Adobe, makers of the professional graphics utility: Photoshop have released the specs for a new graphics format called: DNG which stands for Digital NeGative. Here are the benefits as listed by Adobe:

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.

Benefits for hardware / 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.

A DNG converter is available from Adobe for free which will translate raw files from cameras to this new format and Adobe Photoshop CS and Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 already support this new format.

Slashdotters are already all over this, giving their usually spirited takes:

“It’s called “DNG” and all but the most religious/technical will be calling it “DuNG” in a short while.” - erroneus

“The idea for this spec is not to replace JPEG or PNG. Higher-end digital cameras have a mechanism by which to save images in a lossless format. It used to be this was generally TIFF, but when you’re looking at six megapixel images, TIFF nets you pretty monstrous file sizes.” - foxtrot

“It’s obvious from this that Adobe is rolling out new formats in an effort to minimize the impact the GIMP is having on the bottom dollar of the Adobe company.” - SlashdotMirrorer

I need some more time to review the docs and work with this format somewhat before passing any sort of opinion, but I do like the idea that it is a ” new unified public format” so at least my first reaction is that I’m not really sure how anybody can be upset about at least that aspect of DNG.

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