The RAW Image Format Mess: Why Isn't DNG Universal?
2025-04-04
The world of camera RAW formats is a fragmented mess. Canon's CR3, Nikon's NEF, Sony's ARW, and others create compatibility headaches for software developers and users alike. Adobe's DNG (Digital Negative) attempted to solve this with an open standard, but major manufacturers cling to proprietary formats. This article explores the reasons behind this: tighter control over image processing pipelines and optimization for their own software. While DNG offers flexibility, ease of use, and future-proofing, larger companies prioritize performance and unique features. This creates friction for early adopters and software developers, but as long as manufacturers cooperate with Adobe, the status quo might persist.
Hardware
RAW format