DPX File

What are DPX files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a DPX file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your DPX files.

What is a DPX file?

DPX files have multiple uses, and Digital Picture Exchange Image is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Digital Picture Exchange Image

Digital Picture Exchange Image files (extension .dpx) store individual frames of high-quality images, often used in film and video post-production. These raster images are either scanned from motion picture film or directly generated by cameras capable of DPX output. They preserve uncompressed or lossless image data along with extensive metadata, providing a high-fidelity, frame-by-frame digital master ideal for color grading, visual effects, digital intermediates, or film restoration.

A .dpx file represents exactly one frame in a sequence; together, such files form the full motion sequence. Image contents may include a single component (for example, luminance), multiple components (such as red, green, blue), or chroma-luma representations (like Cb, Y, Cr). Image resolution and bit depth vary depending on scanning equipment or camera used. These files are not containers for audio; any corresponding sound is stored separately, typically in a standard audio file format.

DPX is defined by SMPTE standards (originally SMPTE ST 268M-1994; updated versions include SMPTE ST 268-1:2014 and ST 268-2:2018) providing versioned specifications. Byte order is indicated by a 4-byte magic number at the file's start: ASCII "SDPX" means big-endian, while "XPDS" means little-endian. The header records the offset to image data, version identifier (such as V1.0 or V2.0), total file size, image dimensions, and component layout.

How to open DPX files

We have identified one DPX opener that is compatible with this specific type of DPX file.

Programs that open Digital Picture Exchange Image files

Last updated: August 6, 2026

All known file formats using extension .DPX

While Digital Picture Exchange Image is a popular type of DPX-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .DPX file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

VASCO DIGIPASS

We know that one DPX format is VASCO DIGIPASS. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different DPX openers which you will find listed below.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of DPX files. Remember, different programs may use DPX files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about DPX file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.