[DILWORTH]

Just curious on which files people shoot on thanks.....

[mauricio]

You mean DNG, right? I shoot PEF, just because the DNG format doesn't seem to stick...less than a handful of cameras use it. And if I want, I can convert a PEF into a DNG...and I can't do the opposite.

[DILWORTH]

You mean DNG, right? I shoot PEF, just because the DNG format doesn't seem to stick...less than a handful of cameras use it. And if I want, I can convert a PEF into a DNG...and I can't do the opposite.

SORRY YES DNG

[benjikan]

DNG.....Adobe DNG

Ben

[joefru]

Another beat-it-to-death post.

I love DNG. When Adobe unveiled the format, I was jumping for joy, even though I had never owned a dSLR. Despite the fact that the DNG hasn't gained much traction from camera manufacturers, it's still a much better format (IMHO) than PEF because it's OPEN. In a hundred years, DNG files will still be viewable because the specification is available to anyone.

DNG support was one of the selling points for the K10D to me. That being said, I'm on the cusp of switching to PEF.

The problem is that the K10 (and presumably other Pentaxes that output DNG) saves as uncompressed 16MB DNG files. I then run them through the Adobe DNG converter to get ~10MB files. What I'm thinking is, if I'm running them through the converter anyway, why don't I just save as PEF from the start? The output should be identical either way, right? But with PEF, I start with smaller files, so I can fit more images on a card.

If anyone has a counter argument for me, please present it.

[mithrandir]

I also shoot in PEF and later convert to DNG in Adobe Lightroom. Same reason, smaller files mean more pictures on the SD card.

[Entropy]

Another beat-it-to-death post.

I love DNG. When Adobe unveiled the format, I was jumping for joy, even though I had never owned a dSLR. Despite the fact that the DNG hasn't gained much traction from camera manufacturers, it's still a much better format (IMHO) than PEF because it's OPEN. In a hundred years, DNG files will still be viewable because the specification is available to anyone.

DNG support was one of the selling points for the K10D to me. That being said, I'm on the cusp of switching to PEF.

The problem is that the K10 (and presumably other Pentaxes that output DNG) saves as uncompressed 16MB DNG files. I then run them through the Adobe DNG converter to get ~10MB files. What I'm thinking is, if I'm running them through the converter anyway, why don't I just save as PEF from the start? The output should be identical either way, right? But with PEF, I start with smaller files, so I can fit more images on a card.

If anyone has a counter argument for me, please present it.

This is why I shoot PEF also. Since dcraw (which is open source) has 100% support for the Pentax PEF format, this means that as far as long-term readability and viability, it may as well be an open format.

[Robert Barnett]

Because more programs support this. For example if you want to shoot RAW and geotagg your photos with RoboGeo you need to shoot DNG. It doesn't support any other Pentax format. Since I geotagg and since I like the simplicity of RoboGeo I shoot DNG.

Also, as for as lifespan goes I will admit that Adobe has done a poor job getting DNG adopted I do figure that DNG has every bit the life span of the camera companies proprietary formats maybe more.

In the world of file formats, the pace of technology, the comings and going of companies and time in general no format is guaranteed not even open source.

Robert

[procyon]

Which is better for drinking - glass or mug ?
One has a handle...
The other is smaller in size ...

But does it really change the taste ?

The debate continues... :ugh:


And to say something a bit more productive:

If the only option would be to shoot DNG - would it bother you ?
If the only option would be to shoot PEF - would it bother you ?

If not then just choose one.
Really, the only difference is filesize and support from software.

[mattdm]

Another beat-it-to-death post.

I love DNG. When Adobe unveiled the format, I was jumping for joy, even though I had never owned a dSLR. Despite the fact that the DNG hasn't gained much traction from camera manufacturers, it's still a much better format (IMHO) than PEF because it's OPEN. In a hundred years, DNG files will still be viewable because the specification is available to anyone.

[...]

If anyone has a counter argument for me, please present it.

DNG is only partly open. Most notably, it still allows manufacturers to have their own specific secret sections. DNG-reading software still needs to be updated to properly deal with new camera models.

Meanwhile, PEF files have been documented and/or reverse engineered to the point that they can be read perfectly well by open source software, so practically speaking they are viewable by anyone and will be in a hundred years too.

So basically, the answer is: there's no practical difference except that DNG is not compressed in-camera and PEF is, making the former take up more space but be faster.

[Canada_Rockies]

Another beat-it-to-death post.

I love DNG. When Adobe unveiled the format, I was jumping for joy, even though I had never owned a dSLR. Despite the fact that the DNG hasn't gained much traction from camera manufacturers, it's still a much better format (IMHO) than PEF because it's OPEN. In a hundred years, DNG files will still be viewable because the specification is available to anyone.

DNG support was one of the selling points for the K10D to me. That being said, I'm on the cusp of switching to PEF.

The problem is that the K10 (and presumably other Pentaxes that output DNG) saves as uncompressed 16MB DNG files. I then run them through the Adobe DNG converter to get ~10MB files. What I'm thinking is, if I'm running them through the converter anyway, why don't I just save as PEF from the start? The output should be identical either way, right? But with PEF, I start with smaller files, so I can fit more images on a card.

If anyone has a counter argument for me, please present it.

You will also find that DxO software wll not read DNG files, only PEF (and NEF and other proprietary formats). Pentax Photo browser does not see DNG either. Most photo software is designed with the camera manufacturer's file formats in mind. DNG does not fit. If you want to have a truly portable format, you need to shoot PEF and translate to TIFF.

[ully]

I have wondered about this since DNG was first announced as a standard. Just because some manufacturer of either software or hardware says something is a standard doesn't make it so. Each one starts as an individual until everyone has adopted it, until then it is just another manufacturers product.