Anyone use DNG format?

[Franglais]

I now shoot Canon and Nikon RAW so I switched to Lightroom to just have one tool plus my teacher raves about it.

First thing I learnt is that Lightroom doesn't store your modifications in the RAW file like the Canon and Nikon editors do, it stores them in the Catalogue. If you move the RAW file to archive without exporting the modifications in a Sidecar file then they are lost. Oh well only a month's work lost...

If I convert the RAW files to DNG then the modifications are stored in the DNG file. But that means that the original file is gone and I can no longer edit it in the Canon and Nikon editors if I decide to go back one day.

Is DNG very widely used? I never seem to hear anyone talking about it.

[SmartWombat]

If I convert the RAW files to DNG then the modifications are stored in the DNG file. But that means that the original file is gone

Actually in Lightroom 3.3 I see now an option to include the original file in the DNG, I assume it makes the resulting DNG file larger but it might be the way forward for you.

Preferences | File Handling | Import DNG Creation
there's a checkbox [ ] Embed Original Raw File

Unless like me you just use sidecar files all the time.
I don't bother with DNG, I always save the xmp sidecar files.

[OldClicker]

I now shoot Canon and Nikon RAW so I switched to Lightroom to just have one tool plus my teacher raves about it.

First thing I learnt is that Lightroom doesn't store your modifications in the RAW file like the Canon and Nikon editors do, it stores them in the Catalogue. If you move the RAW file to archive without exporting the modifications in a Sidecar file then they are lost. Oh well only a month's work lost...

If I convert the RAW files to DNG then the modifications are stored in the DNG file. But that means that the original file is gone and I can no longer edit it in the Canon and Nikon editors if I decide to go back one day.

Is DNG very widely used? I never seem to hear anyone talking about it.

It doesn't store them in the catalog; it stores them in an xmp file in the same folder as the RAW file. If you use LR to move the RAW, it takes the xmp with it. – Terry

[PWhite214]

Just to be safe, I save my original raw files to one drive, then import from that drive. My LR files are DNG, on another hard drive, so I always have the RAW files as well as the DNG. Backups of both file sets are made on another hard drive and on DVD. Don't forget to copy your catalog backups to another disk also.

Phil

[zerodog]

This year I have been importing as DNG so the changes made get embedded in the file. But with LR you just need to remember to only move files with lightroom. Otherwise you will lose them. I like to use 1 main catalog. It keeps it simple. But for events where I have zillions of pictures I generally create a new catalog to work with for that event. It keeps things running faster. Then the images I want to keep after all tweaking is done get imported to my main LR catalog. Remember that all of this doesn't apply to JPEG! To save the changes you made to your JPEG you need to export them as JPEG again. If someone knows a better way, enlighten me please!

[SmartWombat]

I use xmp because it makes moving files with changes simple, just copy the whole folder.
I file by day, and by camera for walkabout.
By event, then by day and by camera for events.

I started using collections, until I discovered that marking a file as rejected in the original import folder does not mark it as rejected in the collection.
So I don't use it as it doesn't do what I want at the moment.
I have to understand how collections are meant to be used by the designers, obviously.

[Franglais]

OK thanks everybody.

- I've turned on the option to always save changes in a Sidecar file
- I shall use Lightroom to manage my librray of RAW files and continue to use ACDSee for my JPG's. My ACDSee can't read some RAW formats plus the thumbnails are the unmodified image

I'll also finish the Lightroom book that I bought last weekend. I learn something on every page..