Click the "Select File" button above, and choose your ZDF file.
You’ll see a preview, if available.
Click the "Convert file to..." button to extract text information.
Convert ZDF to another file type
To convert your ZDF file to another format, you need Zivid Studio or other 3D software.
Convert a file to ZDF
To convert other file formats to the "Point Cloud Data" file type, you need software like Zivid Studio or a similar tool.
About ZDF files
The .ZDF extension primarily identifies the Zivid Data File, a proprietary high-fidelity container used by Zivid 3D cameras. Unlike standard 3D formats, a ZDF file is a complex HDF5 wrapper that stores not just the 3D point cloud (XYZ), but also the 2D color image (RGB), depth map, SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) data, and camera calibration settings in a single package.
While this format is excellent for preserving raw acquisition data for machine vision, it can be a hassle for sharing and interoperability. Most standard 3D editing tools like Blender or MeshLab cannot natively open .zdf files. Users typically need to convert these heavy files into standardized formats: PLY (Polygon File Format) for viewing in CloudCompare, PCD for processing in Point Cloud Library workflows, or CSV for raw numerical analysis.
Note: In scientific circles (approx. 16% of use cases), a .zdf file may be a Zoltan Data File or output from OSIRIS particle simulations. Rarely (13%), it may be a ZIP-compressed data file associated with older Zimbra Desktop installations.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ZDF file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert ZDF file to , you can use Zivid Studio or similar software from the "3D Point Cloud Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to ZDF, try Zivid Studio or another comparable tool in the "3D Point Cloud Storage" category.
The ZDF Converter Story
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our ZDF converter.