RLA to FAX Converter

Transform RLA images into lossless FAX online

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Any Device Works

Convert RLA to FAX from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. Any device with a modern browser and internet connection works.

Quick Turnaround

Most RLA files convert to FAX within moments. Server-side processing ensures speed regardless of your device capabilities.

No Install Required

The entire RLA to FAX conversion runs in your browser. No desktop software, no plugins — just upload and convert.

How to convert RLA to FAX

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

RLA is a raster image format developed by Wavefront Technologies in the mid-1980s for their Advanced Visualizer 3D rendering software, which ran primarily on Silicon Graphics workstations. RLA files store rendered frames with support for multiple channels beyond standard RGB — including alpha transparency, Z-depth, surface normal vectors, object ID, material ID, and other arbitrary data channels that compositing artists use to manipulate rendered elements without re-rendering. Each scanline is independently compressed using run-length encoding, allowing efficient random access to any row without decompressing the entire image. The format supports 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit floating-point per channel, making it suitable for high-dynamic-range rendering output. RLA was a staple of visual effects production throughout the 1990s, used extensively in film and broadcast VFX pipelines alongside Wavefront's Composer compositing software. The format's successor, RPF (Rich Pixel Format), extended the concept further and was adopted by Autodesk 3ds Max, but RLA remains the earlier standard. One advantage is the multi-channel rendering data: unlike simple RGB image formats, RLA files carry per-pixel depth, normal, and ID passes that enable post-render effects like depth-of-field blur, fog, re-lighting, and object-level color correction without returning to the 3D application. This pipeline efficiency made RLA essential in early visual effects production. The format is recognized by Autodesk tools, Foundry Nuke, ImageMagick, and various legacy compositing applications.
Initial release: 1986
FAX is a generic image file extension associated with facsimile transmission formats standardized by the ITU-T (formerly CCITT), with the underlying Group 3 compression standard ratified in 1980. FAX files typically contain monochrome (1-bit, black and white) image data compressed using the Modified Huffman (MH) encoding defined in ITU-T Recommendation T.4, which assigns variable-length codes to run lengths of consecutive white or black pixels along each scanline. The standard resolution for Group 3 fax is 204x98 dpi (normal mode) or 204x196 dpi (fine mode), reflecting the capabilities of thermal and laser fax machines of the era. FAX files encountered digitally are often raw Group 3 encoded bitstreams or TIFF wrappers with CCITT Group 3 compression (TIFF compression tag 3). The Group 3 encoding scheme is highly efficient for typical business documents — pages with mostly white space and black text — achieving compression ratios of 10:1 to 20:1 compared to uncompressed bitmaps. One advantage is universal fax system compatibility: Group 3 encoding is the mandatory baseline for all fax machines worldwide, meaning FAX files contain data in exactly the format transmitted over telephone lines, preserving the original fax data without transcoding losses. The format's role in business communications history provides another dimension — billions of fax transmissions using this encoding moved legal documents, medical records, and business correspondence for decades, and archived FAX files represent an important documentary record. FAX images can be viewed and converted using LibreOffice, ImageMagick, GIMP, and standard document management systems.
Developer: ITU-T
Initial release: 1980

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert RLA to FAX?

Wavefront RLA renders are trapped in an obsolete format. Converting to FAX preserves the imagery while making it viewable in current software.

What programs can open FAX?

Fax viewer software, IrfanView, and GIMP handle Group 3 fax images. Windows Fax and Scan can also display this format natively.

Does RLA to FAX preserve quality?

FAX preserves image data without lossy compression, so the visual content from your RLA is retained faithfully during conversion.

How long does RLA to FAX conversion take?

The process is fast — cloud-based processing handles RLA to FAX conversion in seconds for standard-sized images, even on slower connections.

Can I convert multiple RLA images at once?

Batch conversion is supported. Queue as many RLA files as you need and convert them all to FAX in a single run — no repeating steps manually.