Who uses .DNG?

[acer0001]

I was reading up on the .DNG format that Adobe is trying to get camera manufacturers to use. Would it be wise to convert my digital images to .DNG, since it is supposed to withstand the test of time? Also, why hasn't the big boys like Canon and Nikon considered converting over or allowing a function to let the fotog choose?

[billbunton]

I was for Canon 1D/1Ds raw files. I converted them because all the raw converters I was using (mostly just ACR) would handle dng files. I haven't been converting the NEFs because I've been playing around with Nikon Capture. As for "would it be wise", only you can answer that :-). I think all the third-party converters are going to end up supporting it. I generally archived DNGs with the original raw embedded, then converted again without the original embedded as working copies.

[srwatters]

I am forced to at the moment since Adobe doesn't support Camera RAW for the Nikon D200. I'm using the Lightroom Beta to convert NEF to DNG, then using ACR for processing. Fun huh?

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Exactly what's the advantage for Canon and Nikon to switch to DNG? As far as I can see, if they switch they basically say to Adobe, "Ok, we'll let you tell us what to do when it comes to our in-camera RAW format".

I don't think so.

That said, I do see some of the other camera manufacturers making it an option in upcoming camera bodies to appease the Photoshop gawds...

It's been so long, does anyone know what the attraction of DNG is?

[rab3rd]

Originally Posted by srwatters

I am forced to at the moment since Adobe doesn't support Camera RAW for the Nikon D200. I'm using the Lightroom Beta to convert NEF to DNG, then using ACR for processing. Fun huh?

There is a beta 3.1 on the PS website. If you dont have it already, you might check to see if it supports your D200.

[jeffkohn]

Exactly what's the advantage for Canon and Nikon to switch to DNG? As far as I can see, if they switch they basically say to Adobe, "Ok, we'll let you tell us what to do when it comes to our in-camera RAW format".

Actually Adobe has submitted DNG as an open format so it's not like it's a power-grab on their part; they'd just rather have a standard file format to support instead of having to update ACR for each new camera model. Can't really blame them, and I can see how it would be good for us. I believe Canon has already dropped support for some of their older models in recent releases of their RAW software, who's to say the same won't happen at some point in the future with the camera's we're using now. I just don't really see proprietary RAW formats as a viable long-term archival format.

Of course given what control-freaks these Japanese companies are I don't see Canon or Nikon ever moving away from their proprietary formats. I don't think "open standard" is even in their vocabulary.

As for using DNG, I do. Right now my workflow is to burn the NEF's to DVD-R after the shoot. Then cull out the keepers and convert them to DNG, deleting the NEF's from my HD. DNG's have several advantags for my workflow: due to true lossless compression, file sizes are about half of the NEF; embedded JPG makes preview faster; and the DNG's themselves load into ACR a bit faster. Also, DNG's have the settings/metadata directly in the file rather than in a sidecar. So while I'll still back up the NEF's "just in case", the DNG's are my "working negative".

[darktiger]

What are the advantages of DNG over TIFF

[Gordon]

While Adobe are pushing DNG, I don't see them dropping support for Canon or Nikon at any point in the near future.

As for using DNG, after reading the spec, I don't see that it achieves what it claims to do. Several tags are available for any and all private, propritary data that any user wants to hide in there. So Canon/ Nikon/Sony could use Adobe's open format but encrypt and hide anything they like within that file in formats that Adobe still knows nothing about.

It's like having an open, standardised way of finding things in a library, but every book is written in different, private codes - a step in the right direction , maybe, but not at actually useful in its current form.

It also doesn't address the fundamental problem: Canon/ Nikon don't release or define publically what their CRW or NEF formats are. Adobe have made a best guess at reverse engineering those formats. You hope they have that mostly correct, and continue that gamble when you write on a DNG format (which is why they let you embedd the whole original file in the DNG, doubling the size) At no point in that process is an understanding of the CRW/NEF format confirmed - so you haven't gained anything. (and lost a lot of disk space for some specious argument)

If and when Adobe drop support for CRW/NEF formats in Photoshop, I'd consider converting my original files - til then, Photoshop supports the formats just as well as the DNG format - so why double my disk requirements ?

At best it is a political action to put pressure on Canon/Nikon to focus on what they are good at (cameras) and to not bother competing with Adobe on software processing & RAW conversion. Now - you could argue that Canon/Nikon are better placed to write the RAW converter in the first place - they after all know more about the camera than Adobe. I guess we'll see who wins in the court of public opinion.

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Great info. Thanks Jeff and Gordon. At least it explains what Adobe is trying to achieve.

Jeff, I'm interested in your workflow. I'll try it out on some of my NEFs and see how it works. Reducing file size and speeding up file loading is something of interest to me.

_/oe

[jeffkohn]

Jeff, I'm interested in your workflow. I'll try it out on some of my NEFs and see how it works. Reducing file size and speeding up file loading is something of interest to me.

The disk space savings is substantial for me. I quickly realized that coming home with 4+ GB of NEF's was going to become an issue, so at least DNG cuts that in half. A compressed DNG is slightly larger than a compressed NEF, but the compression is truly lossless (unlike with NEF). I do still back up the NEF's to DVD just in case though.

[johnastovall]

I'm still thinking about using DNG. I would like to see Canon and Nikon take the path of Leica and Hasselblad and output in camera directly to DNG. I think it will come but only after the camera companies decide they want to be camera companies and not software houses.