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rawhdr

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What rawhdr is

rawhdr is a free command-line tool for combining multiple RAW files into one high-dynamic-range image. It also supports focus stacking from multiple images. The tool accepts RAW formats known to the rawpy library and can produce HDR formats supported by imageio, including OpenEXR. The output exposure matches the first RAW file supplied. Installation is documented with the command pip install rawhdr, and a Python API is available for exposure merging and focus stacking. Its exposure scaling helper leaves out very bright pixels that may be saturated and very dark pixels that may be noisy. Creating OpenEXR output may require installing the additional freeimage library through imageio. The package requires Python 3.7 or newer and is classified as OS Independent on PyPI; Linux and API are listed platforms. It is licensed under GNU General Public License v2 or later. PyPI lists Felix Thaler as the author and one maintainer.

Who it suits

rawhdr suits photographers or developers who want to merge RAW exposures or focus-stack images using a command-line tool or Python API. Users need Python 3.7 or newer, and OpenEXR output may require an additional library.

What it does well

  • Free command-line RAW image merging
  • Supports focus stacking
  • Python API for merging and stacking
  • Accepts RAW formats supported by rawpy
  • HDR output formats supported by imageio

What to know first

  • Requires Python 3.7 or newer
  • OpenEXR output may need the freeimage library
  • Output exposure matches the first RAW input

Getting started

  1. Install Python 3.7 or newer.
  2. Install the package with `pip install rawhdr`.
  3. Use the command-line tool or the documented Python API for exposure merging or focus stacking.
  4. For OpenEXR output, install the additional freeimage library through imageio if required.

Verdict

rawhdr offers a focused way to create HDR images or focus stacks from RAW inputs, with both command-line and Python access. Check the format support and possible OpenEXR dependency against your intended workflow.

Questions

Is rawhdr free?

Yes. Its pricing model is free, and it has a free plan.

Which platforms are listed?

The listed platforms are API and Linux. The package is classified as OS Independent on PyPI.

What image formats does it support?

It supports RAW formats known to rawpy and HDR output formats known to imageio. OpenEXR output may require the additional freeimage library through imageio.

Does rawhdr support focus stacking?

Yes. It supports focus stacking from multiple images through its command-line tool and Python API.

What Python version does it require?

Python 3.7 or newer is required.

What license does it use?

It is licensed under GNU General Public License v2 or later.

Facts from rawhdr's own pages

Command line
The project provides a command-line tool that can be installed with pip. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Command-line install
The documented installation command is pip install rawhdr. · fthaler.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
Exposure behavior
The generated HDR image exposure matches the first RAW image supplied. · fthaler.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
Exposure scaling
Its exposure scaling helper ignores very bright, potentially saturated pixels and very dark, potentially noisy pixels. · fthaler.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
Focus stacking
rawhdr also supports focus stacking from multiple images. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
HDR merging
The command-line tool merges multiple RAW images into a high-dynamic-range image. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
HDR output support
The documentation says it supports any HDR file format known by imageio as output. · fthaler.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
License
The project is licensed under GNU GPL version 2 or any later version. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Maintainer
PyPI lists Felix Thaler as the author and one maintainer. · pypi.org, 8 Oct 2026
OpenEXR requirement
Writing OpenEXR may require installing the additional freeimage library through imageio. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Operating system
The package is classified as OS Independent on PyPI. · pypi.org, 8 Oct 2026
Output formats
The documentation says it supports HDR output formats known by imageio. · fthaler.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
Purpose
rawhdr is a simple HDR image merger that converts multiple RAW files into a single HDR image. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Python API
The documentation provides a Python API for exposure merging and focus stacking. · fthaler.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
Python requirement
The package requires Python 3.7 or newer. · pypi.org, 8 Oct 2026
RAW input support
The documentation says it supports any RAW format known by the rawpy library. · fthaler.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
Runtime requirement
The PyPI project page lists Python 3.7 or later as required. · pypi.org, 8 Oct 2026

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