diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/bayer_format.h b/include/libcamera/internal/bayer_format.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..deeef5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/bayer_format.h
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2020, Raspberry Pi (Trading) Ltd.
+ *
+ * bayer_format.h - Bayer Pixel Format
+ */
+#ifndef __LIBCAMERA_INTERNAL_BAYER_FORMAT_H__
+#define __LIBCAMERA_INTERNAL_BAYER_FORMAT_H__
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <string>
+
+#include "libcamera/internal/v4l2_pixelformat.h"
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+enum class Transform;
+
+class BayerFormat
+{
+public:
+	enum Order : uint8_t {
+		BGGR = 0,
+		GBRG = 1,
+		GRBG = 2,
+		RGGB = 3
+	};
+
+	enum Modifier : uint16_t {
+		None = 0,
+		Packed = 1,
+	};
+
+	constexpr BayerFormat()
+		: order(Order::BGGR), bitDepth(0), modifiers(Modifier::None)
+	{
+	}
+
+	constexpr BayerFormat(Order o, uint8_t b, Modifier m)
+		: order(o), bitDepth(b), modifiers(m)
+	{
+	}
+
+	explicit BayerFormat(V4L2PixelFormat v4l2Format);
+	bool isValid() const { return bitDepth != 0; }
+
+	std::string toString() const;
+
+	V4L2PixelFormat toV4L2PixelFormat() const;
+	BayerFormat transform(Transform t) const;
+
+	Order order;
+	uint8_t bitDepth;
+
+	Modifier modifiers;
+};
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
+
+#endif /* __LIBCAMERA_INTERNAL_BAYER_FORMAT_H__ */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/bayer_format.cpp b/src/libcamera/bayer_format.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3780d7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcamera/bayer_format.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2020, Raspberry Pi (Trading) Limited
+ *
+ * bayer_format.cpp - class to represent Bayer formats
+ */
+
+#include "libcamera/internal/bayer_format.h"
+
+#include <map>
+
+#include <libcamera/transform.h>
+
+/**
+ * \file bayer_format.h
+ * \brief Class to represent Bayer formats and manipulate them
+ */
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+/**
+ * \class BayerFormat
+ * \brief Class to represent a raw image Bayer format
+ *
+ * This class encodes the different Bayer formats in such a way that they can
+ * be easily manipulated. For example, the bit depth or Bayer order can be
+ * easily altered - the Bayer order can even be "transformed" in the same
+ * manner as happens in many sensors when their horizontal or vertical "flip"
+ * controls are set.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \enum BayerFormat::Order
+ * \brief The order of the colour channels in the Bayer pattern
+ *
+ * \var BayerFormat::BGGR
+ * \brief B then G on the first row, G then R on the second row.
+ * \var BayerFormat::GBRG
+ * \brief G then B on the first row, R then G on the second row.
+ * \var BayerFormat::GRBG
+ * \brief G then R on the first row, B then G on the second row.
+ * \var BayerFormat::RGGB
+ * \brief T then G on the first row, G then B on the second row.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \enum BayerFormat::Modifier
+ * \brief Modifiers that can apply to a BayerFormat
+ *
+ * \var BayerFormat::None
+ * \brief No modifiers
+ * \var BayerFormat::Packed
+ * \brief Format uses MIPI CSI-2 style packing
+ */
+
+namespace {
+
+const std::map<V4L2PixelFormat, BayerFormat> v4l2ToBayer{
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8), { BayerFormat::BGGR, 8, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG8), { BayerFormat::GBRG, 8, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG8), { BayerFormat::GRBG, 8, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB8), { BayerFormat::RGGB, 8, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR10), { BayerFormat::BGGR, 10, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG10), { BayerFormat::GBRG, 10, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG10), { BayerFormat::GRBG, 10, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB10), { BayerFormat::RGGB, 10, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR10P), { BayerFormat::BGGR, 10, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG10P), { BayerFormat::GBRG, 10, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG10P), { BayerFormat::GRBG, 10, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB10P), { BayerFormat::RGGB, 10, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR12), { BayerFormat::BGGR, 12, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG12), { BayerFormat::GBRG, 12, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG12), { BayerFormat::GRBG, 12, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB12), { BayerFormat::RGGB, 12, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR12P), { BayerFormat::BGGR, 12, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG12P), { BayerFormat::GBRG, 12, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG12P), { BayerFormat::GRBG, 12, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB12P), { BayerFormat::RGGB, 12, BayerFormat::Packed } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR16), { BayerFormat::BGGR, 16, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG16), { BayerFormat::GBRG, 16, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG16), { BayerFormat::GRBG, 16, BayerFormat::None } },
+	{ V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB16), { BayerFormat::RGGB, 16, BayerFormat::None } },
+};
+
+/* Define a slightly arbitrary ordering so that we can use a std::map. */
+struct BayerFormatComparator {
+	bool operator()(const BayerFormat &left, const BayerFormat &right) const
+	{
+		return left.bitDepth > right.bitDepth ||
+		       (left.bitDepth == right.bitDepth && left.order > right.order) ||
+		       (left.bitDepth == right.bitDepth && left.order == right.order &&
+			left.modifiers > right.modifiers);
+	}
+};
+
+const std::map<BayerFormat, V4L2PixelFormat, BayerFormatComparator> bayerToV4l2{
+	{ { BayerFormat::BGGR, 8, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GBRG, 8, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG8) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GRBG, 8, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG8) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::RGGB, 8, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB8) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::BGGR, 10, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR10) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GBRG, 10, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG10) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GRBG, 10, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG10) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::RGGB, 10, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB10) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::BGGR, 10, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR10P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GBRG, 10, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG10P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GRBG, 10, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG10P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::RGGB, 10, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB10P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::BGGR, 12, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR12) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GBRG, 12, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG12) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GRBG, 12, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG12) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::RGGB, 12, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB12) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::BGGR, 12, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR12P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GBRG, 12, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG12P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GRBG, 12, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG12P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::RGGB, 12, BayerFormat::Packed }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB12P) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::BGGR, 16, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR16) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GBRG, 16, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG16) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::GRBG, 16, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG16) },
+	{ { BayerFormat::RGGB, 16, BayerFormat::None }, V4L2PixelFormat(V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB16) },
+};
+
+} // namespace
+
+/**
+ * \fn BayerFormat::BayerFormat()
+ * \brief Construct an empty (and invalid) BayerFormat
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \fn BayerFormat::BayerFormat(Order o, uint8_t b, Modifier m)
+ * \brief Construct a BayerFormat from explicit values
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \brief Construct a BayerFormat from a V4L2PixelFormat
+ * \param[in] v4l2Format The raw format to convert into a BayerFormat
+ */
+BayerFormat::BayerFormat(V4L2PixelFormat v4l2Format)
+{
+	const auto it = v4l2ToBayer.find(v4l2Format);
+	if (it == v4l2ToBayer.end())
+		bitDepth = 0;
+	else
+		*this = it->second;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \fn BayerFormat::isValid()
+ * \brief Return whether a BayerFormat is valid
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \brief Returns a readable string representation of the BayerFormat
+ */
+std::string BayerFormat::toString() const
+{
+	std::string result;
+
+	static const char *orderStrings[] = {
+		"BGGR",
+		"GBRG",
+		"GRBG",
+		"RGGB"
+	};
+	if (order <= RGGB)
+		result = orderStrings[order];
+	else
+		result = "unknown";
+
+	result += "-" + std::to_string(bitDepth);
+
+	if (modifiers & Packed)
+		result += "-P";
+
+	return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Convert a BayerFormat into the corresponding V4L2PixelFormat
+ */
+V4L2PixelFormat BayerFormat::toV4L2PixelFormat() const
+{
+	const auto it = bayerToV4l2.find(*this);
+	if (it != bayerToV4l2.end())
+		return it->second;
+
+	return V4L2PixelFormat();
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Apply a transform to this BayerFormat.
+ * \param[in] t The transform to apply
+ *
+ * For example, performing a horizontal flip on the Bayer pattern RGGB causes
+ * the RG rows of pixels to become GR, and the GB rows become BG. So the final
+ * result in this case would be GRBG.
+ */
+BayerFormat BayerFormat::transform(Transform t) const
+{
+	BayerFormat result = *this;
+
+	/*
+	 * Observe that flipping bit 0 of the Order enum performs a horizontal
+	 * mirror on the Bayer pattern (e.g. RGGB goes to GRBG). Similarly,
+	 * flipping bit 1 performs a vertical mirror operation on it. Hence:
+	 */
+	if (!!(t & Transform::HFlip))
+		result.order = static_cast<Order>(result.order ^ 1);
+	if (!!(t & Transform::VFlip))
+		result.order = static_cast<Order>(result.order ^ 2);
+
+	return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \var BayerFormat::order
+ * \brief The order of the colour channels in the Bayer pattern
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \var BayerFormat::bitDepth
+ * \brief The bit depth of the samples in the Bayer pattern
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \var BayerFormat::modifiers
+ * \brief Any modifier flags applied to this BayerFormat
+ */
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/meson.build b/src/libcamera/meson.build
index edec55e..86c225f 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/meson.build
+++ b/src/libcamera/meson.build
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
 
 libcamera_sources = files([
+    'bayer_format.cpp',
     'bound_method.cpp',
     'buffer.cpp',
     'byte_stream_buffer.cpp',
