 compression (branded as HEIC by Apple), the standard also accommodates AV1 compression (creating the AVIF variant), H.266/VVC, and other future codecs. HEIF supports features that JPEG lacks: 10-bit and 12-bit color depth, wide color gamuts (Display P3, BT.2020), lossless compression, alpha transparency, depth maps, thumbnail images, and Exif/XMP metadata — all within a single file. Auxiliary image items can store computational photography data like depth maps, HDR gain maps, and semantic segmentation masks. One advantage is the format's future-proof architecture: by separating the container from the codec, HEIF can adopt newer, more efficient compression technologies without changing the file structure, metadata handling, or application-level APIs. The substantial compression improvement over JPEG is another core strength — HEVC-based HEIF typically achieves 40-50% file size reduction compared to JPEG at the same visual quality, beneficial for storage and bandwidth. HEIF is supported by Apple's ecosystem (iOS, macOS), Windows 10/11, Android 10+, GIMP, ImageMagick, and Adobe products.
Initial release: 2015

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert FTS to HEIF?

HEIF is widely supported across devices and applications — converting from FTS makes your astronomical images accessible to anyone without specialized tools.

What programs open HEIF?

Any modern image viewer opens HEIF — Windows Photos, macOS Preview, GIMP, Photoshop, and web browsers all support it.

Is the output quality comparable?

The conversion extracts the best possible quality from your FTS data. The HEIF output reflects the format's capabilities accurately.

What is the FTS format?

FTS is used in astronomy and scientific research. It stores telescope captures and observatory data — converting to HEIF makes this data universally accessible.

Does this work on mobile devices?

Yes — the converter runs in any web browser, so it works on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops regardless of operating system.

Is the conversion instant?

Near-instant for typical images — the cloud-based processing handles FTS to HEIF conversion quickly. Very large data may take a moment.