CR2 > DNG > Jpg

Hi all. Because I am a dinosaur and still use CS6 I have been labouring under a multiple file problem. I bought a Canon 5D Mkiv last year, and the version of CR2 Raw file is different from the CR2 Raw file I used to get from my 7D. The 5D CR2 will not open in my version of Adobe Raw. Yes, it is up to the latest version, (9.1.1 ) but because my photoshop is CS6, I cannot update Adobe Raw any further. So, not a problem. Convert CR2 to DNG using Adobe converter. Then my CS6 will open the DNG files. Great Do any photoshop work that I want and save as Jpg. So what's the problem ? ? The problem is storage space. I have plenty of storage space but it is rapidly being taken up by three versions of the same file. 1. CR2 + 1. DNG + 1. Jpg My question is. [b]Is it safe to delete the CR2's once they have been converted to DNG's.[/b] Do DNG's hold ALL the information that is on the CR2's should I want to revisit the raw file at sometime in the future. As the 5D Mkiv CR2 file size is on average between 30 & 40mb I would like to be able to safely discard these files, hoping that I still have all the information available in the DNG's Your thoughts please. Oh and please don't say dump CS6 . As I said, I'm a dinosaur, but still take loads of pictures. Thank you all in advance. [epzimg]150286_1669466401.jpg[/epzimg]

Hi all.

Because I am a dinosaur and still use CS6 I have been labouring under a multiple file problem.
I bought a Canon 5D Mkiv last year, and the version of CR2 Raw file is different from the CR2 Raw file I used to get from my 7D.
The 5D CR2 will not open in my version of Adobe Raw. Yes, it is up to the latest version, (9.1.1 ) but because my photoshop is CS6, I cannot update Adobe Raw any further.
So, not a problem. Convert CR2 to DNG using Adobe converter. Then my CS6 will open the DNG files. Great
Do any photoshop work that I want and save as Jpg. So what's the problem ? ?

The problem is storage space. I have plenty of storage space but it is rapidly being taken up by three versions of the same file.
1. CR2 + 1. DNG + 1. Jpg

My question is. Is it safe to delete the CR2's once they have been converted to DNG's. Do DNG's hold ALL the information that is on the CR2's should I want to revisit the raw file at sometime in the future.

As the 5D Mkiv CR2 file size is on average between 30 & 40mb I would like to be able to safely discard these files, hoping that I still have all the information available in the DNG's

Your thoughts please. Oh and please don't say dump CS6 . As I said, I'm a dinosaur, but still take loads of pictures.
Thank you all in advance.

There is the option in the Adobe DNG Convertor to embed the original RAW, it says to potentially be extracted later if needed, though I'm not sure how, as I have never tried it. It does make the DNG file larger, but saves space by not needing to keep the original RAW file, because there is one in the DNG file. ;) When I have used the DNG Convertor in the past, it was with a new camera whose RAW files were not yet readable by Adobe Camera Raw, but able to be converted. I kept the original RAW files though, as it was only a temporary thing. :)

There is the option in the Adobe DNG Convertor to embed the original RAW, it says to potentially be extracted later if needed, though I'm not sure how, as I have never tried it.

It does make the DNG file larger, but saves space by not needing to keep the original RAW file, because there is one in the DNG file.

When I have used the DNG Convertor in the past, it was with a new camera whose RAW files were not yet readable by Adobe Camera Raw, but able to be converted. I kept the original RAW files though, as it was only a temporary thing.

For a period of 12 months some years ago I had a similar problem and converted files to DNG but did not bother to keep the Raw files. Soon after I had a current version of LR/PS and always have since so not an issue anymore. However, it is JPEG files I do not keep. From my Raw files I will generate a TIFF file for my final edited version from which I can print or generate any JPEG's if needed. As JPEG requirements and dimensions vary just storing a single jpeg would not be satisfactory. Dave

For a period of 12 months some years ago I had a similar problem and converted files to DNG but did not bother to keep the Raw files. Soon after I had a current version of LR/PS and always have since so not an issue anymore. However, it is JPEG files I do not keep. From my Raw files I will generate a TIFF file for my final edited version from which I can print or generate any JPEG's if needed. As JPEG requirements and dimensions vary just storing a single jpeg would not be satisfactory.

Dave

if I was in your position, I would keep the cr2 and jpg, the DNG file can be easily recreated from the cr2 file anyway. we quite often delete the raw files for those images we do not use and only keep the jpgs (you never know when you need a blurry or distracting photo!!) but we always keep the raw files of those that we use your cr2 files, like our nef files from Nikon have all the raw data from your camera, the DNG is a conversion process

if I was in your position, I would keep the cr2 and jpg, the DNG file can be easily recreated from the cr2 file anyway. we quite often delete the raw files for those images we do not use and only keep the jpgs (you never know when you need a blurry or distracting photo!!) but we always keep the raw files of those that we use

your cr2 files, like our nef files from Nikon have all the raw data from your camera, the DNG is a conversion process

Darren makes a good point there. My workflow is to convert all original image files to TIFF as a first step before I do anything else. This is what I work on and optimise - including cropping - and archive... [u]in addition[/u] to the original. Any JPEGs are produced from the TIFF (which remains unresized, other than cropping, and unsharpened). If as occasionally happens a local publication wants a photo I send the TIFF which seems to keep them happy. :) Storage is cheap these days and I have no concerns about keeping large files like TIFF.

Darren makes a good point there.

My workflow is to convert all original image files to TIFF as a first step before I do anything else. This is what I work on and optimise - including cropping - and archive... in addition to the original. Any JPEGs are produced from the TIFF (which remains unresized, other than cropping, and unsharpened).

If as occasionally happens a local publication wants a photo I send the TIFF which seems to keep them happy.

Storage is cheap these days and I have no concerns about keeping large files like TIFF.

[quote]your cr2 files, like our nef files from Nikon have all the raw data from your camera, the DNG is a conversion process [/quote] The original RAW file from the camera will contain all the camera settings, and lens used, which I don't think the converted DNG will. If using the manufacturers software, it will apply any picture styles/controls as they were set in camera. And will allow changing to a different picture style/control, if needed. Adobe software attempts to replicate manufacturers picture styles/controls, with varying degrees of success. Nikon have more options for Fluorescent WB settings, and these can be applied in their software if the correct one was not chosen in camera. Other manufacturers may have something similar. Manufacturers software may also make adjustments for the lens used if it is the manufacturers own, for distortion, chromatic aberration etc. Adobe Camera Raw / Lightroom, attempts to replicate the picture styles/controls when working with the original RAW file, and if the lens used is in their database of lenses, will apply lens corrections as above. I'm not sure if any other RAW processing software does anything like that. For the OP using the ACR used in CS6, it will be using a generation or two older Adobe processing engine, and I don't think lens corrections would be available either. But using DNG's takes all the camera and lens setting away from ACR / Lightroom, whatever version, and most other RAW processors too. That is a reason to keep the original RAW file from camera, as you may get newer / different software in the future which may take advantage of being able to read all the camera and lens settings, and make adjustments based on that. DNG files do not keep that information, as far as I know. It may do if the original RAW file is embedded, but I don't know. To the OP, if not willing or able to buy a more up to date RAW processing, it may be worth looking to some of the free RAW processing software such as RawTherapee or Darktable etc, which will hopefully be using more up to date and powerful RAW processing. They are free to try, so nothing lost in trying. ;) If I have made any mistakes above, please point them out, as I am always willing to learn, especially from my mistakes. ;) Lol

Quote:your cr2 files, like our nef files from Nikon have all the raw data from your camera, the DNG is a conversion process


The original RAW file from the camera will contain all the camera settings, and lens used, which I don't think the converted DNG will.

If using the manufacturers software, it will apply any picture styles/controls as they were set in camera. And will allow changing to a different picture style/control, if needed.
Adobe software attempts to replicate manufacturers picture styles/controls, with varying degrees of success. Nikon have more options for Fluorescent WB settings, and these can be applied in their software if the correct one was not chosen in camera. Other manufacturers may have something similar.

Manufacturers software may also make adjustments for the lens used if it is the manufacturers own, for distortion, chromatic aberration etc.

Adobe Camera Raw / Lightroom, attempts to replicate the picture styles/controls when working with the original RAW file, and if the lens used is in their database of lenses, will apply lens corrections as above. I'm not sure if any other RAW processing software does anything like that.

For the OP using the ACR used in CS6, it will be using a generation or two older Adobe processing engine, and I don't think lens corrections would be available either. But using DNG's takes all the camera and lens setting away from ACR / Lightroom, whatever version, and most other RAW processors too. That is a reason to keep the original RAW file from camera, as you may get newer / different software in the future which may take advantage of being able to read all the camera and lens settings, and make adjustments based on that. DNG files do not keep that information, as far as I know. It may do if the original RAW file is embedded, but I don't know.

To the OP, if not willing or able to buy a more up to date RAW processing, it may be worth looking to some of the free RAW processing software such as RawTherapee or Darktable etc, which will hopefully be using more up to date and powerful RAW processing. They are free to try, so nothing lost in trying.

If I have made any mistakes above, please point them out, as I am always willing to learn, especially from my mistakes. Lol

Lens corrections are avilable in other software. Affinity Photo does this as does Capture One. The DNG converter is free, so you can create a DNG file and compare it with a tiff from the original GR2 file (using an older CR2 file that you can open, obviously!). But you're using Canon so this begs the question why don't you give Digital Photo Professional a go? Details will be in the literature that came with your camera.Oh yes, and it's free!

Lens corrections are avilable in other software. Affinity Photo does this as does Capture One.
The DNG converter is free, so you can create a DNG file and compare it with a tiff from the original GR2 file (using an older CR2 file that you can open, obviously!).

But you're using Canon so this begs the question why don't you give Digital Photo Professional a go? Details will be in the literature that came with your camera.Oh yes, and it's free!

If the OP was interested in precision, he would use the current Adobe software and produce a calibration profile for each camera. Aiming to replicate what the camera produces for JPEG is not a good target. My Calibration profiles are automatically applied by LR based on Camera serial number which it reads from the Raw file data. To be fair not everyone needs this precision but having set this up, I know I have a good starting position even if I wish to purposely distort what I captured. Dave

If the OP was interested in precision, he would use the current Adobe software and produce a calibration profile for each camera. Aiming to replicate what the camera produces for JPEG is not a good target. My Calibration profiles are automatically applied by LR based on Camera serial number which it reads from the Raw file data.

To be fair not everyone needs this precision but having set this up, I know I have a good starting position even if I wish to purposely distort what I captured.

Dave

Just fyi, [link=https://www.dpreview.com/news/6510292472/free-open-source-raw-editor-rawtherapee-updated-to-version-5-9]RawTherapee has just had an update for anyone considering other RAW processing software[/link].

Just fyi, RawTherapee has just had an update for anyone considering other RAW processing software.

I regard myself also a dinosaur! My new Olympus files are not recognised by my old lightroom or elements. I could use Olympus Workspace but that will only work with ORF files - I still also use a Canon 7D. Spent a while roaming the web and came across 'darktable'. Only just scratched the surface so far but very impressed. No change to original RAW images all edits are saved in a sidecar file. Ticks my box, and it can import all your lightroom history - no conversion and doubling of file size. I have no connection with darktable. Alan

I regard myself also a dinosaur!
My new Olympus files are not recognised by my old lightroom or elements. I could use Olympus Workspace but that will only work with ORF files - I still also use a Canon 7D.
Spent a while roaming the web and came across 'darktable'. Only just scratched the surface so far but very impressed.
No change to original RAW images all edits are saved in a sidecar file.
Ticks my box, and it can import all your lightroom history - no conversion and doubling of file size.
I have no connection with darktable.

Alan