5 GB free500 GB with an account
Sized for RAW
≈ 150 24 MP RAW files in one free transfer. With an account, up to 500 GB per transfer — a year of shoots goes out in one link.
Send RAW photos with no conversion or compression
Your straight-off-the-sensor files are the raw material of retouching: TransferNow transfers them byte for byte — CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG… — up to 5 GB for free and up to 500 GB per transfer with an account. No conversion, no loss.
- CR3 · NEF · ARW · DNG
- Up to 500 GB per transfer
- Byte for byte
- No sign-up
Average rating after at least one transfer:
4.8750,000 votes
4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot and Google (20k+ reviews)
The problem
Why don’t RAW files fit in email or messaging apps?
A 24 MP RAW weighs around 30 MB — already more than an entire Gmail attachment (25 MB). At 45 or 61 MP, count 50 to 70 MB per photo. A 150-image shoot tops 4 GB before you’ve even made the selects.
And RAW tolerates no shortcuts: converting it to JPEG to slim it down destroys precisely what makes it valuable — the editing latitude; email services reject or rename it; photo galleries often can’t even display it.
The only proper delivery of a RAW is the file itself, intact. TransferNow sends it as is, free up to 5 GB.
- Outlook attachment20 MB
- Gmail attachment25 MB
- TransferNow — free, no sign-up5 GB
- TransferNow — with an account500 GB
Logarithmic scale — the exact values are what counts.
The solutions
Four ways to deliver RAW files
Between photographer and retoucher, the point is not to show the images but to deliver the raw material. An honest comparison of the options.
| Method | Max size | Quality | For the recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| TransferNow (dedicated transfer)Recommended | 5 GB free · 500 GB with an account | RAW intact, byte for byte | One click, no account |
| Convert to JPEG | Weight divided by 3 to 5 | Editing latitude lost | Unusable for retouching |
| SD card / drive handed over | Unlimited | Intact | A trip or a courier |
| Drive / cloud storage | Depends on the account quota | Intact | Account required, quota locked up for good |
The dedicated transfer: the raw material, intact
RAW files travel with zero processing: same bytes, same metadata, XMP sidecars included if you attach them. The retoucher opens your files in Lightroom or Capture One as if you’d handed them over on a card.
The JPEG conversion: a contradiction in terms
Converting a RAW to slim it down means throwing away the dynamic range, bit depth and color latitude that justify shooting RAW in the first place. If the recipient has to retouch, it’s a no.
Physical media: safe, but stationary
Handing over a card or an SSD works locally, but it ties up your gear and doesn’t scale to a remote client. Keep it for very large archive volumes.
The cloud: possible, cumbersome
150 RAW files occupy 5 GB of your quota until you stop thinking about it. A time-limited transfer link delivers the same thing without leaving anything behind.
Guide
How to send RAW photos with no conversion or compression?
- 1
Drag in your RAW files or the folder
Raw files and XMP sidecars — up to 5 GB for free, folder structure preserved.
- 2
Choose email or link
Send directly to the retoucher or the client, or share the download link.
- 3
Track delivery
A notification on every download: you know when the retouching can begin.
With TransferNow
Built for your RAW photos
Byte for byte
No conversion, no compression
CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG, RAF… travel strictly untouched: dynamic range, bit depth and metadata intact. The file received is the one off the sensor.
XMP · catalogs
Sidecars travel along
Attach your XMP files or your editing catalog to the same transfer: the retoucher gets the images and your adjustments together.
Entire folders
The shoot arrives organized
Drag in the complete folder: the structure is preserved on download, ready for import into Lightroom or Capture One.
Password
Images under contract protected
Embargoed campaigns, private portraits: protect the download with a password and limit the link’s lifespan.
7 days · up to 365 days
Availability under control
Up to 7 days for free, up to 365 days with an account — and deactivate at any time.
5 GB free: how far does it go?
- ≈ 150
- 24 MP RAW files in one free transfer
- ≈ 75
- 61 MP RAW files in one free transfer
- ≈ 200×
- the Gmail attachment limit (25 MB)
- 500 GB
- per transfer with an account
Frequently asked questions
How many RAW files can I send for free?
Up to 5 GB per transfer: about 150 24 MP RAW files (30 MB) or 75 files at 61 MP — no sign-up. With an account, up to 500 GB per transfer.
Are RAW files modified during the transfer?
No, they travel byte for byte: no conversion, no compression, metadata intact. The file received is strictly identical to the one out of the camera.
Are all RAW formats accepted (CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF…)?
Yes, all of them: the service converts nothing, it transmits the file as is whatever the manufacturer — Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Leica, DJI…
Can I attach my Lightroom adjustments to the transfer?
Yes: add the XMP sidecars or the catalog to the same transfer, and the retoucher gets images and adjustments together, in the same folder structure.
Does my retoucher need an account?
No. They receive a link and download the RAW files from their browser, individually or as one archive, with no sign-up. You are notified of the download.
Also worth sending
Sending other types of files?
All file types5 GB per transfer for free, no sign-up