[1] Like all other raw formats, this one contains image information rendered directly by a camera's sensor.
ORF files feature so-called headers that present image characteristics, such as saturation, color temperature, contrast, etc.
Instead, ORF files contain all necessary information to create (or "develop") a usable image, in a more common format, with processing software.
ORF files have to be copied to a PC's hard disk, and then one can resort to an extensive array of adjustments.
The format allows users to achieve maximum precision by setting their own white balance and saturation values, which is not feasible in JPEG or TIFF.