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12-03-2013, 01:48 PM   #1
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RAW Formats Question

Do we prefer the PEF, or the DNG format?

I have CS6 and LR4, if it matters. Did you guys enroll in Adobe CC?

Also, can I search for this answer and other answers in previous threads?

12-03-2013, 01:55 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by davids8560 Quote
Do we prefer the PEF, or the DNG format?

I have CS6 and LR4, if it matters. Did you guys enroll in Adobe CC?

Also, can I search for this answer and other answers in previous threads?
People prefer DNG because it's more widely-supported.

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12-03-2013, 03:02 PM   #3
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I'm using DNG with Photoshop and Lightroom and yes I went the CC route as it was a no brainer for me, but it may well not suit all folk.
12-03-2013, 03:06 PM   #4
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Why is it a no brainer for you?

As for me, I am not a pro and I hardly know what to do with it, so I figured that PS6 and CS6 ought to be enough for me for right now. I mean I've already spent $2k! Now I gotta pay some more, every month? Hmmm!

12-03-2013, 03:08 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by davids8560 Quote
Why is it a no brainer for you?

As for me, I am not a pro and I hardly know what they do yet so CS6 ought to be enough for me for now. I mean I spent $2k already!
I haven't quite figured out the CC thing either.
12-03-2013, 03:49 PM - 1 Like   #6
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Do we prefer the PEF, or the DNG format? I prefer DNG because more software supports it. PEF used to have a benefit of smaller files but I think the advantage faded when DNG evolved to allow data compression.

Did you guys enroll in Adobe CC? I have not and will not enroll in Adobe CC. Lightroom 4 is still okay for me. By the time I get a K-3 Lightroom 6 will probably be out and I will pay for the upgrade then. I don't use Photoshop - I would only load it a few times a year so my price/use would be insanely high whether purchased outright or rented via CC. Photoshop is priced for pros who use it every day, not for a hobbyist like me.

Also, can I search for this answer and other answers in previous threads? Yes, there's a "search the forums" text box near the upper-left of the home page and the upper-right of thread pages.
12-03-2013, 03:53 PM - 1 Like   #7
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Short answer:
Use Dng (most widely recognized), with colour space set to sRGB in camera and all post processing software.

12-03-2013, 03:56 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by davids8560 Quote
Why is it a no brainer for you?
The value of Adobe CC and other SAAS (software as a service) products depends on the context of use, or simply one's budget. Generally for folks in business, the use of a tool is more important than the ownership of the tool. So with CC you are ensured of the tool's availability beyond a single workstation or group server; plus you get the latest version that has been tested, maintained, and backed up. That can save companies labor and resource costs beyond the monthly rental fee. To me, if I cannot afford the "$2K" to purchase the software outright, paying $10 per month is a no brainer if using the tool is a requirement. My goal isn't to own the software, my goal is to use the software to create images that will make me money.

A business model is the driver here, which is why Adobe still has retail versions of Lightroom and Photoshop Elements as these products are aimed at consumers as well.

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12-03-2013, 03:58 PM   #9
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The actual data is the same between PEF and DNG. DNG is supposed to be compatible with many programs, but some programs still will not open DNGs if they don't have a profile for the camera that created it.

Since Adobe backs the DNG format, your programs are happy using it. The biggest difference is the way that Adobe stores information* for each type. Since PEF is proprietary to Pentax, Adobe software does not alter the file itself. It stores anything it needs in a second "sidecar" file with the XMP extension. If you use Lightroom to add a keyword to a file, it goes in the sidecar file. You normally don't see this unless you look at your image folder with Windows Explorer. Adobe allows all that data to be written to a DNG file itself so it does not need a second file. One advantage here is that backups and copies always have that data within the file. With PEFs the sidecar could get lost.
12-03-2013, 04:12 PM   #10
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Why can't I see raw photos in bridge but not windows explorer?

Also, when I bought my adobe stuff I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen in less than a year, the start of CC.

I suppose I would have done cc had I known, but now I sort of feel like I got ripped off, or wasted $2,000, at least...

Though the Adobe software I now own seems to work just fine.
12-03-2013, 04:24 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Just1MoreDave Quote
The actual data is the same between PEF and DNG. DNG is supposed to be compatible with many programs, but some programs still will not open DNGs if they don't have a profile for the camera that created it.
Isn't the camera profile supposed to be included in the DNG file ?
12-03-2013, 04:25 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by davids8560 Quote
Why can't I see raw photos in bridge but not windows explorer?

Also, when I bought my adobe stuff I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen in less than a year, the start of CC.

I suppose I would have done cc had I known, but now I sort of feel like I got ripped off, or wasted $2,000, at least...

Though the Adobe software I now own seems to work just fine.
Adobe offers free upgrades if you had just bought the last boxed version within a couple months or get it discounted if you bought it a little further out. Or at least they always have in the past. Don't know how the free upgrade would work here... maybe several months free use?
12-03-2013, 04:32 PM   #13
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Yeah but somebody told me if I do CC and then unsubscribe down the road I lose everything.
12-03-2013, 04:50 PM   #14
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Well, the software still installs on your computer just like always, but you have to "check in" via the website every so often for a handshake. If you subscribe for a year, you only have to check in every six months, if you go by the month, it will check every month to see if you pay your bills. If you don't pay the subscription and it lapses, say for a year, you can sign back up and it will upgrade what is on your computer. I don't think you lose anything unless you completely walk away from CC altogether. For what its worth, I'm happy with my CS2, until I get a 64 bit computer and can utilize more memory and would need a newer version.
12-03-2013, 05:27 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by kh1234567890 Quote
Isn't the camera profile supposed to be included in the DNG file ?
I keep seeing threads like this, which mentions AfterShot Pro and ACDsee Pro having the same issue. They won't open the DNG until the program is updated.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/32-digital-processing-software-printing/2...dng-files.html

As strange as it is to write software so it can't handle a mostly universal format, that's what they're doing.
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