The options are intended to match the existing read options. By default it will only write RGB32F format; if the "RAW" option is selected, it will output 8 bit RGBA as "raw" RGBE. Note also that the writer inserts a flipVertical(); although the RGBE format, according to spec, should support top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top ordering, no software I've found, including that from the formats originator, actually respects this."