Convert RAW to JPG on Mac

Clients and MLS portals want JPEG. You shoot CR2, NEF, DNG, or ARW and edit in RAW for latitude. Delivery is a separate step: export JPEG copies at the right dimensions and quality without touching masters. Getting this wrong means overwritten RAW files, 40 MB proofs that bounce email, or upload forms that reject camera-native formats. The RAW folder stays sacred; everything you email or upload lives in deliverables/ with explicit quality and width rules.

Keep the RAW master

Never deliver RAW unless the client explicitly asked. Never overwrite RAW when exporting JPEG.

File type	Role
RAW	Edit master, archive
JPEG	Client, web, MLS, print shop portal
HEIC	iPhone intermediate; often convert before cross-platform send

Folder layout	Purpose
raw/ or ingest volume	Untouched camera files
deliverables/jpeg/	Exported proofs and finals
web/	Smaller JPEG after resize

Export JPEG copies into a dedicated deliverables folder. If you also shoot HEIC on iPhone, see HEIC to JPG on Mac for phone-side conversion. For resize and compress after export, see how to compress images on Mac .

Mistake to avoid	Why
”Save as” over RAW	Destroys edit latitude
Full-res JPEG to email	Use width cap and q85
Mixed color spaces in one batch	Confuses print vendors

Export JPEG from Photos

Photos is the straightforward path when the shoot already lives in your library.

1. Import or select RAW images in Photos.
2. Apply edits if needed (exposure, crop) inside Photos or round-trip to an external editor first.
3. File → Export → Export N Photos.
4. Format JPEG, Quality High or Maximum depending on client spec.

Delivery target	Starting quality	Max width hint
Email proofs	High	2048 px after export
MLS listing	High	Follow portal rules (often 3000 px)
Web gallery	Medium-High	1920 to 2400 px

Photos export is slow for huge batches outside the library. For folder-based RAW you never imported, use your editor’s export or Preview for single DNG files.

Watch for color space surprises. Photos exports sRGB JPEG by default, which is what most portals expect. If a print shop asked for Adobe RGB, set that in your editor export instead of Photos. Filename discipline matters too: 2026-06-26_0142.jpg beats IMG_9842.jpg when a client sorts hundreds of proofs.

Compare three random exports at 100% zoom before you upload the full set. Exposure choices in Photos may clip highlights differently than Lightroom for the same RAW frame.

Preview for a single DNG

Some DNG files open in Preview for a quick JPEG export when you do not need batch or edit history.

1. Open DNG in Preview.
2. File → Export… → JPEG.

Not reliable for every camera RAW. CR2 and NEF usually need Photos, Lightroom, or Capture One first.

FFmpeg does not replace a RAW developer for demosaic quality, but after you have a JPEG, you can batch resize:

for f in deliverables/*.jpg; do sips -Z 3000 "$f"; done

FFmpeg resize alternative when you already use it for video deliverables:

for f in deliverables/*.jpg; do
  ffmpeg -i "$f" -vf scale=3000:-2 "web/${f%.jpg}-3000.jpg"
done

Compare a few exports at 100% zoom before you send a full batch. RAW highlights can clip differently depending on whether you edited in Photos or an external editor.

Phone JPEG sidecars from the same shoot day should not mix into the RAW ingest folder. Keep phone HEIC conversion separate so batch scripts do not treat 12 MP phone files like 45 MP RAW exports.

Using GetCompress

GetCompress handles the step after Photos exports JPEG from RAW: resize and compress for upload without re-editing masters.

Drop the deliverables folder into the app. Set max width (for example 2048 px for web galleries or 3000 px for listings), quality, and export.

Workflow features that help:

• Batch queue: shrink an entire proof folder after Photos export.
• Presets: save “MLS 3000px q85” vs “web 1920px q80”.
• Quality presets: when a portal caps megabytes per image.
• Local processing: keep unreleased property and portrait JPEG proofs off online compressors.
• Folder monitoring: auto-process new exports when your editor saves to a watched deliverables folder.
• Presets per portal: separate MLS, web gallery, and email proof settings.

GetCompress does not replace RAW development. Use Photos or your editor for the initial RAW to JPEG export, then GetCompress for consistent delivery sizing across the whole shoot. When a portal rejects the first upload, tweak quality once in the saved preset rather than re-exporting from RAW unless the edit changed.

Second-shooter JPEG from a backup body can join the same GetCompress queue as Photos exports. Match long edge and quality presets so MLS or gallery uploads show consistent grain and sharpness across the full set.