SUN to PFM Converter

Change SUN format to PFM with our free tool

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Fast Results

SUN to PFM conversion typically completes in seconds. Upload, convert, and download — the full workflow takes under a minute for most inputs.

Any Device

Convert SUN to PFM from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. The browser-based tool adapts to any screen and operating system.

Bulk Conversion

Upload several SUN inputs at once and convert the entire batch to PFM simultaneously — efficient for large-scale conversion needs.

How to convert SUN to PFM

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

SUN is a raster image format associated with Sun Microsystems workstations, encompassing both the Sun Raster format (.ras) and the Sun Icon format used for window system icons and cursors on SunOS and Solaris systems. Sun Raster files, identifiable by their 0x59a66a95 magic number, store bitmap images in 1-bit monochrome, 8-bit indexed color, 24-bit BGR, or 32-bit XBGR modes, with optional run-length encoding compression and a 32-byte header. The Sun Icon subset is a simpler text-based format used for small monochrome bitmaps — window icons, cursor images, and toolbar graphics — stored as C-language data arrays that could be directly compiled into X Window and SunView applications. These icon files begin with a comment block specifying width, height, and optionally hot spot coordinates (for cursor images), followed by hexadecimal pixel values in a format readable by both the C compiler and the iconedit tool. Sun workstations running SunOS and later Solaris were foundational platforms for Unix computing, networking, and the early internet, and the SUN image formats were integral to their graphical environments. One advantage is the format's dual text/binary nature: Sun Icons are valid C source code that can be #included directly into applications, a practical approach to resource embedding that predates modern asset management systems. The Sun Raster variant's simplicity provides another strength — the 32-byte header and straightforward encoding make it one of the easiest binary image formats to parse. SUN format files are supported by ImageMagick, GIMP, XnView, and Unix image viewing tools.
Developer: Sun Microsystems
Initial release: 1982
PFM (Portable Float Map) is a floating-point raster image format devised by Paul Debevec around 2001, designed to store high-dynamic-range image data with the simplicity of the Netpbm family of formats. PFM extends the PBM/PGM/PPM philosophy — minimal header, raw data, no compression — to 32-bit IEEE floating-point samples, providing direct access to HDR pixel values without the encoding overhead of formats like OpenEXR or the limited range of Radiance HDR's RGBE encoding. The file structure is deliberately minimal: a two-character magic number ('Pf' for grayscale, 'PF' for color), width and height on the next line, a scale/endianness indicator (negative for little-endian, positive for big-endian, with magnitude indicating scale factor), and then the raw 32-bit float data for each pixel. PFM files store one float per pixel for grayscale or three floats (RGB) per pixel for color, with no compression, alpha channel, or metadata support. The format emerged from the HDR imaging research community where Debevec's work on image-based lighting and light stage capture required a simple, unambiguous way to store linear floating-point radiance values that could be easily exchanged between research tools. One advantage is absolute simplicity for HDR data: PFM can be read and written in a few lines of code in any language that supports IEEE floats, with no library dependencies — ideal for research prototyping and quick data exchange between custom tools. The format's widespread adoption in the computer vision and computational photography research community is another practical strength — optical flow benchmarks (Middlebury), depth estimation datasets, and radiance field captures commonly use PFM. The format is supported by ImageMagick, OpenCV, HDR Shop, and Luminance HDR.
Developer: Paul Debevec
Initial release: 2001

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert SUN to PFM?

The SUN format is nearly extinct in current software — converting to PFM rescues the image data for use in today's applications.

What programs open PFM files?

PFM files can be opened in Netpbm tools, Photoshop, HDR imaging software, and scientific visualization applications.

Can I convert SUN to PFM on my phone?

Yes — the converter works in mobile browsers on both Android and iOS. No app installation needed, just open the page and upload.

Is the conversion process fast?

Yes — SUN to PFM conversion on Convertio usually completes in seconds. Cloud-based processing handles the work without taxing your device.

What makes PFM a good target format?

PFM offers floating-point precision, HDR capable, Netpbm family. It gives your raw SUN data a proper structure that any image viewer or editor can handle.