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08-15-2010, 10:03 PM   #1
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File Size for Raw

My K-10D has approx. 16 mb file size. What is the K-20 and K-7 raw file size?
Does a higher mp CCD equal larger files? I've noticed a friend's Nikon was producing
20 mb raw files. If it is not the CCD, then what dictates raw file size?

08-15-2010, 10:13 PM   #2
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This is a good question and I had a similar one. Now up until today, I have shot Jpeg 99% of the time and will continue to do so. However, Just today while experimenting, I noticed that the average RAW file from my K20D was 20mb and the K-7 was 10-11 mb and was curious as to why? So hopefully the experts will chime in.
08-15-2010, 10:18 PM   #3
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My K-7 PEF RAWs are consistently 13-15mb each
08-15-2010, 10:19 PM   #4
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Are you using PEF or DNG? It's my understanding that the PEF raw files are compressed and thus can take a variable amount of space, depending on how well the compression works with the image.

For example, I have seen some of my raw files (PEF) of people with plain backgrounds to be in the 9MB range, whereas landscapes could reach to 12MB or so. Some of my dark frames from astrophotography are about 7 MB.


Last edited by smigol; 08-15-2010 at 10:22 PM. Reason: added more information
08-15-2010, 10:24 PM   #5
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My K200's are around 9-10Mb's each for comparison.

The output will depend on a few things. More MP's will result in a bigger file, whether you're shooting in .pef or .dng makes a difference (.dng has a better/different compression method I believe).

I've found shots with a flash gun can bump up the file size by 1-2Mb's as well which is interesting.

Last edited by MickB; 08-15-2010 at 10:25 PM. Reason: Spelling
08-15-2010, 10:39 PM   #6
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The PEF's from my K20D consistently run 10-15mb. The highest-quality JPG's generated by PentalPhotoLab3 may run 55-95% of the PEF source. I haven't saved DNG's so deponent sayeth nothing.
08-16-2010, 01:51 AM   #7
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K20 PEF and DNG

As stated PEF are around the 14Mbyte size and compressed. The DNG is much bigger at about 20Mbyter, they seem to be uncompressed. DNG can be compressed down to about the same 14MByte but the firmware in the camera is not equipped to do this.

08-16-2010, 03:08 AM   #8
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The K-7 is the first Pentax camera that uses compressed DNG.
DNG is only +/- 10% bigger than PEF in that camera.

- Bert
08-16-2010, 03:16 AM   #9
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My files range mainly from 11 to 14Mb in DNG with my K7. I have one @19 and one @ 22Mb, don't know why....
08-16-2010, 08:20 AM   #10
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Lens resolution can affect it as well.
08-16-2010, 11:59 AM   #11
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Highly detailed scenes also reduce the compression rate; scenes with less detail increase compression rate. So you tend to get larger compressed raw files (PEF most Pentax DSLR's; both PEF and DNG on K-7 and Kx I think) with more detailed scenes - especially low ISO, large DOF landscapes. The uncompressed raw files (DNG on all cameras but K-7 and K-x I think) will always be more constant.

But yes, it's the number of pixels, in the camera that determines the (uncompressed) raw file size. You can pretty well predict the different in size in raw files by looking at the difference in pixel counts, as long as you compare uncompressed to uncompressed or compressed to compressed.
08-16-2010, 12:02 PM   #12
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I have mine set us as DNG. Would CS5 open a pef file? I suppose I could simply try it. Are pef better files to work with?
08-16-2010, 12:08 PM   #13
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CS5 should have no oproblem with PEF providing you have installed the relevant raw file update for your camera if the camera came out after CS5 was released. There's no real difference in working with either, except that with PEF, metadata is stored in sidecar XMP files rather than in a special XMP area within the DNG file.
08-16-2010, 12:15 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Marc Sabatella Quote
CS5 should have no oproblem with PEF providing you have installed the relevant raw file update for your camera if the camera came out after CS5 was released. There's no real difference in working with either, except that with PEF, metadata is stored in sidecar XMP files rather than in a special XMP area within the DNG file.
There's also the choice ACR gives you of saving the metadata in a Camera Raw database, which helps eliminate the .xmp files from the folder containing the PEFs (I personally hate those xmps).
08-16-2010, 12:34 PM   #15
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I just tried it and cs5 does open the pef right up. One thing that was cool, is that I set up the jpeg to record only 6mp and the raw file still came out at 14.6.
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