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Digital Negative

Digital Negative (DNG) is an open source, lossless, well defined camera RAW data container with the goal to replace a range of proprietary, closed source raw image containers. It has been developed by Adobe and was launched on September 27, 2004. The launch was accompanied by the first version of the DNG specification, plus various products, including a free-of-charge DNG converter utility. All Adobe photo manipulation software released since the launch supports DNG.

Rationale for DNG
Adobe states that, given the existence of a wide variety of camera-brand-specific raw image formats, it introduced DNG as a standardized and backward-compatible universal file format. It is based on the TIFF 6.0 standard. Various professional archivists and conservationists, working in institutional settings have adopted DNG for archival purposes. Objectives The objectives of the DNG file format are: ;Digital image preservation (sometimes known as "archiving") : The US Library of Congress states that DNG is a recommended alternative to other raw image formats. The Digital Photography Best Practices and Workflow (dpBestflow) project, funded by the United States Library of Congress and run by the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), singles out DNG, and states "DNG files have proven to be significantly more useful than the proprietary raw files in our workflow". ;Easy and/or comprehensive exploitation by software developers : Software could support raw formats without DNG, by using reverse engineering and/or dcraw; but DNG makes it easier, and many software products can handle, via DNG, images from cameras that they have no specific knowledge of, however, any settings stored in the DNG file by software from one company are unlikely to be recognized by a product from a different company. ;In-camera use by camera manufacturers : About 12 camera manufacturers have used DNG in-camera. About 38 camera models have used DNG. Raw image formats for more than 230 camera models can be converted to DNG. ; Multi-vendor interoperability : Unlike the proprietary RAW formats used by most cameras, DNG is supported by multiple vendors, and is readable by a multitude of software applications. ==Technical summary==
Technical summary
A DNG file always contains data for one main image, plus metadata, and optionally contains at least one JPEG preview. DNG is both a raw image format and a format that supports "non-raw", or partly processed, images. Linear DNG is still scene-referred and can still benefit from many of the operations typically performed by a raw converter, such as white balance, the application of a camera color profile, HDR compositing, etc. All images that can be supported as raw images can also be supported as Linear DNG. Images from the Foveon X3 sensor or similar, hence especially Sigma cameras, can only be supported as Linear DNG. DNG can contain raw image data from sensors with various configurations of color filter array (CFA). These include: conventional Bayer filters, using three colors and rectangular pixels; four-color CFAs, for example the RGBE filter used in the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-F828; rectangular (non-square) pixels, for example as used in the Nikon D1X; and offset sensors (for example with octagonal pixels) such as Super CCD sensors of various types, as used in various Fujifilm cameras. (Or combinations of these if necessary). DNG specifies metadata describing these individual parameters; this is one significant extension to TIFF/EP. When used in a CinemaDNG movie clip, each frame is encoded using the above DNG image format. The clip's image stream can then be stored in one of two formats: either as video essence using frame-based wrapping in an MXF file, or as a sequence of DNG files in a specified file directory. Contrary to its name (Digital Negative) the DNG format doesn't distinguish negative and positive data - all data is considered to be describing a positive image. While this is not an issue when working with images from digital cameras (which are always positive), working with scanned (by a film scanner or DSLR copy stand) film negatives saved as raw DNG files are complicated, because the resultant image is not automatically inverted and thus impossible to be used directly. A way to get around this is using an inverted curve in the photo editing application, however this reverses the effect of the image controls (Exposure, Shadow and Highlight details, etc.) which complicates the photo editing. ==Timeline==
Timeline
This provides a mixture of the dates of significant events (such as "the first X") and various counts of usage at the anniversaries of the launch (each 27 September). Counts of products and companies that use DNG in some way are provided primarily for illustration. They are approximate, and include products that are no longer sold. The purpose is mainly to demonstrate that such products and companies exist, and to show trends. Convertible raw image formats (camera models whose raw images can be converted to DNG) only include official support by Adobe DNG converters; not unofficial support by Adobe products (sometimes reaching about 30), nor support by other DNG converters. • 2008, February: First software on a mobile phone to write DNG, Tea Vui Huang's "DNG Phone Camera" for Nokia. • 2008, April: Adobe announces CinemaDNG initiative, using DNG as the basis for the individual raw images of a movie. • 2008, May: Specification version 1.2.0.0 published. • 2008, September: First movie camera to use DNG as a raw image format, Ikonoskop A-cam dII. • 4th anniversary, 2008, 27 September: Camera manufacturers: 13. Camera models: 29. Software products: 200+. Convertible raw image formats: 180+. • 2008, September: First DNG converter running on Linux (among several other things), digiKam. • 2009, spring/summer: First digiscope with built-in camera to write DNG, Zeiss Photoscope 85 T* FL. • 2009, June: Specification version 1.3.0.0 published. • 5th anniversary, 2009, 27 September: Camera manufacturers: 14. Camera models: 38. Software products: 220+. Convertible raw image formats: 230+. • 2009, November: First "interchangeable unit" camera to write DNG, Ricoh GXR. • 2010, February: First 3D movie camera to write DNG, Ikonoskop A-cam3D. • 2010, March: First medium format camera to offer the user a choice of proprietary raw or DNG, Pentax 645D. • 6th anniversary, 2010, 27 September: Camera manufacturers: 14. Camera models: 47. Software products: 240+. Convertible raw image formats: 290+. • 2012, September: Specification version 1.4.0.0 published. • 2019, May: Specification version 1.5.0.0 published. • 2021, December: Specification version 1.6.0.0 published. • 2023, June: Specification version 1.7.0.0 published. JPEG XL added as a compression method. In September, 1.7.1.0 was published as a minor refresh with additional compression parameters. • 21st anniversary, 2025, 27 September. • 2026, 24 March: DNG is published as the international standard ISO 12234-4:2026 ("Digital imaging — Image storage — Part 4: Digital negative format"). This marks the formal standardization of the Digital Negative format by ISO/TC 42 (Photography), after over 20 years since its initial launch. During the first 5 years when about 38 camera models were launched that wrote DNG, Adobe software added support for about 21 Canon models, about 20 Nikon models, and about 22 Olympus models. ==Reception==
Reception
The reaction to DNG has been mixed. A few camera manufacturers stated their intention to use DNG at launch. They first supported DNG about 9 months after launch. Several more niche and minority camera manufacturers added support after this (e.g. Leica). The largest camera manufacturers have apparently never indicated an intention to use DNG (e.g. Nikon and Canon). Some software products supported DNG within 5 months of launch, with many more following. Some only support DNG from cameras writing DNG, or from cameras supported via native raw image formats. OpenRAW was an advocacy and lobby group with the motto "Digital Image Preservation Through Open Documentation". They became opposed to DNG. Some photographic competitions do not accept converted files, and some do not accept DNG.{{cite web == DNG conversion ==
DNG conversion
"DNG conversion" refers to the process of generating a DNG file from a non-DNG image. (This is in contrast to "raw conversion", which typically refers to reading and processing a raw file, which might be a DNG file, and generating some other type of output from it). DNG conversion is one of the sources of DNG files, the other being direct output from cameras and digital backs. Several software products are able to do DNG conversion. The original such product is Adobe DNG Converter or DNG Converter, a freely-available stand-alone utility from Adobe. ==Summary of products that support DNG in some way==
Summary of products that support DNG in some way
This section summarizes other more comprehensive lists. Adobe products All raw image file handling products from Adobe now support DNG. and macOS). Digital cameras and related software Use by camera manufacturers varies; there are about 15 camera manufacturers that use DNG, including a few that specialize in movie cameras: Android 5 or Windows 10 Mobile that are capable of shooting RAW images typically use DNG (e.g. Samsung and Nokia). • High-end Nokia (now Microsoft) Lumia smartphones like Nokia Lumia Icon, 930, 950, 1020 and 1520, were the first smartphone cameras to support DNG files. • Samsung's high-end smartphones (Galaxy S6 or later) also uses DNG. • Huawei Android phones using Leica-designed cameras (such as the Mate 9 and Mate 10 Pro) can save raw files to DNG format when shooting in "Pro" mode. • Niche camera manufacturers typically use DNG in new cameras (including a digiscope, panorama cameras, and at least one movie camera). The article on raw image formats illustrates the complicated relationship between new raw image formats and third-party software developers. Using DNG provides immediate support for these cameras by a large range of software products. • Some low market share but conventional camera manufacturers use DNG in new cameras. Camera manufacturers that do not supply their own software for processing raw images typically, but not always, use DNG. • Pentax typically offers users the option of whether to use Pentax's own raw image format (PEF) or DNG, but some, for example Pentax Q, Q10 and Q7, do not support PEF. For example, the digital SLR Camera Pentax K-x does offer the ability to save PEF or DNG or even DNG+ which saves two files, a DNG and a separate JPEG file at the same time. • If a camera uses DNG, and that camera manufacturer supplies software, it will support DNG. It may support DNG only from their own cameras, or support it more generically. • Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus and Fuji do not use DNG in their cameras. If a camera manufacturer's cameras do not use DNG, its software is unlikely to support DNG unless that software is also sold independently of the cameras. Some digital cameras that support DNG: • Samsung supports DNG in their Pro815 "prosumer" camera and GX-10 and GX-20 DSLR cameras. • Sea&Sea DX‐1G underwater camera. • Seitz Roundshot D3 digital back, used in cameras such as the 6×17. • Sigma FP Native support, SD Quattro cameras support DNG but may require a firmware update. • Silicon Imaging Silicon Imaging Digital Cinema SI-1920HDVR. • Sinar now uses DNG as the raw file standard for their eMotion series of digital backs. • Kron Technologies supports DNG in their Chronos 1.4 and Chronos 2.1-HD high speed cameras. Apple's iPhones and other iOS devices expose an API for third-party apps such as Halide or Lightroom CC to capture DNG images. The native Camera app processes to JPEG or HEIF by default. The iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max and subsequent Pro and Pro Max models running iOS 14.3 or later have the option to shoot pictures in DNG natively through ProRaw. Some of the Canon cameras can shoot as DNG using additional free software CHDK. The built-in camera function in the Adobe Lightroom Mobile app saves to DNG format. DJI supports DNG in its middle to high-end drones. Third-party software Support by software suppliers varies; there are of the order of 200 software products that use DNG. The majority of raw handling software products support DNG. Most provide generic support, while a few support it only if it is output directly from a camera. The type of support varies considerably. There appear to be very few third-party software products that process raw images but don't support DNG. This may reflect the difficulty of discovering all of those that do not. ==Versions of the specification==
Versions of the specification
All versions of the specification remain valid, in the sense that DNG files conforming to old versions should still be read and processed by DNG readers capable of processing later versions. DNG has a version scheme built into it that allows the DNG specification, DNG writers, and DNG readers, to evolve at their own paces. Each version of the specification describes its compatibility with previous versions. It is not clear whether these tags will be added to a later version of the DNG specification, or will remain separately described only in the CinemaDNG specification. ==Standardization==
Standardization
DNG is not a standard format, but is based on several open formats or standards and is being used by ISO in its revision of TIFF/EP. A timeline: • 2001: The ISO standard raw image format, ISO 12234-2, better known as TIFF/EP, was ratified and published. It also supports "non-raw", or "processed", images. TIFF/EP provided a basis for the raw image formats of a number of cameras, but they typically added their own proprietary data. Some cameras have sensors that cannot be described by that version of TIFF/EP. • 2004, September: Adobe launched DNG. Its specification states it "is compatible with the TIFF-EP standard". • 2008, September & October: Minutes of ISO/TC 130/WG2 — Prepress Data Exchange, 37th Meeting: "WG 18 is revising the two-part standard (ISO 12234), which addresses digital camera removable memory. The revision of... Part 2 will add DNG into TIFF/EP." A progress report from ISO about the revision of TIFF/EP stated that the revision "...currently includes two "interoperability-profiles," "IP 1" for processed image data, using ".TIF" extension, and "IP 2" for "raw" image data, ".DNG" extension". • 2009, September: Minutes of ISO/TC 130/WG2 — Prepress Data Exchange, 39th Meeting: the revision of TIFF/EP "is comprehensive to support many different use cases, including backward compatibility with current TIFF readers and support of Adobe DNG... Profile 2 (proposed extension .dng, if Adobe is in agreement) is intended for camera raw images, including un-demosaiced images... This format will be similar to DNG 1.3, which serves as the starting point for development." == Patent status ==
Patent status
In 2004, Adobe published a "patent license" for DNG that allows everyone to exploit DNG, on the condition that the licensee prominently displays text saying it is licensed from Adobe in source and documentation, and that the license may be revoked if the licensee brings any patent action against Adobe or its affiliates related to the reading or writing of files that comply with the DNG Specification. The license does not name any patent linked to DNG, however. In 2009, Adobe states that there are no known intellectual property encumbrances or license requirements for CinemaDNG, a superset of DNG. Even though the "patent license" now grants rights for no known patents, Adobe has not removed the patent license: as of August 2023, it remains on the Adobe website. ==See also==
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