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PAM to FITS — Format Comparison & Online Converter

Fast, instant PAM to FITS conversion. No signup required. Just drop your .pam file and get .fits in seconds.

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About PAM to FITS Conversion

PAM and FITS are both image formats, but they differ in important ways. PAM is a widely used file format. FITS is a widely used file format.

When you convert PAM to FITS, the goal is to convert between formats quickly. Converting PAM to FITS maintains high quality with CocoConvert's optimised encoder settings. Understanding these technical differences helps you choose the right format for your workflow.

Your PAM file is decoded and re-encoded as FITS. The conversion involves 4 steps: (1) your pam file is uploaded and validated, (2) the file is decoded (parsed into its raw data), (3) the data is re-encoded in fits format, (4) the converted file is ready for download.

CocoConvert's converter handles the entire pipeline server-side using FFmpeg, Sharp, and qpdf — battle-tested libraries used by streaming platforms and enterprise tools. Files are encrypted in transit and deleted within 24 hours.

This conversion is ideal when you When you need a FITS file. For the opposite direction, CocoConvert also supports FITS to PAM conversion.

How to Convert PAM to FITS

  1. 1

    Upload .pam file

    Select your PAM file by dragging it to the upload zone or using the file picker. Batch upload is available for multiple files.

  2. 2

    Choose .fits

    Set FITS as the output format. The converter uses optimal settings based on the PAM→FITS conversion profile.

  3. 3

    Convert

    The server-side engine decodes your PAM file and re-encodes it as FITS. Processing time depends on file size and complexity.

  4. 4

    Download result

    Grab your converted .fits file. Multiple output files can be downloaded together.

What Happens When You Convert PAM to FITS

Your PAM file is decoded and re-encoded as FITS.

1

Your PAM file is uploaded and validated

2

The file is decoded (parsed into its raw data)

3

The data is re-encoded in FITS format

4

The converted file is ready for download

Format Comparison

.pam

PAM

.pam file

Extension.pam
MIME Typeimage/x-portable-anymap
CategoryImage
.fits

FITS

.fits file

Extension.fits
MIME Typeimage/fits
CategoryImage

Should You Convert PAM to FITS?

When to Convert

  • When you need a FITS file

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between PAM and FITS?

PAM is a widely used file format. FITS is a widely used file format.

Does PAM to FITS conversion affect quality?

Converting PAM to FITS maintains high quality with CocoConvert's optimised encoder settings.

Which format has better compression, PAM or FITS?

PAM is a common image format. FITS is widely supported. The better choice depends on whether you prioritize file size or quality.

How long does PAM to FITS conversion take?

Most conversions finish in seconds. Larger files or complex image content may take 10–30 seconds. CocoConvert processes files in parallel for batch jobs.

Is PAM or FITS better for long-term storage?

Both formats use lossy compression, so consider keeping your original source file for long-term storage.

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ImageMagick 7.1 (locked policy.xml)libheif 1.xlibjxl-tools 0.11.xLibRaw / dcraw_emu 0.21.xSharp 0.34.x (Node)

Versions are pinned in our worker Dockerfile and re-built via CI on every change.