Digital Negative (DNG)

Digital Negative

The public, archival format for digital camera raw data

Raw file formats are becoming extremely popular in digital photography workflows because they offer creative professionals greater creative control. However, cameras can use many different raw formats — the specifications for which are not publicly available — which means that not every raw file can be read by a variety of software applications. As a result, the use of these proprietary raw files as a long-term archival solution carries risk, and sharing these files across complex workflows is even more challenging.

The solution to this growing problem? The Digital Negative (DNG), a publicly available archival format for the raw files generated by digital cameras. By addressing the lack of an open standard for the raw files created by individual camera models, DNG helps ensure that photographers will be able to access their files in the future.

Within one year of introduction, several dozen software manufacturers such as Extensis, Canto, Apple, and iView have developed support for DNG. And respected camera manufacturers Hasselblad, Leica, Ricoh, and Samsung have introduced cameras that provide direct DNG support. Learn more.

In addition to the Digital Negative specification, Adobe provides the free Adobe DNG Converter (Windows® | Macintosh), which easily translates raw files from many of today's popular cameras. The current DNG Converter 4.4.1, is available as a Universal Binary for Intel-based Macintosh computers. Software developers and manufacturers can download the complete DNG specification (PDF, 852K). DNG is supported by Adobe® Photoshop® CS2, Photoshop CS, Photoshop Elements 3.0, Photoshop Elements 4.0 and Photoshop Elements 5.0 software.

Key benefits

Key benefits for photographers:

The DNG format helps promote archival confidence, since digital-imaging software solutions will be able to open your raw files more easily in the future.
A single raw processing solution enables a more efficient workflow when handling raw files from multiple camera models and manufacturers.
A publicly documented and readily available specification can be easily adopted by camera manufacturers and updated to accommodate future technological changes.

Key benefits for hardware and software manufacturers:

DNG removes a potential barrier to new camera adoption, since raw files from new models will be instantly supported by Photoshop and other applications.
The DNG format allows for R&D savings by eliminating the need to develop new formats and simplifying camera testing.
A common format allows for greater control over the quality of conversions by third-party applications.
The specification allows for the addition of private metadata to DNG files, enabling differentiation.

Resources

DNG 1.2.0.0 Specification (May 2008)

Download the specification, which describes a nonproprietary file format for storing camera raw files that can be used by a wide range of hardware and software vendors.

DNG SDK

The DNG SDK provides support for reading and writing DNG files as well as for converting DNG data into a format that is easily displayed or processed by imaging applications. This SDK can serve as a starting point for the addition of DNG support to existing applications that use and manipulate images or as an aid to the inclusion of DNG support within cameras. Learn more.

Introducing the Digital Negative specification: Information for Manufacturers

DNG Command line interface specification

(Valid for Adobe DNG Converter 3.2 and greater)

Highlights

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