Photos & RAW · Panasonic RW2 file and original card
Recover a damaged Panasonic RW2 file
What can I do when an RW2 photo will not open?
Short answer
Do not overwrite or re-save it: keep the file and the original card unchanged. A valid RW2 header does not mean all image-data offsets and sensor blocks survived. Compare its size with intact RW2 files from the same camera; if it is smaller, scan the card read-only for RW2 and test the recovered version's full decode.
The situation
An RW2 exists but a RAW converter rejects it or displays only a preview.
The file exists, so the question is not recovery but completeness. An RW2 whose header is intact can still be missing large parts of its sensor data, and a converter that refuses to open it or shows only a preview is reporting exactly that.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
RW2 stores offsets in its header that point to image data further inside the file. If a recovery or a copy produced a short extent, those offsets survive but point beyond the end of what was actually saved. Panasonic bodies write frames of a fairly constant size for a given camera and setting, which makes a size comparison with intact files a reliable first test.
A valid RW2 header does not guarantee that all image-data offsets and sensor blocks survived.
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Copy the damaged file to a second location and work only on that copy, leaving the original untouched as a reference.
- 2
Compare its size with intact RW2 files from the same Lumix body and setting to see how much is actually missing.
- 3
If the original card still exists, keep it unused and scan it read-only for RW2 instead of trying to repair the file.
- 4
Export the recovered version to a separate drive and test its decode against the damaged copy before discarding either one.
Do not re-save the file in an image editor or a converter, and do not let a repair tool write over the original. A re-save destroys the only evidence of the true file length. Never point a repair tool at the source card either.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
File Recovery Hero recovers RW2 files from readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 media; it does not repair damaged individual files of any kind. If no better version is on the card, only a specialised RAW repair tool working on a copy remains.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
The recovered version is the better one when it reaches the file size typical for that Lumix model, develops at the full sensor resolution and reads its exposure metadata. If both versions stop at the same point, the missing data is no longer on the card and neither file will improve.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can Panasonic RW2 file and original card be recovered in this situation?+
The file exists, so the question is not recovery but completeness. An RW2 whose header is intact can still be missing large parts of its sensor data, and a converter that refuses to open it or shows only a preview is reporting exactly that. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not re-save the file in an image editor or a converter, and do not let a repair tool write over the original.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
The recovered version is the better one when it reaches the file size typical for that Lumix model, develops at the full sensor resolution and reads its exposure metadata.