DNG files - to convert or not to convert

[Sonny]

You'll have to excuse me for being totally unaware, but I just watched an eye opening (at least to me ) podcast. Why convert your RAW files to DNG?

http://media.libsyn.com/media/cspodc...-BR-WhyDNG.mp4

1. How many of you are already doing this?
2. Why are the DNG files smaller in size than NEF, CR2, ...etc?
3. Are there any disadvantages to converting your RAW files?
4. I use Bridge CS3 and Photoshop CS3, is there a way to convert my CR2 files that exists on my hard drive with out downloading the extra software mentioned in the video?

I'd love to here your thoughts and opinions (respectfully of course and without any fighting).

[JohnT]

1.) I've converted some but not many. Based on what I've read...

2.) They're smaller in size due to some info being lost during conversion, but this loss is negligible and not visually noticeable.

3.) Other than losing some info, apparently not.

4.) Yes, there is a way to convert previously downloaded files using Bridge. However, I'm not on my desktop system right now so I can't offer instructions. The Help function in Bridge should be able to tell you.

[CaptainTom]

I convert all my RAW files shot with my 40D to .dng
This is because in Adobe's infinite greed, they refuse to produce a plug in for CS2 to read the 40D RAW. It's enough to make me want to install LightRoom. Oh, wait, I already did that.....

[billbunton]

1. I've started converting them all again.

2. They're smaller because they have (better) lossless compression. John, they lose no image data, it is lossless. The NEF compression is lossy.

3. Many raw converters can't read DNG. I stopped converting everything to DNG for a while because I wanted to be able to use Capture, DXO and Bibble. I started again because, well, I never really used Capture and it doesn't help with Canon, hopefully DXO will start supporting it at some point (and I don't really use it very often), and Bibble's arguments against it are just specious and show him as... Well, I won't go there.

4. I don't know what software is mentioned in the video. You can do it with Bridge and CS3 because you have ACR 4.something. Select a bunch of raws in Bridge, "Open with" CS3, and they'll come up in ACR. Make any adjustments you want, then select them all in ACR and save. The save dialog will let you select DNG, compressed or not, embed the original or not, etc. Or just download the (free) DNG converter.

Tom, as a software engineer, let's just say I strongly disagree with you. Why should Adobe keep supporting an old version of the software? You spend $1300 to upgrade your camera, but are not willing to spend the $195 to upgrade the software?

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by billbunton

2. They're smaller because they have (better) lossless compression. John, they lose no image data, it is lossless. The NEF compression is lossy.

Thanks for the correction. :-)

[opanin]

I use DXO and it convert RAW to DNG. Usually the DNG is 3 times the original file size